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Making Inferences: Reading Between the Lines

In one line: Making inferences means using clues in the text, plus what you already know, to work out something the writer has not said directly.

Why it works

Writers rarely tell you everything. They often show how a character feels or what is happening through small details instead of saying it outright. If you can make inferences (smart guesses backed up by evidence, which means clues from the text), you understand stories more deeply, enjoy them more, and can answer the 'how' and 'why' questions that come up in reading lessons. It is also a skill you use every day, like noticing a friend is upset from their face before they say a word.

Think of it like: Making inferences is like being a detective. A detective finds clues, such as muddy footprints and an open window, and puts them together with what they know about the world to work out what happened. A reader does the same with words: clues in the text plus your own knowledge lead you to a sensible conclusion. (Where this breaks: A detective can keep searching for more evidence until the case is proved, but a reader only has the words on the page. Sometimes a text supports more than one reasonable inference, and the writer may never confirm which is right, so the goal is a well-supported answer, not a single proven one.)

Worked example

Read this: 'Mia stamped into the kitchen, dropped her dripping umbrella by the door and threw her muddy football boots into the corner. "We lost," she muttered, without looking at anyone.' How is Mia feeling, and how do you know?

  1. Find the clues: she 'stamped', 'threw' her boots, 'muttered' and did not look at anyone.
  2. Find any extra clues: her umbrella was 'dripping' and her boots were 'muddy', and she says 'We lost'.
  3. Link the clues to what you know: people stamp, throw things and avoid eye contact when they are upset or cross.
  4. Make the inference: Mia is feeling angry and disappointed because her team lost the football match.
  5. Check it fits all the clues: nothing in the text suggests she is happy, so the inference makes sense. The dripping umbrella also lets us infer it was raining.

Answer: Mia feels angry and disappointed. I know because she stamped, threw her boots and muttered 'We lost' without looking at anyone.

Common mistakes

  • Guessing without evidence, such as saying 'Mia is hungry' — always point to a word or phrase in the text that supports your idea.
  • Copying a sentence from the text that already says the answer — an inference is something you work out, so explain it in your own words and then add the clue.
  • Using only one clue and ignoring others that don't fit — check your inference against all the details before deciding.
  • Going too far beyond the text, like saying 'Mia will quit football forever' — keep your inference close to what the clues actually show.

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'Sam yawned, rubbed his eyes and rested his head on the desk.' How is Sam most likely feeling?

Questions parents ask

What year do kids learn making inferences?

Children start making simple inferences from pictures and stories in the early years of school, around Year 1–2 in Australia and the UK and grades 1–2 in the US. The skill is taught more formally and in more depth from Year 3 to Year 6 (grades 2–5 in the US), when texts become longer and less direct.

How can I help my child with making inferences at home?

While reading together, pause and ask questions like 'How do you think she feels?' and 'What makes you think that?' so your child learns to back up ideas with clues. You can also practise with picture books, TV shows or people-watching, asking what they can work out from faces, actions and settings.

What is the difference between an inference and a prediction?

An inference works out something that is true now but not stated, such as how a character feels. A prediction is a type of inference about what will happen next. Both should be based on clues from the text, not wild guesses.

My child reads fluently but struggles with inference questions. Why?

Reading words accurately and understanding hidden meaning are different skills, so this is very common. Encourage your child to slow down, look for clue words about actions, speech and feelings, and answer in a 'because' sentence that links the idea to evidence.