In reading comprehension, an inference is best described as ...

In reading comprehension, an inference is best described as ...

• A. A direct quote from the text
• B. A neutral observation
• C. A conclusion drawn from evidence in the text that is not explicitly stated.
• D. The author's explicit claim

Answer: (C)

In reading comprehension, inference means drawing a conclusion from clues in the text that the author doesn’t state directly. You combine details from the passage with what you know about how people behave or how situations usually work, and you arrive at an interpretation that the text implies but does not spell out. For example, if the story describes someone tiptoeing, peeking around a corner, and glancing at the door, you can infer that the person is trying not to be noticed or is worried about being found—something the text hints at without saying outright. This differs from simply quoting exact words, which would be a direct repetition of the text; from noting facts without interpreting their meaning (neutral observations); and from statements the author makes explicitly as claims. Inference sits in between, using clues and reasoning to conclude what the text suggests but does not explicitly state.

In reading comprehension, inference means drawing a conclusion from clues in the text that the author doesn’t state directly. You combine details from the passage with what you know about how people behave or how situations usually work, and you arrive at an interpretation that the text implies but does not spell out.

For example, if the story describes someone tiptoeing, peeking around a corner, and glancing at the door, you can infer that the person is trying not to be noticed or is worried about being found—something the text hints at without saying outright.

This differs from simply quoting exact words, which would be a direct repetition of the text; from noting facts without interpreting their meaning (neutral observations); and from statements the author makes explicitly as claims. Inference sits in between, using clues and reasoning to conclude what the text suggests but does not explicitly state.