Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions Flashcards

Passage: "Maria glanced at the clock for the third time, tapped her pencil, and kept looking toward the classroom door." What can the reader infer about Maria?

Answer: She is waiting anxiously for someone or something

Repeatedly checking the clock and watching the door suggests she is anxiously waiting.

Passage: "When the bell rang, the hallway stayed silent, and no buses waited in the circle outside." Which conclusion is best supported?

Answer: School is likely not in session that day

An empty hallway and no buses suggest that students are not at school.

Passage: "Devon's umbrella dripped onto the mat, and his sneakers squeaked as he walked into the kitchen." What is the most logical inference?

Answer: It is raining outside

A dripping umbrella and wet, squeaky shoes point to rain outside.

Passage: "The plant on the windowsill grew tall and bent sharply toward the glass, while its leaves on the room side were small and pale." What can be concluded?

Answer: The plant is growing toward the light source

Plants bend toward light, so the window is its main light source.

Passage: "Ms. Lee handed back the essays. Jamal looked at his paper, smiled widely, and immediately texted his mother a photo of it." What can be inferred?

Answer: Jamal is proud of his grade

Smiling and sharing the paper with his mother suggests he earned a good grade.

Which statement BEST describes an inference?

Answer: A conclusion based on evidence and prior knowledge

An inference combines textual clues with background knowledge to reach a logical conclusion.

Passage: "The bakery's shelves were nearly empty by 9 a.m., and a line of customers stretched out the door." Which conclusion is best supported?

Answer: The bakery's products are very popular

Empty shelves early plus a long line indicate high demand.

Passage: "Grandpa squinted at the newspaper, held it at arm's length, then sighed and asked Lily to read the headline aloud." What can be inferred?

Answer: Grandpa has trouble seeing small print

Squinting and holding the paper far away suggest poor close-up vision.

Passage: "Every seat in the auditorium was filled, and some families stood along the back wall holding cameras." Which conclusion is MOST reasonable?

Answer: An important school performance is taking place

Crowds and families with cameras suggest a meaningful event such as a performance.

Which conclusion is NOT supported by this passage: "Sam practiced piano for two hours every day and won first place at the regional competition."

Answer: Sam dislikes playing the piano

Daily practice and winning point to commitment, not dislike.

Passage: "The puppy's tail drooped, and it hid under the bed after the thunder started." What can be inferred about the puppy?

Answer: It is frightened by the storm

Hiding and a drooping tail right after thunder show fear.

Passage: "The science fair poster had no title, the graph was unlabeled, and the conclusion section was blank." What can a reader conclude?

Answer: The project appears unfinished

Missing title, labels, and conclusion indicate the project is incomplete.

A paraprofessional asks a student to draw a conclusion from a story. Which student response shows the BEST conclusion?

Answer: "Max probably feels lonely because he eats lunch alone every day."

This response links text evidence to a logical judgment about the character.

Passage: "Leaves crunched under Ava's boots, and she zipped her jacket up to her chin as her breath made small clouds." What season is it most likely?

Answer: Autumn

Fallen crunchy leaves and cold, visible breath suggest autumn.

Passage: "After reading the menu, Carlos frowned, counted the bills in his wallet twice, and ordered only a glass of water." What can be inferred?

Answer: Carlos does not have enough money for a meal

Counting money twice and ordering only water suggests he cannot afford food.

Passage: "The author describes the old house's sagging porch, broken shutters, and overgrown weeds reaching the windows." What does the author most likely want readers to conclude?

Answer: The house has been neglected for a long time

Decay details like sagging, broken, and overgrown imply long neglect.

Passage: "Nina raised her hand for every question, finished the worksheet first, and asked Mr. Ortiz for an extra challenge problem." Which conclusion is best supported?

Answer: Nina is engaged and eager to learn

Volunteering answers and requesting extra work show engagement and eagerness.

Passage: "The highway sign read 'Next Gas 80 Miles,' and the car's fuel light had just turned on." What is the most logical conclusion?

Answer: The driver may risk running out of fuel

A low-fuel warning with 80 miles to the next station signals risk.

Which question would BEST help a student make an inference while reading?

Answer: "Based on the clues, why do you think the character acted that way?"

Asking 'why' with reference to clues prompts students to infer from evidence.

Passage: "Ethan's teammates cheered and lifted him onto their shoulders as the final buzzer sounded." What can be inferred?

Answer: Ethan likely made an important play to help his team win

Celebratory lifting at the buzzer suggests Ethan helped secure a win.