The document provides information about making inferences when reading. It defines inferences as ideas that are implied but not explicitly stated. Readers must use clues from the text, their own background knowledge, and critical thinking skills to infer additional details. The document offers examples of inferences and discusses how inferences are made all the time during reading, such as when feeling empathy for characters or solving mysteries. It emphasizes that strong readers use clues, personal experiences, and prior knowledge to infer meaning beyond the direct words in a text.

1. Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension
Strategy:Strategy:
Making InferencesMaking Inferences
Readers need to find the meaningReaders need to find the meaning
behind the words.behind the words.

2. What Are Inferences?What Are Inferences?
 Inferences are often referred to as whatInferences are often referred to as what
you “read between the lines.”you “read between the lines.”
 Inferences are what the author implies orInferences are what the author implies or
suggests.suggests.
 The author wants you, the reader, toThe author wants you, the reader, to
make the jump to the same conclusion themake the jump to the same conclusion the
author has made.author has made.
 When the authorWhen the author impliesimplies something, thesomething, the
reader has toreader has to infer.infer.
(Zimmermann and Hutchins, 2003, p. 97).(Zimmermann and Hutchins, 2003, p. 97).

3. What Are Inferences?What Are Inferences?
 Authors don’t always tell every detail or
give every bit of information in nonfiction
or in fiction stories.
 Readers make inferences to supply
information that authors leave out.

4. What Happens When You Read?What Happens When You Read?
 While you read, your inside voice:While you read, your inside voice:
– Makes guessesMakes guesses
– Finds connecting pointsFinds connecting points
– Asks questionsAsks questions
– Makes predictionsMakes predictions
– Personalizes the readingPersonalizes the reading
– Uses background knowledge to interpretUses background knowledge to interpret
Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, p. 97.

5. What the author said + what I know =
my inference
The
weather
had been
scorchin
g for
weeks.
Summer
is the
hottest
time of
the year.
It is
summer.

6. What the author said + what I know =
my inference
Ali took
out a
pitcher
of cold
lemonad
e.
You
keep
things
cold in a
refridger
-ator.
Ali took
the
lemonad
e out of
the
refridger
-ator.

7. When Do We Infer?When Do We Infer?
 We infer all the time.We infer all the time.
 ““Feeling empathy for characters,Feeling empathy for characters,
laughing at a joke, discovering anlaughing at a joke, discovering an
answer to a riddle, getting a senseanswer to a riddle, getting a sense
about the setting of a story, reactingabout the setting of a story, reacting
to facts, and solving a mystery areto facts, and solving a mystery are
all part of inferential thinking.”all part of inferential thinking.”
(Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, p. 115).(Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, p. 115).

8. What are the three strategies youWhat are the three strategies you
can use to make inferences?can use to make inferences?
Story CluesStory Clues
Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience
 –– Text to SelfText to Self
Prior KnowledgePrior Knowledge
 –– Text to TextText to Text

9. A Simple InferenceA Simple Inference
 If the sky suddenly grows veryIf the sky suddenly grows very
cloudy and the wind begins to whipcloudy and the wind begins to whip
around your legs, how do you infer?around your legs, how do you infer?
– You have seen this weather patternYou have seen this weather pattern
before.before.
– You have background knowledge aboutYou have background knowledge about
storms.storms.
– You make connections between yourYou make connections between your
background knowledge and the currentbackground knowledge and the current
weather pattern.weather pattern.
– Based on these connections, you makeBased on these connections, you make
a prediction.a prediction.

10. Some examples of inferenceSome examples of inference
are:are:
11. Bob knows that Baltimore is known. Bob knows that Baltimore is known
for its crab cakes and Bob is going to afor its crab cakes and Bob is going to a
seafood restaurant for dinner tonight.seafood restaurant for dinner tonight.
Bob can infer that the restaurant willBob can infer that the restaurant will
likely serve crab cakes.likely serve crab cakes.
22. Sherry's toddler is in bed upstairs.. Sherry's toddler is in bed upstairs.
She hears a bang and crying.She hears a bang and crying.
Sherry can infer that her toddler fellSherry can infer that her toddler fell
out of bed.out of bed.

11. Some examples of inference are:
33.. Jennifer hears her mailbox close and her dog
is barking.
Jennifer can infer that………
4. The floor is covered in shreds of newspaper
and Susan's dog has newsprint on his paws.
It can be inferred that……
5. John's house smells of soy sauce and used
chopsticks are on the table.
 It can be inferred that…….

12. Some examples of inference are:
66.. Karen bought six lottery tickets the previous
day and quit work the next day.
7. When the phone rang and Liz picked it up, she
was all smiles.
8. A child tries a new fruit and makes a disgusted
face.
9. After her guests went back for second
helpings, Mary could infer that…….

13. Some examples of inference are:
1010.. Watching the woman at the airport run
toward the arriving flight area, one could infer….
11. With the storm raging outside and the rain
pouring down, Billy looked out of the window.
He dropped his kite and began sobbing.
12. The kids went swimming and then built a
sand castle. One can infer…..
13. Watching a man run towards the gate at the
airport, one can infer…….

14. Jake Tries to Catch a FishJake Tries to Catch a Fish
Jake stood on the river bank. He cast hisJake stood on the river bank. He cast his
fishing pole into the deep water. He hadfishing pole into the deep water. He had
been trying to catch a fish for many hours.been trying to catch a fish for many hours.
Alex and Zach laughed as they watchedAlex and Zach laughed as they watched
Jake throw the line into the water one moreJake throw the line into the water one more
time.time.

