Authors don’t always tell

every detail or give every bit of information in nonfiction or

in fiction stories.

Readers make inferences to

supply information that authors

leave out.

When you make an inference, you add what you already

know to what an author has

told you.

Examples

What the author said + what I know = my inference

The weather

had been

scorching for weeks.

Summer is the hottest time of

the year.

It is summer

.

What the author said + what I know = my inference

Al took out a

pitcher of cold lemona

de.

You keep

things cold in

a refridger-ator.

Al took the

lemonade out of the

refridger-ator.

What the author said + what I know = my inference

He got a glass out of

the cupboar

d.

People get out glasses when they

want to drink

something.

Al wanted to drink a glass

of lemona

de.