Grade by Grade
A. Literacy Connections and Applications / C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts · Understanding and Responding to Texts

Making Inferences: Reading Between the Lines

C3.2About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can make local inferences about a word, sentence or moment.
  • I can make global inferences about a whole text, such as a character's change or the theme.
  • I can support inferences with explicit and implicit evidence.
  • I can use inferences to deepen my understanding.

Words to know

inference
A conclusion you reach by combining clues in the text with what you already know.
local inference
An inference about a small part of a text: one word, sentence or moment.
global inference
An inference about the whole text: its theme, a character's change or the author's message.
explicit evidence
Information stated directly in the words.
implicit evidence
Information that is hinted at, which you figure out by putting clues together.
theme
A big idea or lesson about life that a story shows.

Remember from Grade 4

In Grade 4 you made local and global inferences and supported them with explicit and implicit evidence.

In Grade 5 you will use inferences to extend your understanding: inferring why characters act as they do, how they change, and what the theme is, using several clues together.

Hook: Clues + what I know = inference

Sam came in the door, dropped his backpack, and stomped up the stairs without saying hello. His soccer cleats were caked with mud, and his team jersey was inside out.

What happened? Nobody says it. You infer it: maybe his team lost a game, or something went wrong at practice. Clues (stomped, without saying hello) + what you know (people stomp when they're upset) = inference.

Clues in the textstomped upstairsno hellomuddy cleatsjersey inside out+What I knowpeople oftenstomp whenthey are upset=InferenceSam’s game orpractice probablywent badly.
The inference recipe: clues the author gives you, plus what you already know, equals an idea the author never says out loud.

The Last Skate

This realistic fiction story was written for this website.

The moving truck was coming on Saturday. On Friday after school, Mei went to the outdoor rink one more time. The boards still had the dent where she'd crashed in Grade 2. She laced her skates slowly, pulling each lace tight, then loosening it, then pulling it tight again.

Her friend Kofi skated over. "You're late," he said. "I thought you weren't coming."

"I almost didn't," Mei said, looking at the ice instead of at him.

They played a game of tag with some younger kids. Mei laughed so hard she fell, and for a few minutes she forgot about the boxes stacked in her hallway.

When the streetlights came on, Kofi pulled something out of his pocket: a hockey puck with both their names written on it in silver marker. "So you have something from here," he said.

Mei turned it over in her mittens. "They have rinks in Calgary, you know," she said. "You'll have to visit and see if I've learned to stop without crashing."

On the walk home, she held the puck the whole way.

Worked example

Let's make local inferences

Make local inferences about two moments, with evidence.

  1. Moment 1: She laced her skates slowly, pulling each lace tight, then loosening it, then pulling it tight again. Implicit evidence: she is doing something simple over and over, slowly. What I know: people slow down or fidget when they don't want something to end. Inference: Mei is sad and wants to make this last skate last longer.
  2. Moment 2: "I almost didn't," Mei said, looking at the ice instead of at him. Explicit evidence: she almost didn't come. Implicit evidence: she doesn't look at Kofi. Inference: saying goodbye feels hard; she might be trying not to cry.
  3. These inferences are local: each is about one moment.

Moment 1: Mei is sad and wants the moment to last. Moment 2: saying goodbye feels hard. Both are local inferences supported by clues.

Worked example

Let's make global inferences

How does Mei change from the beginning to the end? What is a theme of the story?

  1. Beginning: she's slow, sad, almost doesn't come (explicit: I almost didn't).
  2. Middle: she laughs and forgets the boxes for a few minutes (explicit). Friendship and fun help.
  3. End: she makes a joke and invites Kofi to visit (implicit: she's looking ahead, hopeful), and holds the puck the whole way home (implicit: it's precious to her).
  4. Global inference about change: Mei goes from dreading the move to feeling hopeful that the friendship can continue.
  5. Theme (global inference): Friendships and memories can come with us when we move. / A small gift can carry a big meaning. The puck stands for their friendship.

