Name: ________________________________
Inferences Worksheet 1

Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions.  Each question will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual details.  Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch.  Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat.  He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning.  On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed.  He would eat dinner with her after he was “presentable,” as Alice had often said.  

1.  What type of job does Paul do? ____________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

2.  Describe Alice: ___________________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description? 

3.  What relationship do Paul and Alice have? _____________________________________________

Why do you feel this way?

Crack!  Thunder struck and rain poured.  Max stared blankly out the window, trying to contain his emotions that raged like the weather.  He was beginning to lose it.  Dropping the kite from his hand, Max broke out into full sob.  His mother comforted him, “There, there, Max.  We’ll just find something else to do.”  She began to unpack the picnic basket that was on the counter and offered him a sandwich.  Max snapped, “I don’t wanna sand-mich!”  A flash from the sky lit up the living room.  Boom!  Mom sighed.

4.  Why is Max upset? ________________________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

5.  What was Mom planning on doing today? ______________________________________________

What in the text supports your description? 

“Tommy!”  Mom called out as she walked in the front door.  “Tommy,” she continued shouting, “I sure could use some help with these groceries.  There was still no reply.  Mom walked into the kitchen to put the grocery bags down on the counter when she noticed shattered glass from the picture window all over the living room floor and a baseball not far from there.  “I’m going to kill you, Tommy!” Mom yelled to herself as she realized that Tommy’s shoes were gone.

6.  What happened to the window? ______________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

7.  Why did Tommy leave? ____________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description? 

Today was a special day in Ms. Smith’s class.  Some of the children were walking around the room, some of them were standing in small groups, and some of them were at their desks, putting finishing touches on cardboard mailboxes.  After coloring a cool flame on the side of his racecar mailbox, Johnny hopped off of his chair, strutted over to Veronica’s desk, and dropped a small white envelope into her princess castle mailbox.  Veronica blushed and played with her hair.  While this was happening, Bartleby was frantically trying to put a small white envelope into everyone’s mailbox.  After giving one to Ms. Smith, Bartleby pulled out a medium-sized red envelope from his pocket.  He blushed and tried to put it in Veronica’s mailbox, but it wouldn’t quite fit.  Bartleby struggled with it for a few seconds and then ran off with the envelope.  Veronica rolled her eyes and popped her gum.  

8.  Why is today a special day? _________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?

9.  Which boy does Veronica like? ______________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?

10. Why did Bartleby run?  ____________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?