Comprehension inference: answering why and how questions

Inference questions ask what the text implies, not what it states — the “why” and “how” questions that trip up otherwise strong readers. The answer is built the same way every time: find the clue in the text, then reason from it, and say it in your own words.

What inference means

A literal question can be answered by pointing to a line. An inference question asks you to read between the lines — why a character acted, how they felt, what a detail suggests. The text doesn't say it outright, but it gives you the clues to work it out.

Evidence plus reasoning

Every inference answer combines two things: a clue from the text and your reasoning about what it means. “He clenched his fists and looked away” (clue) suggests he was angry but trying to hide it (reasoning). Naming the clue and the reasoning is what earns the marks — a bare guess doesn't.

Answer in your own words

Inference answers must be paraphrased, not lifted. Find the relevant detail, then explain the implication in your own words. Match the answer to the marks: a 2-mark question usually wants two linked ideas, so don't stop at one when more is expected.

Practise spotting the type

Learn to recognise the signal words — “why”, “how”, “what does this suggest”, “what can you infer” — and switch into evidence-plus-reasoning mode. Practising a few inference questions and checking the reasoning against the mark scheme builds the instinct faster than doing whole papers.