Which statement best describes the difference between inference and prediction?

• A. Inference deduces meaning from textual evidence.
• B. Prediction foresees what will happen next.
• C. Inference and prediction are the same process.
• D. Prediction reveals the author’s mood.

Answer: (A)

Inference involves deducing meaning from textual clues and what you already know, figuring out ideas the author implies but doesn’t state outright. For example, if a character avoids eye contact and says, “It’s been a long day,” you can infer they’re tired or stressed even though the text doesn’t say it directly.

Prediction, on the other hand, is about forecasting what will happen next in the story, using the events and clues you’ve already read to anticipate future developments.

The statement that best describes the difference is that inference deduces meaning from textual evidence. It captures the idea that you’re drawing conclusions from clues in the text. The other options either describe prediction without addressing the difference, claim the two processes are the same, or misattribute mood to prediction.