Building inference skills for comprehension

Inference is something we get asked about a lot, and parents often tell me they’re unsure how to help their child ‘get the hidden meaning’ in a text. They notice that comprehension questions asking for subtle understanding seem to throw them off.

Here’s the thing: inference is everywhere. We’re all making inferences, all the time, on a daily basis. Inference is not just a reading skill, it’s a thinking skill. This means there are loads of things you can do outside of reading to help your child.

What is Inference?

If you’re familiar with the way I talk about comprehension, you’ll know I turn the different question type into jobs: practical roles they can play. When it comes to inference, I call them detective questions. What do detectives do? They hunt for clues, notice the small stuff and build a bigger picture. That’s exactly what we want children to do when they’re reading between the lines.

Games to Practise Inference - No Reading Required!

Here are a few fun ways to build inference skills in daily life:

1.        As you’re out and about, whether driving, at the park or even walking around the supermarket, ask your child to spot a ‘clue’ and tell you what it might mean. It could be, “What can we tell about that man’s job from his clothes?” or “What do you think that building used to be, judging by its windows?” By doing this, you’re gently encouraging them to notice details and link them to what they already know.

2.        When you are watching tv or a movie, mute it for a scene. Ask your child to figure out what’s happening just from the characters’ facial expressions or body language.
Simple questions such as, “What do you think he’s feeling right now?” or “Why do you think that character just walked away?” gives your child opportunities to use visual clues to work out meaning. These are exactly the skills they’ll need with written texts.

3.        Flick through old family photos or find an interesting picture in a magazine or online. Ask your child to ‘be the detective’ and tell the story behind the picture. Who are the people? What’s happening? Why might it be happening? By doing so, they’re piecing together information from context and making reasonable guesses. This is inference in action.

4.        People Watching is another great way to develop inference skills. When you’re at the park, in a restaurant or waiting somewhere, you can play a fun game of ‘Guess the Story.’ For example, “See that family over there? Where do you think they’ve just come from? Why?” Asking these questions helps your child join dots using everyday situations.

5.        Play a ‘what’s missing?’ game at home. Lay out a group of objects, remove one and ask your child what’s changed and how they know. This is great for younger children to build observation and reasoning.

Weaving these little ‘detective’ moments into daily life, gives your child the chance to practise inference in fun, low-pressure ways. By developing these skills in a natural, active context, they’ll find it much easier to apply the same thinking when they sit down with a text. These interactive tasks build the mental habits children need for understanding texts: noticing details, drawing conclusions and making thoughtful guesses.

Bridging Everyday Inference to Reading

How do we bridge the gap between these everyday ‘detective’ moments and more formal reading comprehension? Our Visual Comprehension Downloadables are designed exactly for this purpose. These resources combine visual with verbal information, using pictures alongside texts. Each Downloadable is structured to help students think deeply, without being overwhelmed by large blocks of text, helping them connect their everyday reasoning to reading in a manageable, engaging way.

Building Confidence with Comprehension Resources

When your child is ready to explore further, we have a variety of resources to support reading comprehension and develop inference in meaningful steps:

Comprehending Comprehension Videos

Our animated videos break down comprehension questions by character role and job. For inference questions, we focus on the Detective - spotting clues and drawing conclusions. Our videos show children how to approach the different question types with practical strategies, all in a visual, engaging way.

Skill-Specific Approach

As all of our resources are adaptive, within each comprehension Downloadables resource you can focus on one comprehension skill at a time. For inference, your child could tackle only Detective questions, allowing them to embed their skills and practise these in a focused, structured way. They also include tips that show exactly what to look out for and model answers.

Tailored Support Through Tuition, Workshops and Boosters

For those who would benefit from more direct support, we also offer online group courses, workshop and 1:1 Booster Blocks. All our sessions are designed to build confidence, develop technique and reinforce key skills. Whether your child is struggling with subtle meanings or ready to master advanced comprehension, we have options that align with their needs. We also run Parent Workshops and Seminars, covering a range of topics and offering strategies and support.

Final Thought
Inference is a life skill. If you can help your child get used to spotting clues, piecing things together and making thoughtful guesses about the world around them, you’re boosting their comprehension skills as well as building their confidence as thinkers and learners. With everyday games, visual and then more formal comprehension resources, parent seminars and tuition options, we’re here to support you and your child in developing their skills.