Inference, Deduction and Interpretation 1

Introduction to Inference, Deduction, and Interpretation

• Key skills in reading comprehension

• Understanding beyond what's directly stated

Inference

• Understanding something not directly stated

• Example: 'I inferred from her telling me to work on my own that she was accusing me of distracting others.'

Deduction

• Working something out from given information

• Example: 'From the muddy footprint, I deduced that the thief had big feet and had entered from the garden.'

Interpretation

• Explaining the meaning of something

• Making something easier to understand

• Example: 'The article was full of technical language. Luckily, Anya is an expert at science and she interpreted it for me.'

Multiple Perspectives

• Different people may infer or deduce different things from the same text

• There can be more than one acceptable answer

Supporting Your Answer

• Use evidence from the text to support your inference/deduction/interpretation

• Show that your answer is reasonable and makes sense

You could be asked to explain in your own words

Everybody knows that dogs make great companions. They're friendly, playful and loyal. But they require work and puppy-training can be frustrating. Sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back.

Explain what it means in your own words.

THINK!

Everybody knows that dogs make great companions. They're friendly, playful and loyal. But they require work and puppy-training can be frustrating. Sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back.

Explain what it means in your own words.

'What does the writer mean by "sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back"?'

Bad answers X

He's saying that if you go forward one step you will go back two.

(Repeated phrase in different words)

He thinks it is frustrating.

(Repeated from the passage)

​Everybody knows that dogs make great companions. They're friendly, playful and loyal. But they require work and puppy-training can be frustrating. Sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back.

Explain what it means in your own words.

Suggested answer

According to the writer, every time you make some progress with a puppy's training, something happens that makes you think you are not doing so well.

​Everybody knows that dogs make great companions. They're friendly, playful and loyal. But they require work and puppy-training can be frustrating. Sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back.

Explain what it means in your own words.

You could be asked to find evidence in the text to support a general statement that has been inferred from the text.

Everybody knows that dogs make great companions. They're friendly, playful and loyal. But they require work and puppy-training can be frustrating. Sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back.

Find two pieces of evidence in the text that suggest not people are suited to owning dogs. Describe the sort of people the writer might be thinking about.

Suggested answer

The writer says that puppies 'require work', which suggests that lazy people who do not like hardwork should not have puppies. He also says 'puppy-training can be frustrating'. This implies that if you are not very patient and get frustrated easily, you should not have a puppy.

​Everybody knows that dogs make great companions. They're friendly, playful and loyal. But they require work and puppy-training can be frustrating. Sometimes with a puppy, it's one step forward and two steps back.

Find two pieces of evidence in the text that suggest not people are suited to owning dogs. Describe the sort of people the writer might be thinking about.