Reading Strategy: Make Inferences

The narrator tells you a lot about the characters in a story, but not everything. You often have to make inferences to figure out what the people are thinking and feeling and why they act in certain ways.

Reading Strategy Make Inferences
    How to Make Inferences

  • 1. Look for Ideas As you read, pay attention to things the narrator thinks, says, or does.

  • 2. Connect Ideas Think about people and places you know that are similar to the ones in the story. Ask: How is this character like someone I know? What would that person do or think in this character’s situation?

  • 3. Make Inferences Combine what you’ve read and what you know to figure out what the narrator leaves unsaid.

  • 4. Read On Look for details, or evidence, to support your inferences.

Strategy in Action

Here’s how one student connected ideas to make an inference and then found evidence to support it.

Look Into the Text

I don’t believe in standing around doing a lot of talking. I’d much rather just knock you down and take my chances even if I am a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, which is how I got the name Squeaky. And if things get too rough, I run. And as anybody can tell you, I’m the fastest thing on two feet.

Inference Map

Inference Map

Practice Together

Reread the passage above. Follow the steps in the How-To box. Create an Inference Map to record your thoughts about the characters. Use information from the text to support your inferences.