Making

Inference

Definition

• Making inference:

to draw or guess information or ideas

which are not specifically stated by the

author in the reading material. It is a

reasonable and logical guess based on

what the author says.

Examples

• E.g.

• The climbing team planned to begin the

ascent on the 14 May if the weather was fine.

They didn’t begin until June.

Function

• Making inference while reading could

help readers understand the content more

thoroughly and catch the author’s

purpose and attitude more efficiently.

• 1. I saw by the clock of the city jail that it

was past eleven, so I decided to go to the

newspaper immediately. Outside the editor’s

door I stopped to make sure my pages were in

the right order; I smoothed them out carefully,

stuck them back in my pocket, and knocked. I

could hear my heart thumping as I walked in.

Examples

• a). The teller of this story has just left the city jail.

b). He has been carrying his papers in his pocket.

c). We know that the storyteller is a newspaper

writer by profession.

d). We might infer that the storyteller is going to

show his paper to the editor.

e). The meeting is important for the storyteller.

Examples

• 2. This organization may succeed marvelously at

what it wants to do, but what it wants to do may not be

that important.

a). The organization is marvelous.

b). The organization may succeed.

c). Although the organization may reach its goals, the

goals might not be important.

d). What the organization wants is marvelous.

e). The author questions the goals of the organization.

Examples

How to Make Reasonable Inference

• 1. Understand the literal meaning of the

material. Only in this way can you go

beyond the literal meaning and make

reasonable inferences.

How to Make Reasonable Inference

• 2. Ask yourself the following questions:

--- What is the author trying to suggest from the

stated information?

--- What do all the facts and ideas point toward

or seem to add up to?

--- For what purpose does the author include

these facts and details?

How to Make Reasonable Inference

• 3. Verify your inference to check if it is accurate.

You may look back at the stated information to

be sure that there is sufficient evidence to

support your inference.

Some points in making inference

• 1. Noticing the author’s choice of words,

sentence structures, and the stating tone.

• ---I believe that smoking cigarettes is harmful.

---It is believed that smoking cigarettes is

harmful.

---Smoking cigarettes is harmful.

• The young man quickly answered, “Yes, sir.”

• 2. Mind the accuracy of your inferenceBase your inference on the information given; do not take your own opinion as the author’s

• The old man staggered along the side walk. He grabbed the picket fence to keep from falling. His torn grey overcoat flapped open in the winter wind.

Some points in making inference

Classification of questions

• 1. inferring some information from certain

details or the understanding of a detail.

• 2. inferring the author’s purpose in writing

the passage.

Classification of questions

• 3. inferring the content preceding or

following the given passage.

• 4. inferring the author’s tone or

attitude