* Unfamiliar words: You might encounter words you don't know. Inference helps you deduce their meaning by looking at the surrounding words and phrases, the overall context, and your prior knowledge.
* Figurative language: Authors use metaphors, similes, and other figurative language to add depth and meaning. Inference helps you understand the intended meaning behind these figures of speech.
* Implied meanings: Writers often don't explicitly state everything. Inference allows you to draw conclusions and understand the unspoken implications in the text.
* Understanding relationships: You can use inference to understand the relationships between characters, events, and ideas presented in the text.
* Making predictions: By understanding the context and making inferences, you can predict what might happen next in the story.
Here's a simple example:
"The old man sat by the window, watching the sombre sky."
You might not know the word "sombre." But the context (old man, watching the sky) suggests that "sombre" probably means something like "dark," "gloomy," or "sad."
In summary: Inference and context clues are vital tools for reading comprehension. They help you go beyond the literal meaning of words and unlock the deeper layers of meaning in a text.