15. What kind of person is Jake?What kind of person is Jake?
 PatientPatient
 Hard workingHard working
Jake stood on the riverbank. He cast his fishingJake stood on the riverbank. He cast his fishing
into the deepinto the deep
water.water. He had been trying to catch a fish forHe had been trying to catch a fish for
many hours.many hours. Alex and Zach laughed as theAlex and Zach laughed as the
watched Jake throw the line into thewatched Jake throw the line into the
water one more.water one more.

16. How do you think Alex and Zach feelHow do you think Alex and Zach feel
about Jake’s efforts to catch a fish?about Jake’s efforts to catch a fish?
 He is wasting his time.He is wasting his time.
 He won’t catch a fish.He won’t catch a fish.
Jake stood on the riverbank. He cast hisJake stood on the riverbank. He cast his
fishing into the deep water. He had beenfishing into the deep water. He had been
trying to catch a fish for many hours.trying to catch a fish for many hours. AlexAlex
and Zach laughed as they watched Jakeand Zach laughed as they watched Jake
throw the line into the water one more.throw the line into the water one more.

17. Jim’s Travel on busJim’s Travel on bus
The bus driver pulled out of the station.The bus driver pulled out of the station.
Jim’s heart beat fast. He had never traveledJim’s heart beat fast. He had never traveled
alone. He waved good-bye to hisalone. He waved good-bye to his
grandparents. “The bus will be in Tucson ingrandparents. “The bus will be in Tucson in
two hours,” Jim told himself. He checked histwo hours,” Jim told himself. He checked his
watch. Jim pictured his father waiting forwatch. Jim pictured his father waiting for
the bus in Tucson. “Two hours will be over inthe bus in Tucson. “Two hours will be over in
no time,” Jim said.no time,” Jim said.

18. What story clues helped you figureWhat story clues helped you figure
out how Jim feels?out how Jim feels?
 His heart beat fast.His heart beat fast.
 He had never traveled alone.He had never traveled alone.
The bus driver pulled out of the station.The bus driver pulled out of the station. Jim’sJim’s
heart beat fast. He had never traveledheart beat fast. He had never traveled
alone.alone. He waved good-bye to hisHe waved good-bye to his
grandparents. “The bus will be in Tucson ingrandparents. “The bus will be in Tucson in
two hours,” Jim told himself. He checked histwo hours,” Jim told himself. He checked his
watch. Jim pictured his father waiting for thewatch. Jim pictured his father waiting for the
bus in Tucson. “Two hours will be over in nobus in Tucson. “Two hours will be over in no

19. Let’s Look At Another StoryLet’s Look At Another Story
Boori Ma, sweeper of the stairwell, had not slept in two
nights. So the morning before the third night she shook the
mites out of her bedding. She shook the quilts once underneath
the letter boxes where she lived, then once again at the mouth
of the alley, causing the crows who were feeding on vegetable
peels to scatter in several directions.
As she started up the four flights to the roof, Boori Ma
kept one hand placed over the knee that swelled at the start of
every rainy season. That meant that her bucket, quilts, and the
bundle of stems which served as her broom all had to be braced
under one arm. Lately Boori Ma had been thinking that the
stairs were getting steeper; climbing them felt more like
climbing a ladder than a staircase. She was sixty-four years old,
with hair in a knot no larger than a walnut, and she looked
almost as narrow from the front as she did from the side.
Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies, as printed in Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, pp. 95-96.

20. Questions And Observations YouQuestions And Observations You
Can Make About This PassageCan Make About This Passage
 Why hasn’t Boori Ma slept in two nights?Why hasn’t Boori Ma slept in two nights?
 Why doesn’t she wash her bedding to get rid of theWhy doesn’t she wash her bedding to get rid of the
mites?mites?
 Why is she so thin?Why is she so thin?
 Why does she have such as formal title – “sweeperWhy does she have such as formal title – “sweeper
of the stairwell”?of the stairwell”?
 How long has she been doing this?How long has she been doing this?
 Your background knowledge tells you that she isYour background knowledge tells you that she is
very poor (her living conditions).very poor (her living conditions).
 Your background knowledge may also tell you howYour background knowledge may also tell you how
it feels to be infected by pests like mites or liceit feels to be infected by pests like mites or lice
Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, pp. 96-97.Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, pp. 96-97.

21. So, When We Infer, We…So, When We Infer, We…
 Make inferences based on soundMake inferences based on sound
reasoning.reasoning.
 Use background knowledge to makeUse background knowledge to make
connections and personalize the reading.connections and personalize the reading.
 Ask internal questions while reading.Ask internal questions while reading.
 Make predictions and confirm or discardMake predictions and confirm or discard
them as we continue reading.them as we continue reading.
 Try to recognize the author’s purpose andTry to recognize the author’s purpose and
message.message.
 Make inferences using what is “betweenMake inferences using what is “between
our ears.”our ears.”

22. Read each passage and then respond to the questions. Each question
will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual details.
Explain your answer by referencing the text.
 Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on
the steps of the front porch. Alice would have a fit if
the boots made it so far as the welcome mat. He then
took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a
plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied
to the porch railing for him every morning. On his way
in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the
washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the
shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner
with her after he was "presentable," as Alice had often
said.

23. QuestionsQuestions
1. What type of job does Paul work?
a) How do you know this?
2. Describe Alice:
a) what in the text supports your
description?
3. What relationship do Paul and Alice have?
a) why do you feel this way?

24. “Writers give clues, but
readers have to amass the
evidence and draw conclusions
for themselves.“
Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003, p. 106