Making Inferences
The English idiom "read between the lines" is often used when talking about making inferences. When we make an inference, we take the information we already know and apply it to what we read, see, or hear. Combining what you already know with what you want to know helps you better understand what you read. Read this page for strategies on "reading between the lines" to make inferences.
Making inferences is a comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to "read between the lines", make connections, and draw conclusions about the text's meaning and purpose.
You already make inferences all of the time. For example, imagine you go over to a friend's house and they point at the sofa and say, "Don't sit there, Cindy came over with her baby again". What could you logically conclude?
First, you know there must be a reason not to sit where your friend is pointing. Next, the reason not to sit there is related to the fact that Cindy just visited with her baby. You don't know what exactly happened, but you can make an inference and don't need to ask any more questions to know that you do not want to sit there.
Making Inferences as You Read
To make inferences from reading, take two or more details from the reading and see if you can draw a conclusion. Remember, making an inference is not just making a wild guess. You need to make a judgment that can be supported, just as you could reasonably infer there is a baby in a stroller, but not reasonably infer that there are groceries, even though both would technically be a "guess".
When you are asked an inference question, go back over the reading and look for hints within the text, such as words that are directly related to the question you may be asked (such as for a multiple choice test) or words that indicate opinion.
Check out this video, which discusses useful strategies that help you make inferences while reading.
Source: Lumen Learning, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/developmentalreading/chapter/making-inferences/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Source: Student Success Center OCtech, https://youtu.be/__kPIp-3n08
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.