What is the purpose of inferencing questions in SOL reading sections?

• A. To recall exact wording from the text
• B. To summarize the passage in one sentence
• C. To draw conclusions not explicitly stated by the author using evidence from the text.
• D. To identify the author’s tone

Answer: (C)

Inferencing questions test your ability to read between the lines. They ask you to use clues the author provides—word choice, details, actions, and what isn’t said outright—to draw conclusions that the text implies but does not state directly. You combine those textual clues with your reasoning to determine something about a character, mood, motivation, or outcome that isn’t written in a single sentence.

This is different from recalling exact words, which focuses on memory of phrasing; from summarizing, which aims for the main idea in one bite-sized statement; or from identifying tone, which is about the author’s attitude but can be asked in a way that relies on interpreting explicit cues. Inferencing is about making a logical deduction grounded in evidence from the text, not just restating facts or restating what the author explicitly says.

For example, if a narrator describes a character avoiding eye contact, speaking in short replies, and betraying a quiet frustration, you’d infer that the character is uneasy or hiding something—not because it’s directly stated, but because the surrounding details point to that conclusion.