Study · Academic reading skillsLesson 06
Making Inferences and Reading Between the Lines
Level B1–B2
Making Inferences and Reading Between the Lines
Learning goals
- In this lesson, you will learn to draw reasonable inferences from academic-style passages. You will distinguish ideas that are suggested from ideas that are directly stated, use surrounding sentences as evidence, and reject answers that go beyond what the text supports.
Step 1 — Read and discover
Read the passage once. Notice what the writer states directly and what you can reasonably conclude from the clues.
A Different Approach to City Parks
When the city council asked residents what they wanted from the old railway land, many people requested more parking. However, the planning team noticed that nearby streets already had several public car parks, while the district had very few places where people could sit outdoors.
The final design included trees, benches, a small play area, and a path connecting two busy streets. The council also kept a narrow strip of land beside the path for future planting. Officials said the park could open in stages, allowing residents to use part of it while work continued elsewhere.
Six months after opening, the park was busiest in the late afternoon. Office workers often sat on the benches, and families used the play area after school. The council has not decided whether to build a café, but it plans to ask visitors for feedback before making further changes.
1. Why did the planning team probably decide not to use all the land for parking?Try again
1. Why did the planning team probably decide not to use all the land for parking?
✓
2. What can be inferred from the decision to open the park in stages?Try again
2. What can be inferred from the decision to open the park in stages?
✓
3. What does the plan to ask visitors for feedback suggest about the council’s approach?Try again
3. What does the plan to ask visitors for feedback suggest about the council’s approach?
✓
Step 2 — Making inferences
What is an inference?
An inference is a conclusion you reach from clues in the text. The writer may not state the idea directly, so your answer must be supported by evidence rather than imagination.
A reliable strategy
1. Read the relevant sentence and the sentences around it.
2. Identify the clue or clues the writer gives.
3. Ask what those clues reasonably suggest.
4. Reject answers that go beyond the evidence or depend only on your personal opinion.
Stated or inferred?
- Stated: The council has not decided whether to build a café.
- Inferred: The council is willing to consider changes based on how people use the park.
Both can be correct, but only the second requires you to combine clues.
Strategy guide
Inference
Identify ideas that are suggested rather than directly stated.
- Read the relevant sentence and nearby sentences.
- Find the clues the writer provides.
- Ask what those clues reasonably suggest.
- Reject answers that go beyond the evidence.
Example: Staged opening suggests residents could use part of the park before all work finished.
Common mistake: Choosing an answer that feels plausible but is not supported by the passage.
Evidence
Base inferred answers on the text, not personal opinion alone.
- Underline or note the clue sentences.
- Check that your answer follows from those clues.
- Avoid adding facts from outside the passage.
Example: Parking already existed nearby; outdoor seating was scarce.
Common mistake: Treating one detail as proof of a much larger unsupported claim.
Stated vs inferred
Separate direct statements from reasonable conclusions.
- Ask whether the exact idea appears in the text.
- If not, decide whether the passage still supports the conclusion.
- Use cautious wording when the writer leaves a decision open.
Example: Stated: no café decision yet. Inferred: feedback may guide future changes.
Common mistake: Assuming an inference must repeat the writer’s exact words.
Step 3 — Supported inference or not?
Choose the best answer, then check your choices.
1. Because office workers used the benches in the late afternoon, the park was designed only for people who work in offices.Try again
1. Because office workers used the benches in the late afternoon, the park was designed only for people who work in offices.
✓
2. Opening the park in stages suggests the council wanted residents to benefit before all work was finished.Try again
2. Opening the park in stages suggests the council wanted residents to benefit before all work was finished.
✓
3. Because one person requested parking, every resident wanted a large car park on the site.Try again
3. Because one person requested parking, every resident wanted a large car park on the site.
✓
4. Keeping land for future planting suggests the council may expand green space later.Try again
4. Keeping land for future planting suggests the council may expand green space later.
✓
5. An inference must use the exact words that appear in the passage.Try again
5. An inference must use the exact words that appear in the passage.
✓
6. Good inference answers can be checked by rereading the surrounding sentences.Try again
6. Good inference answers can be checked by rereading the surrounding sentences.
✓
Step 4 — Practise with the park passage
Read the text below. Answer from the text and reasonable inference, not general knowledge alone.
A Different Approach to City Parks
Six months after opening, the park was busiest in the late afternoon. Office workers often sat on the benches, and families used the play area after school. The council has not decided whether to build a café, but it plans to ask visitors for feedback before making further changes.
The final design included trees, benches, a small play area, and a path connecting two busy streets. Officials said the park could open in stages, allowing residents to use part of it while work continued elsewhere.
1. When is the park busiest according to the passage?Try again
1. When is the park busiest according to the passage?
✓
2. Who is described as using the play area after school?Try again
2. Who is described as using the play area after school?
✓
3. What has the council decided about a café?Try again
3. What has the council decided about a café?
✓
4. Why might the planning team have included benches and a path?Try again
4. Why might the planning team have included benches and a path?
✓
5. What can you infer about feedback from visitors?Try again
5. What can you infer about feedback from visitors?
✓
Step 5 — Choose the best summary
Read each paragraph quickly, then choose the best summary.
1. Many residents asked for parking on former railway land, but planners noticed the area already had car parks and few outdoor places to sit. The design therefore included trees, benches, paths, and space kept for future planting, and parts of the park could open while work continued.Try again
1. Many residents asked for parking on former railway land, but planners noticed the area already had car parks and few outdoor places to sit. The design therefore included trees, benches, paths, and space kept for future planting, and parts of the park could open while work continued.
✓
2. After opening, the park was busiest in the late afternoon, with office workers on benches and families using the play area after school. The council had not decided on a café but planned to collect visitor feedback before further changes.Try again
2. After opening, the park was busiest in the late afternoon, with office workers on benches and families using the play area after school. The council had not decided on a café but planned to collect visitor feedback before further changes.
✓
3. Inference questions often ask what a writer suggests rather than what is copied word for word. Strong answers stay close to the evidence and reject options that add unsupported details.Try again
3. Inference questions often ask what a writer suggests rather than what is copied word for word. Strong answers stay close to the evidence and reject options that add unsupported details.
✓
Step 6 — Quick review
Choose the best answer for each question.
1. An inference is:Try again
1. An inference is:
✓
2. Before choosing an inferred answer, you should:Try again
2. Before choosing an inferred answer, you should:
✓
3. According to the park passage, the council has already decided to build a café.Try again
3. According to the park passage, the council has already decided to build a café.
✓
4. Which answer goes too far beyond the evidence?Try again
4. Which answer goes too far beyond the evidence?
✓
5. What should you do if your wording differs from a model answer but matches the evidence?Try again
5. What should you do if your wording differs from a model answer but matches the evidence?
✓