English Lesson: Making Inference

Making Inferences
(Reading Between the Lines)

In making inferences you may have to
determine
•a) who is speaking or referred to
•b) places or situations described
•c) time, season or age talked about

•d) objects described or incidents
taking place,
•e) type of person, feeling, reaction or
character traits.

Making Inference
•1. The sun had long set in the west before we
reached the settlement. What time is referred
to?
A. sunrise C. sunset
B. noon D. night

• 2. For he loved this world of his, bounded by strong
gray walls ending in a deep, silent moat that held grim
secrets of unfortunate men who tried to escape. The chilly
breath of its dim corridors was his life, the monotonous
metallic clang of the sentries’ iron shod feet on the
pavement was music to his ears. What place is described?
A. hospital C. prison
B. hideout D. corridor

• 3. A slow soft rumble beyond the roots of the woods of the
forest answered her… Slowly, like the coming of a great storm,
stones from the peak began to roll down, and the summit
moved like a living creature, like a mighty tentacle racing
downward… What is going on?
A. a landslide C. a typhoon
B. a volcanic eruption D. an earthquake

4. “With renewed hope, I energetically
approached the bar, wiggled into the air, and
succeeded in my most thrilling jump.” Who is the
speaker?
A. a skydiver C. a high jumper
B. a gymnast D. a trapeze player

B. Everywhere you looked, the tall, golden-brown stalks swaying with the
wind, filled your eyes. Suddenly, a man with a long stick came by. The
stooping, gray-haired man used his stick to probe the ground. Nearby was a
green eyed “baby” coiled on the ground. The man continued tapping on the
ground with his stick.
1. What place is described?
A. zoo B. forest C. rice field D. park
2. Which word best describes the man?
A. old B. poor C. shabby D. cruel
3. What is the disability of the man?
A. deaf B. blind C. lame D. retarded

B. Everywhere you looked, the tall, golden-brown stalks swaying with the
wind, filled your eyes. Suddenly, a man with a long stick came by. The
stooping, gray-haired man used his stick to probe the ground. Nearby was a
green eyed “baby” coiled on the ground. The man continued tapping on the
ground with his stick.
4. What does the man use to find his way?
A. crutch B. stick C. binoculars D. eyeglasses
5. What is the green-eyed “baby”?
A. dog B. bird C. rabbit D. snake
6. Which of the following is correct?
A. The old man ignored the green-eyed “baby.”
B. The old man was unaware of the green-eyed “baby.”
C. The old man struck the green-eyed “baby.”
D. The old man stepped on the green-eyed “baby.’

• Paragraph: A group of sentences organized around a topic, a
main idea about the topic, and details that support
the main idea
• Topic: The overall subject of a paragraph.
• Main Idea: A statement that tells the author’s point about the
topic. The main idea provides the message of a
given paragraph or the argument that is being
made about the topic.
• Details: The specific information about the main idea or
support for the main idea.

Main Idea= Topic+Author’s Point about the
Topic

How to find the topic?
•What or who is this paragraph about?

How to find the Main Idea?
•What is the overall message or argument
being made by the author about the topic of
this paragraph?

How to find the supporting details?
•Turn the main idea into a question by asking
who, what, when, where, why, or how? The
answer will give a set of details.

Hints
Boldfaced headings or titles may contain the topic and/ or
main idea
First and last sentences in the paragraph are usually helpful
Look for repeating words, these often indicate the topic

Remember
• Topics, main ideas, and supporting details work together.
The main idea tells the author’s point about the topic,
and the details offer support for the main idea.

The environment in which an
organism lives is known as its habitat.
Earthworms live in the soil; a field mouse
lives in a rice field; a lizard lives in the
house; the fish lives in the water; a flea lives
on the skin of a dog or a cat; frogs live in
ponds, and the squids live in the sea.
Main Idea: The environment in which an organism lives is known as its
habitat.

Eat a balanced diet. Exercise
regularly. Set aside a period of rest
each working day. Avoid smoking and
drinking liquor. These are some of
the ways to stay healthy.
Main Idea: These are some of the ways to stay healthy.

Sorting and putting things that are alike together is
called classification. In the grocery store or a
supermarket, goods are arranged in shelves with all of
one size and kind together. In a hardware store, all nails,
screws and tacks are sorted and labeled. In a library,
books are arranged on shelves according to the groups.
Finally, in a zoo, members of family of animals are
found near each other. Classification is a means of
saving time and keeping order.
Main Idea: Sentence 1: Sorting and putting things that are alike together is called classification
Sentence 5: Classification is a means of saving time and keeping order.

She hates to spend even for food. When
a needy relative comes to ask for financial
help, she turns him down. On Christmas days,
she locks her door, closes her windows, and
pretends that nobody’s home. What a stingy
person Aunt Asiang is. She wears worn-out
slippers and faded dusters. She never gives
away old clothes and other old articles.
Main Idea: What a stingy person Aunt Asiang is.

Tricia sat by the window, her chin on her hands,
sadly watching the rain. It had rained all morning.
The sky was a dull gray. Not a bit of blue showed
through it. She prayed for the rain to stop.

English Lesson: Making Inference

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