An inference is a meaning that is not directly stated but can be deduced from clues.

 An inference is a meaning that is suggested rather than stated directly.  Reading between the lines.  “He’s rich”  “He lives in a huge home, wears expensive suits, and owns a Rolls Royce.”

 A: Do you know how to save a politician from drowning?  B: No.  A: Good!  (If you have to explain a joke, the fun is lost. People need to make the connection themselves that often goes beyond explanation.)

 A point that takes some figuring out and taps our imagination has a greater impact on us than one that is obviously stated.  For the following cartoons, What is the main point? What inferences do you make to get the idea?

The suggestion carries the meaning. Example: In the shallows, face downward, lay the oiler. His forehead touched sand that was periodically, between each wave, clear of the sea. “ The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane Assumption: He is dead.

 Inferences require linking old knowledge to new.  Clues may draw on knowledge of: history current issues social concerns

 More than 3000 were killed, thousands wounded, and the loss of property was unprecedented in the worst terrorist attack in history. The events horrified people around the world who understood that two symbols of global financial dominance had been singled out in a carefully planned and executed mission of destruction. The event was immediately compared to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

 Foot binding was a form of violence against women. The woman's tiny feet, which made it difficult for her to walk, were a “marker” of status, indicating that her husband was wealthy and did not need her labor. It also made her dependent on him. In what country was foot binding practiced? What does the author think about this practice?

 The account of that morning some weeks later belongs to history. Three planes take off during the night of 6 August from Tinian in the Mariana Islands. Paul Tibbets is the group’s commander. Eatherly opens the formation. There are no bombs in his plane; as for the others, no one suspects what a terrible device is hidden inside the Enola Gay. A bigger contrivance, they think, nothing more. Eatherly’s job is to pinpoint the target with maximum accuracy. He must establish whether the weather conditions allow for the center to be Hiroshima, Kokura or Nagasaki, or whether they should continue towards secondary targets. He tells the story of the that morning's events in a voice devoid of emotion which suggests that the recitation is the thousandth one.  What event is being discussed?  How do you know?

Denotation  dictionary definition of a word Connotation  the feeling or emotion surrounding a word Example: An old house may be… -run down -deteriorated -neglected Which description is most negative/positive?

1. He has warm and winning ways. 2. She has an engaging smile. 3. He appears remote and self-involved. 4. She is a savvy salesperson 5. He is candid and open 6. She is the picture of efficiency. 7. He is weak and sickly. 8. She spoke words like daggers 9. He is a loose canon 10. The words were spoken without thinking.

1. He isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. 2. She spoke with a creased brow. 3. He had an exasperated look. 4. She was wise beyond her years. 5. He was a nurturing father. 6. She was an easy mark for bullies. 7. It was a hostile takeover of the company. 8. It was a dream fulfilled. 9. Just think of the promise of tomorrow. 10. Consider the brotherhood of man.

 Facts  Hints  Clues  Prior knowledge  Assumptions  Conclusions

1. What is the theme? 2. How do the details develop the theme? 3. What is the author’s attitude? 4. What images contribute to the theme? 5. What is the conclusion?