Reading skill 2: reading for

making inferences

Institut Teknologi Del

Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Sitoluama-Laguboti
Toba Samosir, 22381 Sumatera Utara
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

What is an inference?
Skill 02-Inference

• An inference is a conclusion you reach by applying logic to the evidence you are
given.
• It is reading between the lines and looking for the implied meaning in words
and actions.
• Inferences tend to reflect prior knowledge and experience as well as personal
beliefs and assumptions.

• For example:
– We infer people are thirsty if they ask for a glass of water.
– We infer it is raining when we see someone with an open umbrella.
• Note: with different knowledge/experience, one may infer differently on
those situations.
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How to make inference?

English 2-Week 10- Reading
Skill 02-Inference

Using what you know to make a guess about what you

don’t know, or reading between the lines:
•By drawing conclusion: using hints as well as facts to
make a logical deduction from both stated ideas and
unstated assumptions.
•By using prior knowledge: having the right
background knowledge needed to grasp the details that are
frequently implied rather than directly spelled out.
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

What is the benefit of making

Skill 02-Inference

inference?
• It will help a reader learn, remember, and apply
what he/she has read.
• It will encourage more critical reading and better
understanding and enjoyment of the text.
• Successful inferring leads to better overall
comprehension.
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

Skill 02-Inference

Example:
What can you infer about each situation?
1. You see a woman pushing a baby stroller down the
street.
2. You are at a corner and see two cars stopped at an
intersection. The rear car starts honking its horn.
3. You are walking down the street, and all of a
sudden a dog comes running out of an opened
door with its tail between its legs.
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

Skill 02-Inference

Explanation:
For the first example, you probably came up with
something simple, such as that there was a baby in the
stroller. For the second, you could infer that the first car
should have started moving or was waiting too long at the
corner and holding up the second car. For the third, you
could reasonably guess that the dog had done something
wrong and was afraid of being punished. You do not know
for certain that these inferences are true.
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

Skill 02-Inference

Conclusion
• Observation is what you see but inference is what you figure out,

• Students’ inferencing skills contribute to future comprehension skills,

• Students with poor comprehension also lack inferencing ability,

• Inference needs critical thinking ability which includes two somewhat

overlapping and interdependent kinds of inference:

▫ Deductive inference

▫ Inductive inference
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

Skill 02-Inference

Deductive vs Inductive reference

• Deductive inference: Yield conclusion in which
the conclusion always follows the stated premises.
In other words, if the premises are true, then the
conclusion is valid. Usually with the format: "if A,
then B“
• Inductive inference: Yield conclusion in order to
make generalization. In doing so, it recognizes that
conclusions may not be certain.
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English 2-Week 10- Reading

Skill 02-Inference

That’s all for reading skill 2. Now you

should practice reading several texts
for improving your reference skill so
that you’ll become more critical
reader & thinker at the same time.