Inferences and Conclusions

1. Inferences and Conclusions

2. Inference- A guess based on what you read or what you already know. It is not said in the text in an obvious way. “Reading between the lines”, or an “Educated guess.” Conclusion- What you learn or understand based on the evidence. *Inferences and conclusions are very similar. Both depend on using evidence or information from what you read. Definitions

3. When you make inferences or draw conclusions, you make guesses about things not directly stated in the passage. You use details provided by the author along with what you know of real life to make conclusions and inferences. The author of a passage may not tell you everything directly. Some authors “show” something by using specific details. You should use details as clues to help you figure things out.

4. Read a passage carefully. Look for details about what a person does. What do the person’s actions tell you? What can you conclude about the person’s traits? Look for details that describe a place or event. Based on real life, what do those details tell you? Look for facts given in a nonfiction passage. Ask yourself, what do those facts mean overall? What do the facts tell me about the subject? Analyze the way the author discusses and describes the topic. What can you tell about the author from his or her writing? How does the author probably feel about the topic? Make an inference or conclusion about something in the passage. Find the details that led you to that conclusion. To make inferences using a reading passage, follow these tips:

5. Paul stared at the surface of the lake. Mosquitoes buzzed across the top and created tiny ripples with their bodies. Paul stared blankly at the spot where his line disappeared into the water. He hoped a fish would bite soon so that he could go back to his tent and listen to his iPod. Hearing a little snort, Paul looked up and saw Grandpa smirking at him. “When I was a young man, I went fishing with my father and grandfather a lot,” Grandpa said. “We liked to be outside back then because we didn’t have TVs, computers, and video games to keep us indoors. We got plenty of exercise outside.” Paul looked at Grandpa and tried to imagine a life without electronics. He could easily imagine Grandpa as a young outdoorsman. All this week he had watched Grandpa paddle a boat, set up a tent, and gather firewood. Paul had been surprised when Grandpa was able to lift a large tree branch out of their way when they had been hiking by the waterfall. Despite his age, Grandpa was trim and muscular, probably from a life of hard work. Question: What can the reader conclude Paul and Grandpa are doing in the story? Think: Look for details about Paul and Grandpa’s activities. In the first paragraph, they are sitting by a lake waiting for “a fish to bite soon.” In the last paragraph, Paul remembers activities from earlier in the week, such as paddling a boat, setting up a tent, gathering firewood, and going on a hike. You should know from real life that those are things people do while camping. Answer: They are on a camping trip. Questions: Which sentence from the passage shows that Paul is bored? Think: Look for details about Paul’s thoughts and actions. You should know from real life how people act when they are bored. Paul seems bored with fishing because he is staring blankly at the water. He also wants to finish quickly so that he can go do something else. Answer: “He hoped a fish would bite soon so that he could go back to his tent and listen to his iPod.”

6. Supported Inference- A guess with evidence to back it up. Unsupported Inference- A wild guess with no evidence to back it up. It might be possible, but it is not necessarily likely. Types of Inferences

7. If the character of your story said, “I’m going to work at the library. I’ll be back at six,” what supported inferences could you make? Your character is doing research. Your character wants to be home in time for dinner. Your character doesn’t want the person they’re speaking with to worry. *The text can be used as quotes or evidence to support the inferences. Supported Inferences

8. Supported inferences are like topic sentences. Example topic sentence: The character in this story is interested in doing research. The quotes you pull from the passages to support your inference are like concrete details. Example: When they say, “I’m going to work at the library,” they’re referring to the time and effort they’ll spend looking up information.

9. If the character of your story said, “I’m going to the library. I’ll be back at six,” what Unsupported Inferences could you make? They’re sneaking off to vandalize orphanages. They have to be inside before vampire bats abduct them at night. They’re trying to lull the other person into a false sense of security so they can steal their wallet. *There is nothing in the passage that could be used as believable evidence to support these ideas. Unsupported Inferences