Making Inferences

An inference (conclusion) is an idea created by reading between the lines – the idea is not stated in the passage but can logically be deduced by looking at the evidence

S peech T houghts E ffect on others A ctions L ooks What does the character say? How does the character say it? What does the character say about the setting or situation? What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings? What does the character think about the setting, situation, or another character? What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people, the situation, or setting? How do other characters feel or behave in response? What does the character do? What happens to the character/how do they react? How does the character behave? What does the character look like? What does the setting look like?

Characterization Definition: the way the author reveals information about a character Indirect: the writer reveals information about a character through that character's thoughts, words, actions, and how other characters respond to that character Direct: the writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells what the character is like. *****Especially notice changes in a character’s speech, thoughts, actions, etc.

Question 1: What observations can I make about the character/situation (directly there)? Question 2: What previous information do I have about connections, similar situations, personalities, etc.? Question 3: What is my inference? Question 4: What evidence did I use to make this inference? Question 5: How good was my thinking?