HiSET: Language Arts - Reading

HiSET: Language Arts - Reading focuses on developing reading comprehension skills essential for success in the HiSET exam and beyond.

Basic Concepts

Making Inferences

What Is an Inference?

An inference is an educated guess based on information in the text and your own knowledge.

How to Make Inferences

  • Look for clues in the text that hint at something not directly stated.
  • Combine those clues with what you already know.
  • Ask yourself, “What can I figure out from these hints?”

Why Inferences Matter

Making inferences helps you read between the lines and understand more than what’s directly said.

Real-World Connections

You make inferences every day—like guessing someone’s mood from their words and actions!

Practice

Read a story where a character sighs and stares out the window. You might infer they are sad or bored, even if it’s not directly said.

Examples

  • A passage says, 'She wrapped her scarf tighter as the wind picked up.' You infer that it’s cold outside.

  • A student rushes into class out of breath. You infer they were running late.

In a Nutshell

Inference means figuring out what’s not directly stated by using clues and background knowledge.