Statement, Conclusion and Inference
Deciding what genuinely follows from a statement using only its own words, and grading an inference from a passage as definitely true, probably true, data inadequate, probably false, or definitely false.
What you will be able to do
- Accept a conclusion only when the statement's own words fully support it.
- Reject conclusions that add scope, strength, or a cause the statement omits.
- Grade an inference on the five-point scale against a given passage.
- Combine two statements to see what jointly follows.
What is inside this lesson
- 1What 'follows' means here
- 2Does the conclusion follow?
- 3The 'some' trap
- 4Grading an inference
- 5Worked examples
- 6Common mistakes
- 7Quick revision
- 8Practice
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What 'follows' means here
A conclusion follows from a statement only if the statement's own words guarantee it. You may not use outside knowledge, and you may not fill gaps with what is 'probably' true.
This is the opposite direction from an assumption: an assumption sits under the statement; a conclusion comes out of it.
The inference variant is softer: given a short passage, you grade a candidate on a five-point scale from definitely true to definitely false, allowing 'probably' and 'data inadequate' in between.
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