Inference
SAT glossary · Reading & Writing
Definition
A conclusion forced by the text but not stated in it. Inference items reward the minimal conclusion the evidence compels, and punish the overshoot - a conclusion that goes further than the text licenses.
Inference in plain English
An inference is a conclusion that the text logically FORCES you to accept, even though the text never actually comes out and states that conclusion directly in so many words — you have to connect the dots yourself, but the dots have to genuinely lead there. Inference questions reward picking the smallest, most careful, minimal conclusion that the evidence truly supports, and they punish 'overshooting' — picking a conclusion that goes further than what the text actually gives you solid grounds for.
Sign up free: all 157 SAT terms as flashcards, plus practice questions with full explanations →