Inference
An inference is a conclusion the passage does not state outright but clearly supports. Inference questions are signaled by phrases like "It can be inferred…", "The author implies…", "The passage suggests…", "Most likely…", "Probably…".
The rule that matters: a correct inference is a small step beyond what the text says. It is almost stated. If you have to invent a fact, assume something not on the page, or rely on what you happen to know about the world, you have gone too far.
The two failure modes of inference items:
- Too literal — the trap of restating a detail. A choice that simply repeats a sentence from the passage is not an inference; it's a direct quote. Inference requires reading between the lines, not just on them.
- Too broad — the trap of leaping past the evidence. A choice that adds new facts the passage never mentioned is wrong, no matter how reasonable it sounds.
A test for "small step": could you defend the inference by pointing to a specific sentence and explaining one short logical move? If yes, it's an inference. If you need a chain of three or four assumptions, it's a leap.
Watch the author's tone as evidence. Word choice carries inference power. - The committee was forced to admit… implies reluctance. - Even the most cautious experts now agree… implies the claim is no longer in serious dispute. - The proposal was, at best, premature. implies criticism even without a flatly negative word.
When an inference question asks how the author feels about the subject, scan for adjectives and verbs that color the passage. Neutral-sounding passages still leak attitude through small choices.
Eliminating common wrong choices. - Extreme language — always, never, all, none, every, the only. The passage almost never supports an absolute claim. Eliminate these unless the passage itself uses the same absolute word. - Direction reversal — the choice flips cause and effect, or attributes the author's view to the opposing side. - Plausible but unsupported — sounds reasonable, but cannot be tied to a specific line.