1. - Reading Between the Lines -
Inferences
- Reading Between the Lines -

2. + = INFERENCE What is stated or given What a passage says Observations
What is unstated or not given
Your background knowledge
= INFERENCE

3. Sometimes we are given information directly.
(Like when your teacher says, “stop talking.”)
Other times, we are given information indirectly.
(Like when your teacher stops teaching and glares at you.)
This is when you are required to make an inference.

4. What does this have to do with me?
If you read a story without making inferences, you would miss out on all the good stuff.
You make inferences every day.
It’s an important skill to have (even life-saving)... You wouldn’t want to be left in the ocean wondering why everyone else suddenly swam to shore.

5. Let’s Put your Skills to the Test!
Directions
Look at each picture closely.
Use what your OBSERVATIONS and your PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Make an INFERENCE.
Let’s Put your Skills to the Test!

11. Lifted Directions Watch the movie clip.
Use OBSERVATIONS and PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.
Answer the questions that follow.
Lifted

12. Questions Why is one of the space creatures writing on a clipboard?
Does the space creature have a lot of experience performing this task?
Why does the space creature put the house back in order at the end?

13. Practice Passages Directions Read each example.
Use OBSERVATIONS and PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.
Answer the questions that follow.
Practice Passages

14. Tina has never met her next-door neighbors, but she sees lights on in the house. One day, while walking down the street, Tina notices that a trash can in front of the house has tipped over and its contents have spilled into the street.
She walks over to clean it up and finds empty cat food cans, a popcorn bag from Harkins, an empty bottle of baby shampoo, and a receipt for groceries.

15. Questions How does Tina know people are living there?
What information can she infer about her neighbors?
*An incorrect inference would be: She can infer that her neighbors are slobs because they left their trash in the street.*

16. Jenna was shocked when she opened the door to her apartment
Jenna was shocked when she opened the door to her apartment. There were long rips in the couch, a lamp was shattered on the floor, picture frames were hanging crookedly, (some of them had fallen off the wall) and the door to her cat's travel cage was open. Not only that, but the door to the birdcage was swinging back and forth and there were feathers on the floor.
She could have sworn that she had locked her cat in the travel cage before she left for work. At first Jenna thought it might have been burglars. Oh no, she thought. Someone broke into my apartment, trashed the place, and stole my cat! Then she heard the cat meowing in her bedroom.
She ran to the bedroom and saw him patting one of Jenna's favorite shoes with his claws. “How did you get out?!” Jenna yelled. She threw the cat back into its travel cage and tried to shut the door, but the lock wouldn't catch. Jenna decided she would deal with that later She still had to find her missing birds!

17. Questions What happened to Jenna’s apartment?
What happened to her birds?
*An incorrect inference would be: Jenna is dumb because she didn’t realize what happened to her birds.

18. "I'm home. " Earl shouted as he walked in the. door
"I'm home!" Earl shouted as he walked in the door. His wife Gail came bounding down the stairs. She hadn't seen him since he had left to go on his silly fishing trip two weeks ago. "I missed you, Husband. Did you catch anything?" Gail reluctantly asked, knowing that Earl was not a very good fisherman.
Earl scratched his head and responded, "You're not going to believe what I'm bringing home." Earl unzipped a cooler and pulled out several perfectly filleted salmon steaks. "Wow, Earl, I didn't know that you could fillet a fish like that." Earl looked around the room a little bit and scratched his head, "Uh, yeah, Jeff taught me how."
Gail looked at him suspiciously. "Well, let me help you unpack." As Gail was helping Earl unpack his truck, she found a receipt from the grocery store. It was dated from that morning.

19. Questions
What is the first clue we are given that helps us infer that Earl is not being honest?
What does Gail see on the receipt?
*An incorrect inference would be: Earl is a dishonest husband and is probably having an affair.

20. Mike got out of the driver’s seat of his dad’s classic car
Mike got out of the driver’s seat of his dad’s classic car. He looked at the mailbox and then at the bumper. The mailbox was smashed and bent. The shiny chrome bumper only had a tiny scratch on it, so Mike quickly got back in the driver’s seat and headed home.
When he pulled into the driveway, he sat for a few minutes, wondering if it was even worth telling his Dad about. Just then, Mike's dad came out of the house to take the trash out to the curb. He smiled and waved at Mike as he passed the driver’s side of the car. Then he walked past the bumper, still smiling.
Mike breathed a heavy sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. He heard the sound of the trash bag fall to the ground. Mike looked to where his dad was standing on the passenger’s side and watched his dad’s face turn pink to deep red.

21. Questions
What can we infer based on the dad’s reaction? What was he likely looking at?
*An incorrect inference would be: Mike’s dad is having a heart attack.

22. Making Inferences with Song Lyrics
Directions
Read the song lyrics from “Someone Like You” by Adele.
Use OBSERVATIONS and PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.
Answer the questions that follow.
Making Inferences with Song Lyrics

23. What evidence did you use to come to this conclusion?
I heard that you're settled down That you found a girl and you're married now. I heard that your dreams came true. Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you. Old friend, why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light.
Stanza 1
What can you infer about the relationship between the speaker and the person she is talking to?
What evidence did you use to come to this conclusion?

24. I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it. I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded That for me it isn't over.
Stanza 2
Where is the speaker at this point and how do you know that?
How do you predict the person she is talking to will react?

25. How did the conversation go?
Never mind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you too Don't forget me, I beg I'll remember you said, "Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead, Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead”
Chorus
How did the conversation go?
How do you think the person reacted and felt? What might they have said?

26. You know how the time flies Only yesterday was the time of our lives We were born and raised In a summer haze Bound by the surprise of our glory days Nothing compares No worries or cares Regrets and mistakes They are memories made. Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste
Stanza 5-6
What else do we learn about this relationship?
What do you predict the speaker will do now?

27. these inference skills to The Outsiders
Now let’s apply
these inference skills to The Outsiders