Topics · Primary English · Comprehension: Inference
Inference: working out what is not written
An inference question has no answer to copy. You work it out from clues in the passage — and the mark is for the clue as much as for the conclusion.
- 437 exam papers analysed
- appears in 85% of P6 English papers
- ~3 min read
01 Evidence plus reasoning
An inference is a conclusion the passage supports but does not state. Nobody wrote it down; you assemble it.
The passage below never says Mei was disappointed. But the rain, the muddy shoes, the sigh and “we will have to walk” together make it the only sensible reading.
Answer in two parts: the conclusion, and the evidence. “She was disappointed, because she sighed at her muddy shoes and knew they would have to walk.” A conclusion with no evidence usually scores half.
02 The clues to look for
Writers show feelings and reasons rather than announcing them. These are where they hide.
| Clue | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Actions | how someone feels — slammed, hesitated, sighed |
| Speech | attitude, and what they will not say |
| Descriptions | mood — dark clouds, empty street |
| Choice of word | the writer's view — 'muttered' is not 'said' |
| What is left out | what a character is avoiding |
03 How far you may go
An inference must stay inside what the passage supports. Going further is guessing, and it is marked wrong.
- Ask: could I point at the line that makes this likely? If not, it is a guess.
- Do not bring in your own life. “She was sad because her mother shouted at her” invents a mother who is not there.
- Do not contradict the passage. Any inference that requires ignoring a sentence is wrong.
- Prefer the simplest reading the clues support. Papers reward the obvious inference, not the ingenious one.
- When asked to explain a word or phrase, say what it means here, in this passage, not its dictionary meaning in general.
04 The question wordings that signal inference
These phrasings tell you no copying will help.
“How do you think…”, “Why do you think…” — a conclusion plus evidence.
“What does this suggest about…” — a character trait or a mood, drawn from behaviour.
“What does the word ___ tell us…” — the writer's choice of word and what it implies.
“Do you agree… Why?” — a position, then reasons from the passage. Both halves are marked, and either position can score if the evidence is there.
05 How to say them
These are words most children have never said out loud, and a word you cannot say is a word you avoid using. Capitals mark the syllable you lean on. Tap the speaker to hear it.
- infersayin-FUR
To work something out from clues rather than being told it.
- inferencesayIN-fuh-ruhnssmore than oneinferences
A conclusion drawn from clues in the passage.
- evidencesayEV-i-duhnss
The words in the passage that support your conclusion. Answers need this, not just the conclusion.
- implysayim-PLY
To suggest without saying. Writers imply; readers infer.
- suggestsaysuh-JEST
The word papers use for an inference question: what does this suggest about the character?
- moodmore than onemoods
The feeling a piece of writing creates, usually built from descriptions.
06 What each level is tested on
The same topic, asked differently as it goes up. The percentage is the share of papers at that level in which it appears.
- P2
Simple inferences about how a character feels.
Practise P2 Comprehension: Inference — 8 questions →83% of P2 papers
- P3
Finding the clue that supports an answer.
Practise P3 Comprehension: Inference — 8 questions →67% of P3 papers
- P4
Conclusion plus evidence in one answer, and explaining word choices.
Practise P4 Comprehension: Inference — 8 questions →62% of P4 papers
- P5
Longer passages, character traits, and questions asking what something suggests.
Practise P5 Comprehension: Inference — 8 questions →69% of P5 papers
- P6
Inference across a whole passage, agreeing or disagreeing with support, and questions worth several marks.
Practise P6 Comprehension: Inference — 8 questions →85% of P6 papers
07 Mistakes worth knowing about
Each of these is wrong. Decide why before you open it.
“She was disappointed.”
Correct, but half an answer. Add the evidence: she sighed at her muddy shoes and knew they would have to walk.
“She was sad because her mother shouted at her.”
There is no mother in the passage. An inference must come from what is written.
“The passage does not say, so there is no answer.”
That is what makes it an inference question. The answer is built from clues rather than copied.
“I copied the sentence that had the clue in it.”
The clue is not the answer. Say what it shows, then quote it as support.
“I explained what the word usually means.”
Say what it means in this passage. Words shift meaning with their surroundings, which is why the question was asked.
Now try it
40 questions across 5 levels, marked as you go with the working shown.