Grounded Inferences: Evidence, Logic, and Boundaries

What an Inference Is and Is Not

Three Rules for Valid Inferences

Common Inference Pitfalls

Read the passage: "Dr. Alvarez kept glancing at the wall clock while Ms. Chen described her symptoms. Twice she asked whether Chen had brought her prior lab results, and when Chen said she had not, Alvarez paused, then reached for a prescription pad. 'We will start with a low dose,' she said, 'and I would like you back in two weeks with those results in hand.' Chen noticed the waiting room had emptied and that a nurse stood quietly at the door holding a folder. On her way out, Chen heard Alvarez apologizing to the nurse for the delay." Which inference is most firmly supported by the passage?

Read the passage: "When the library opened at eight on Saturday, a woman was already waiting at the door with a rolling cart stacked with hardcover books. She asked the circulation desk whether the library accepted donations, and when told that it did, she smiled and said most of the books had belonged to her mother." Which statement is a grounded inference rather than speculation?

Read the passage: "Excavators working at a coastal settlement uncovered a refuse pit containing thousands of broken clam shells, fish bones, and the charred fragments of at least three large cooking vessels. The pit sat near the center of the settlement rather than at its edge, and layers of ash above the shells showed that fires had burned in the same spot repeatedly over many seasons. Although the surrounding region shows frequent warfare among contemporary villages, the excavation team found no weapons and no defensive earthworks anywhere in the settlement." Which inference is best supported by the evidence?

Complete the sentence: "A valid inference must be firmly supported by ____ in the text."