What is an inference, and how is it supported in a text?

• A. An explicit statement of the author.
• B. An opinion with no textual support.
• C. An educated guess based on evidence in the text; support with specific details and reasoning linking them to the inference.
• D. A summary of the text.

Answer: (C)

An inference is a conclusion you draw from clues in the text plus your own reasoning. It goes beyond what the words explicitly say by using evidence the author provides and showing how those details point to a reasonable interpretation.

To support an inference, you point to specific details in the text and explain how they connect to the conclusion. You’re linking evidence to your reading with clear reasoning, demonstrating why those details lead you to the inferred meaning.

This differs from simply restating an explicit statement (which the author writes outright) or from an opinion without textual support, and it’s not a summary that restates the main points.

For example, if a paragraph describes a character shivering, pulling on a coat, and watching their breath fog a window, you can infer that it is cold outside. The details about shivering, dressing, and the visible breath support that inference.

So, an inference is an educated guess based on evidence in the text, with specific details and reasoning linking them to the inference.