Quoting Facts & Making Inferences
Aligned to RI.5.1 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
In nonfiction, back up what you say by quoting the exact words. An inference is a smart guess built from clues the text gives you.
Worked examples
Example 1
An article says a town 'gets under two inches of rain a year.' You can quote that and infer the town is a desert, even if it never says the word.
Example 2
An article says a species 'has not been recorded since 1987.' You can infer scientists believe it may be extinct, even though the word never appears.
Example 3
Careful writers choose careful words. 'Has not been recorded' is not the same as 'is extinct', and the difference is deliberate.
Practice questions
- Quote one exact fact from an article you have read.
- Make an inference and name the clue behind it.
- Explain why the exact wording matters as proof.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Citar Datos y Hacer Inferencias
En los textos informativos, respalda lo que dices citando las palabras exactas. Una inferencia es una conclusión inteligente basada en las pistas que da el texto.
Ejemplo 1: Un artículo dice que un pueblo 'recibe menos de cinco centímetros de lluvia al año'. Puedes citarlo e inferir que es un desierto, aunque nunca use esa palabra.
Ejemplo 2: Un artículo dice que una especie 'no ha sido registrada desde 1987.' Puedes inferir que los científicos creen que podría estar extinta, aunque la palabra nunca aparezca.
Ejemplo 3: Los escritores cuidadosos eligen palabras cuidadosas. 'No ha sido registrada' no es lo mismo que 'está extinta', y la diferencia es deliberada.
More Reading: Informational lessons
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