An inference is a conclusion you reach by combining what you observe with what you already know. When you see wet streets and people carrying umbrellas, you infer that it rained recently, even though you didn't see the rain fall. You're using clues to figure out something that wasn't directly stated or shown.

Making inferences is something you do constantly. When your friend walks into class looking upset, you might infer they had a rough morning. When you read a story where a character keeps checking her watch and tapping her foot, you infer she's impatient or worried about being late, even if the author never writes, “She felt impatient.”

Scientists make inferences from their observations and experiments. Detectives make inferences from evidence at a crime scene. Readers make inferences to understand stories more deeply. The key is that an inference goes beyond what's obvious: you're putting pieces together to understand something that isn't directly explained.

A good inference is an educated conclusion based on real evidence plus your knowledge and experience. Sometimes your inferences turn out wrong when you get new information, and that's fine. Making inferences is how you make sense of a world where people rarely spell out everything directly.