Inference
Let’s talk about inferences in reading and writing. An inference is a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. First, we’ll talk about how this can help improve your reading skills, then we’ll talk about how you can apply it to your own writing.
What is an Inference in Reading?
If you’re making an inference while reading, you’re making a guess about what you don’t know based on the information available—basically, you’re reading between the lines. You can use your prior knowledge and textual information to draw conclusions, make critical judgments, and form interpretations of the text. Inferences can occur in the form of conclusions, predictions, or new ideas.
The easiest way to show this is with an example. Let’s say I arrived at school but couldn’t find my lesson plan. I knew I was reading it over breakfast, so I make the assumption that I left it on the kitchen table. This is an inference. I don’t know for sure where I left it, but I’m making an inference based on the fact that I know I was working on it at home.
You make inferences every day. Maybe you are able to finish your friend’s sentence because of the information they’ve already given you. Maybe you predict the ending of a movie before it comes. Maybe you can tell what singer is on the radio based on the sound of their voice and the topic of their song. All of these are things you’ve discovered based on surrounding facts, not actual knowledge. All of these are inferences.
Reading is an active, reflective, problem-solving process. You don’t just want to read words, you also want to understand the deeper ideas the author is trying to communicate. When you’re reading, it’s helpful to look for patterns or relationships in the text that might shed greater light on the subject. Let’s look at Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird for an example of this:
This inference helps us draw a connection between the mockingbird and Boo Radley—the mockingbird is innocent and does nothing but make music. This is a symbol for the innocence of Boo, and highlights the thematic heart of the novel: those who have the power must protect the vulnerable. It’s a beautiful inference, but you’ll note it is never stated directly in the novel. It’s a gem left to be discovered by the reader.
Inferences can help with smaller practical reading comprehension problems, too. Sometimes, if you don’t understand what a word means, you can infer its meaning from what’s around it in the sentence. Take, for example, the following sentence:
Even if you didn’t have a dictionary to tell you that gregarious means “a person who enjoys social gatherings and is fond of company,” you could glean as much from the description of the subject as someone who liked parties and whose door was “always open.”
What is an Inference in Writing?
Now, let’s talk about how you can work inferences into your own writing.
Try this: practice writing a paragraph describing something you’re familiar with—your cat, a movie, a pineapple pizza—without explicitly stating what it is. Then see if your friend can figure out what you’re talking about without being told. If they can, they are making an inference.
You’ll probably note that your writing is much more creative and engaging than it would have been if you simply stated what it was you were talking about. You have to work hard to describe the things you’re familiar with in new words and phrases, and that makes your writing more interesting. Take a look at this example:
If I were to ask you what season is described in this piece of writing, you’d probably say “winter” right away. We talked about cold temperatures and frozen pavement, plus it’s still dark at 7:00 in the morning, which is distinctly a winter characteristic. You can see how writing for inference, in this case, was more imaginative and effective than simply saying, “students waited in the cold winter for the bus.”
To sum up, understanding inference can enrich your reading by helping you read between the lines for the author’s intent. It can also enrich your writing by helping you paint vivid pictures without stating the facts directly.
I hope this video has inspired you to use inferences in your own writing. Thanks for watching this review on inferences. We hope you feel prepped and empowered!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
What is an inference?
A
An inference is a conclusion that has been reached by way of evidence and reasoning. For example, if you notice someone making a disgusted face after they’ve taken a bite of their lunch, you can infer that they do not like it. If a friend walks by with a graded test in her hand and a smile on her face, you could infer that she got a good grade on the test.
Q
What is the difference between observation and inference?
A
The difference between observation and inference is that an observation is simply something that you take in with your senses, while an inference uses those observations to make a decision about a thing, person, or event. For instance, you might observe a passerby in a hallway who is carrying an umbrella and leaving wet footprints on the floor. From these observations, you can infer that the person was recently outside and that it was raining when they were outside.
Q
How do you make an inference?
A
You make inferences by using observations and experience to connect clues and ideas and come to some conclusion. For instance, if you see a woman pushing a baby stroller down the sidewalk, you can infer that there is a baby in the stroller. It is important to remember that making an inference is not the same as making a wild guess; you wouldn’t infer that a cactus or a lamp were in the stroller. To make inferences while you are reading, take two or more details from the text and try to connect them and draw a reasonable conclusion.
Q
What is an example of an inference?
A
Here are some examples of inferences:
- Alex had a frown on his face and was dragging his feet as he walked, so you can infer that he is having a bad day.
- Kim’s baby made a disgusted face after trying a new food, so you can infer that the baby does not like the new food.
- “I’m excited to go back home,” said Caleb as he pulled several large suitcases toward the car. From this sentence, you can infer that Caleb has been away from home for some time due to his excitement and the number of suitcases he’s carrying.
- Sam always orders a salad from his favorite restaurant, so you can infer that he will do the same the next time he goes there.
Q
What is the definition of inference?
A
Inference is defined as a conclusion reached by way of evidence and reasoning.
Inference Defined and Explained PDF
