Making inferences

Making inferences means to read between the lines i.e. you can tell what the source is not saying Questions can look like this: What does this source tell you? What is the message of this source?

What does this source tell you about the girl and the bracelet? Explain your answer.

Source A – From a conversation a girl had with her boyfriend This bracelet is small and light. The small diamonds on it make it look very pretty. I think this bracelet goes well with my dress but I don’t have cash to pay for it now.

Source A – From a conversation a girl had with her boyfriend This bracelet is small and light. The small diamonds on it make it look very pretty. I think this bracelet goes well with my dress but I don’t have cash to pay for it now.

Answer: This source tells me that the girl likes the bracelet. (This is the inference you made. You describe it in your own words) This is supported by “the small diamonds on it make it look very pretty.“ (This is the evidence from the source. You copy from the source word for word)

Source A – From a conversation a girl had with her boyfriend This bracelet is small and light. The small diamonds on it make it look very pretty. I think this bracelet goes well with my dress but I don’t have cash to pay for it now.

Answer: The source also tells me that the girl hopes the boyfriend can help her pay for the bracelet. This is supported by “I don’t have cash to pay for it now.”

Better answer: The source tells me that the girl hopes that the boyfriend would give the bracelet for her as a present. She emphasised that she likes the bracelet but she doesn’t have cash to buy it on the spot Since she said it out loudly for the boyfriend to hear, she is hoping that the boyfriend would give it to her as a gift This is supported by “this bracelet goes well with my dress but I don’t have cash to pay for it now.”

Source Aa – From a conversation a girl had with her boyfriend This bracelet is small and light. The small diamonds on it makes it look very pretty. I think this bracelet goes well with my dress. The boyfriend did not respond at all.

What does this source tell you about men? Explain your answer.

The men don’t get it. Answer:

What is the message of this source? Explain your answer.

Source B – A picture of Dr Koh Poh Koon picking up a piece of litter from the drain

Answer: The message of this source is that Mr Koh Poh Koon is a hardworking man. This is supported by the picture which shows him bending down and picking up a piece of litter with his hand from the drain.

A better answer: The purpose of this source is to make voters vote for him in the by-election. This is supported by the picture which shows him picking up a piece of litter from the drain. That would make people think that he is hardworking. Since voters in Punggol East would want a good MP like him, they will then be more likely to vote for him after seeing him do this

NOTE for inference questions: Your answer must contain the following: (Inference + support) x 1 Altogether 2 sets for each question