What should you use to support an inference?

• A. Personal opinions
• B. Specific quoted details or closely paraphrased evidence from the text
• C. Irrelevant details
• D. Only the title

Answer: (B)

Inferring means drawing a conclusion from clues the text provides. To support that inference, you need evidence directly from the text. Specific quoted details or closely paraphrased evidence are the best way to do this because they show exactly where the clue comes from and how it backs up your idea. When you include a short quote or a tightly reworded line, you’re anchoring your inference in concrete parts of the text, not just guessing.

Personal opinions aren’t proof because they reflect what you think rather than what the text shows. Irrelevant details won’t help justify your conclusion, and relying only on the title misses the actual clues the author gives in the passage. By citing relevant textual evidence and explaining how it connects to your inference, you build a clear, text-based interpretation.

For example, if the narrator describes someone slipping into a room quietly, glancing over their shoulder, and avoiding eye contact, you might infer that the person is nervous or hiding something. You would support that inference by pointing to those lines and explaining how each detail signals secrecy or anxiety.