Safe inferences
An inference is a conclusion that follows logically from what the passage actually says. The trick is to stay close to the text.
Two failure modes
- Under-inference — refusing to draw any conclusion the passage implies.
- Over-inference — projecting your assumptions beyond what the text supports.
Example
Passage: "Most of the audience left before the second half of the play."
Safe inference: "The audience’s reaction to the first half was mixed at best." ✅ Unsafe inference: "The play was the worst in the city’s history." ❌ (Too strong.)
Tip
Prefer hedged language — "likely", "suggests", "probably" — over absolutes like "always" or "never".