MAKING INFERENCESMAKING INFERENCES

A.K.A. reading between the A.K.A. reading between the lines!lines!

“The men walked down the street to the mine with their heads bent close to their chests. In groups of five or six they scurried on. It was impossible to recognize individuals from the small gaps between their caps, pulled down over their eyes, and the tightly bound scarves tied tightly over the bottom half of their faces.”

What was the weather like as the men walked to the mine?

It was cold and windy!!!!!!!It was cold and windy!!!!!!!

Yes. You probably arrived at this Yes. You probably arrived at this answer because you associated hats answer because you associated hats pulled down and scarves with winter pulled down and scarves with winter or cold weather. The word “scurried” or cold weather. The word “scurried” suggests the men were hurrying to suggests the men were hurrying to reach their destination.reach their destination.

So, to really understand what So, to really understand what you read….you read….

You need to be like Sherlock Holmes and be a first class detective!

Inference can be used in several ways Inference can be used in several ways to help you respond fully to a piece of to help you respond fully to a piece of

reading.reading.You can infer a general facto or a You can infer a general facto or a

precise piece of informationprecise piece of informationYou can infer emotions and feelings You can infer emotions and feelings

of characters in a passageof characters in a passageYou can infer information about the You can infer information about the

author-his/her opinions, feelings and author-his/her opinions, feelings and point of view.point of view.

So, what is “making an So, what is “making an inference”?inference”?

Making an inference is the ability to Making an inference is the ability to connect what is in the text with connect what is in the text with what’s in your mind to create what’s in your mind to create educated assumptions about educated assumptions about meaning. meaning.

Simply put, it’s “reading between the Simply put, it’s “reading between the lines.”lines.”

Read the passage.Read the passage. Figure out what is Figure out what is

going on in the storygoing on in the story Jot down your ideas.Jot down your ideas.

““He put down $10 He put down $10 at the window. The at the window. The woman behind the woman behind the window gave $4. window gave $4. The person next to The person next to him gave $3, but he him gave $3, but he gave it back to her. gave it back to her. So, when they went So, when they went inside, she bought inside, she bought him a large bag of him a large bag of popcorn.”popcorn.”

Is this what you thought Is this what you thought happened?happened?

A man and a woman have gone on a date A man and a woman have gone on a date to the movie. Tickets cost $3 dollars and to the movie. Tickets cost $3 dollars and the man pays for both himself and the the man pays for both himself and the woman, getting change back from the woman, getting change back from the ticket cashier. The man’s date tries to ticket cashier. The man’s date tries to give him $3 dollars for her ticket, but he give him $3 dollars for her ticket, but he won’t accept it because he’s being nice. won’t accept it because he’s being nice. So, since she can’t buy her own ticket, the So, since she can’t buy her own ticket, the woman buys popcorn to call it even.woman buys popcorn to call it even.

  (It is one possibility!)

Or is this what you thought?Or is this what you thought? ·         In order to make any sense of this story, you ·         In order to make any sense of this story, you

have to make some assumptions about the have to make some assumptions about the references of the pronouns. For example, you references of the pronouns. For example, you could infer that the “he”= the man on the date. could infer that the “he”= the man on the date. You also could infer that the “her” and “she” in the You also could infer that the “her” and “she” in the third and fourth sentences are referring to a third and fourth sentences are referring to a different woman than the “woman behind the different woman than the “woman behind the counter”, meaning the man, the “woman behind counter”, meaning the man, the “woman behind the counter”, and the “her/she” are three separate the counter”, and the “her/she” are three separate people. Furthermore, you could infer that the people. Furthermore, you could infer that the “woman behind the counter” is the movie cashier, “woman behind the counter” is the movie cashier, while the “her/she” of the later sentences refer to while the “her/she” of the later sentences refer to the man’s date. You also could infer that “they” in the man’s date. You also could infer that “they” in the last sentence is referring to the man and his the last sentence is referring to the man and his date, not the man and the woman behind the date, not the man and the woman behind the counter or a group of other people.counter or a group of other people.

(It can get complicated when you think about your thinking, can’t it?)

So let’s simplify it a bit, with So let’s simplify it a bit, with a diagram…..a diagram…..

So getting back to the So getting back to the basics….basics….

Reading is not just sitting there. Reading is not just sitting there. Its an active process.Its an active process.Ambiguous pronouns force a lot of Ambiguous pronouns force a lot of

assumptions on readers! assumptions on readers! So ask questions.So ask questions.Read with a purpose to focus your Read with a purpose to focus your

thinking and understanding.thinking and understanding.

You inference all the You inference all the time, without even time, without even

knowing it.knowing it.Cartoons force you to infer Cartoons force you to infer

meaning!meaning!

What’s going on here?What’s going on here?

What is about to What is about to happen and why?happen and why?

Why is this funny?Why is this funny? Or is it?Or is it?

Get the joke?Get the joke?

What happened What happened here?here?

Why is this funny?Why is this funny?

This is cute.This is cute.

Turn to a partner Turn to a partner and share a few and share a few comments about comments about the humor in this the humor in this cartoon.cartoon.

Raise your hand Raise your hand when you have when you have agreed upon why it agreed upon why it is funny.is funny.

Huh?Huh?

What’s the deal What’s the deal with this picture?with this picture?

What is it that you infer that What is it that you infer that makes this picture so incredible?makes this picture so incredible?

So, you think you get So, you think you get the hang of it?the hang of it?

Great. Because, look out! Great. Because, look out! Here comes the packet! Here comes the packet!