Reading: Reading for Inference & Implied Meaning (Introduction)
B1 Lesson 1: Understanding Information That is Implied but Not Directly Stated
Reading Between the Lines
Good readers understand not only what the text says directly, but also what it suggests or hints at. This hidden meaning is called an inference1 or the implied meaning2.
Making an inference is like being a detective. You take clues from the text and combine them with what you already know about the world to figure out the full story.
Part 1: The Inference Formula
Making an inference is simple. Just follow this formula:
[Text Clues] + [Your Background Knowledge] = [Inference]
Let's see how it works.
Practice Example 1
Sokha looked at the clock on the wall. He quickly put his books in his bag, ran out of the house, and started pedaling his bicycle as fast as he could.
- Text Clues: He looked at the clock, moved quickly, ran, pedaled "as fast as he could."
- Background Knowledge4: People hurry like this when they are afraid of being late.
- Inference: Sokha is probably late for school or an appointment. (The text never says "he was late".)
Practice Example 2
The student looked at her exam results and a huge smile spread across her face. She immediately took out her phone to call her parents.
- Text Clues: She saw her exam results, she had a "huge smile," she immediately called her parents.
- Background Knowledge: People smile and share news with family when something good has happened.
- Inference: She did very well on her exam and was happy and excited to share the good news. (The text never says "she passed" or "she was happy".)
Your Turn to Be a Detective!
Practice Quiz
Read the short text and make an inference to answer the question.
"The sun was a fiery red as it touched the horizon over the sea. The fishing boats, which had been out all day, were slowly returning to the river mouth in Kampot. The lights on the riverfront cafes began to turn on one by one."
What can you infer from this text?
- A. A storm is coming.
- B. It is early morning.
- C. It is evening, around sunset.
Answer: C. It is evening, around sunset. The clues are the sun touching the horizon (sunset), boats returning after being out "all day," and cafe lights turning on.
Vocabulary Glossary
-
Inference (noun)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: ការសន្និដ្ឋាន
A smart guess or conclusion that you make based on clues in the text and your own knowledge. ↩ back to text -
Implied Meaning (noun)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: អត្ថន័យបង្កប់ន័យ
A meaning that is suggested or hinted at by the writer, but not said directly. ↩ back to text -
Context Clues (noun)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: តម្រុយក្នុងបរិបទ
The words and situations in a text that help you figure out hidden meanings. ↩ back to text -
Background Knowledge (noun)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: ចំណេះដឹងដែលរៀនពីបទពិសោធន៍ជីវិតអ្នក
Everything you already know about the world from your life experiences. ↩ back to text
Homework Task
Practice Your Inference Skills!
Read the short situations below. For each one, write down one logical inference.
- The restaurant was full of people, but nobody was eating. All the plates on the tables were empty. Everyone was looking at their phones.
- My friend walked into the room with his new shirt. He kept looking in the mirror and smiling. He asked me three times, "Do you like my shirt?"
What can you infer about each situation?