Mei changes from sad and reluctant to hopeful. A theme: friendships and memories can travel with us, shown by the puck she holds all the way home.

hopefulsadBeginningMiddleEndlaces skates slowly;“I almost didn’t”laughs at tag;forgets the boxesjokes, invites Kofi,holds the puck
How Mei's feelings change across The Last Skate. None of these feelings is stated; each point is a global inference built from several clues.
Clue in the textExplicit or implicit?Inference
The moving truck was coming on Saturday.ExplicitMei's family is moving soon.
The boards still had the dent where she'd crashed in Grade 2.ImplicitMei has skated here for years; it holds many memories.
Kofi brought a puck with both names on it.Explicit (the puck), implicit (the meaning)Kofi planned ahead because he cares; he'll miss her too.
They have rinks in Calgary, you know.ImplicitMei is moving to Calgary and is starting to imagine her new life.
Explicit and implicit evidence in The Last Skate

Inferences in informational texts

You infer in nonfiction too. A sign at the trailhead says: Bears are active in this area. Store food in sealed containers. The sign doesn't say bears smell food, but you can infer that bears are attracted to food smells, so sealing food keeps them away.

Inference sentence frames:

  • I think ___ because the text says ___ and I know ___.
  • The author doesn't say it, but the clues ___ and ___ suggest ___.
Just for fun

Clue 1: crumbs on the couch. Clue 2: the cookie jar is empty. Clue 3: the dog looks very, very innocent.

Inference: you already know who did it.

Check your inference

A strong inference: (1) fits all the clues, not just one; (2) uses more than one piece of evidence when you can; (3) could be revised if new clues appear. If an inference needs you to ignore part of the text, it's probably wrong.

Hands-on activity

Inference charades and photo clues

You need: family members, a few family photos or pictures from a magazine, paper and a pencil.

  1. Charades: take turns acting out a feeling without words (for example, nervous before a test, excited for a trip). Others infer the feeling and name the clues.
  2. Photo clues: choose a photo. Write 3 local inferences (about a person's feeling, the season, the time of day), each with a clue.
  3. Write one global inference: What is the story of this photo?
  4. Read a short story or picture book together. Stop twice to make an inference using a sentence frame.

Your turn

1

Where is Mei moving? Is that explicit or implicit?

2

Why did Mei almost not come to the rink? Make an inference.

3

What does the dent in the boards tell you about Mei?

4

Why did Kofi give Mei the puck? Use evidence.

5

Is Mei is sad when she laces her skates a local or global inference?

6

What does it show that Mei held the puck the whole way home?

7

Name one theme of The Last Skate.

More practice: warm-up

1

What is an inference?

2

What is explicit evidence?

3

Jaya yawned and rubbed her eyes. Infer how she feels.

4

Is a theme a local or global inference?

5

The puddles were frozen and everyone's breath made clouds. What is the weather like?

More practice: on your own

1

Make an inference with a sentence frame: Grandpa checked the window every few minutes and kept looking at the clock.

2

Why is Mei is angry at Kofi a weak inference?

3

What can you infer about Kofi from You're late. I thought you weren't coming?

4

From the sign Bears are active in this area. Store food in sealed containers, what can you infer?

5

How does Mei feel at the end, compared to the beginning? Give evidence for both.

Challenge

1

The author never writes Mei is sad. Why do authors often show feelings through clues instead of saying them?

2

Add one sentence to the story that gives implicit evidence that Mei is nervous about her new school.

3

Write a different global inference (theme) for The Last Skate and support it with two pieces of evidence.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

An inference is...

2.

Mei is moving to Calgary comes from which kind of evidence?

3.

Which is a global inference about The Last Skate?

4.

Why did Mei lace her skates slowly?

5.

A strong inference...

6.

Kofi's hands shook as he handed her the puck. What can you infer?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson teaches: Grade 5 students make local and global inferences using explicit and implicit evidence to extend their understanding of texts (C3.2).

How to help at home:

  • While reading or watching shows, ask "How do you think she feels? What clues tell you?"
  • Use the frame: "I think ___ because the text says ___ and I know ___."
  • Ask about the theme at the end: "What lesson about life does this story show?"

Common difficulties:

  • Inferences with no evidence. Always ask for a clue.
  • Inferences that ignore clues. Check that the inference fits everything.
  • Confusing local and global. Local = one moment; global = the whole text.

About the text: The Last Skate was written for this site.