Inference · Year 4
Inference means working out something the writer suggests but doesn't say directly: reading between the lines. You combine clues in the text (what people do, say and feel, and what things look like) with what you already know. Mia slammed the door and stomped up the stairs. The writer doesn't say Mia is angry, but the clues tell us.
Key facts
- Actions show feelings: Kai's teeth were chattering → he is cold. Her hands were shaking → she is nervous.
- Details show places and times: sand between her toes → she has been at the beach. The pond was frozen → it is winter.
- Always find evidence: the words in the text that support your answer.
- Explain how the evidence leads to the answer: He checked the clock every few minutes suggests he is impatient.
- An inference must fit all the clues, not just one, and it can't be something the text proves wrong.