Help Your Child Answer Inference Questions in 11+ Comprehension

Why Fiction Inference Questions Feel Tricky

Some 11+ comprehension questions feel harder than others – and inference questions are often why. These are the questions that ask your child to go beyond what’s stated in the text and think about what’s really going on beneath the surface: what the author means but doesn’t state explicitly.
They might be asked things like:
• Why does character A respond in that way?
• How does character B feel about the situation?
• What is character C trying to achieve?
These are inference questions – and even strong readers can stumble when the clues are subtle.

Why So Much Is Left Unsaid

Writers often prefer to show what a character is thinking or feeling, rather than just telling us. That makes the writing richer – but it also means readers need to be alert.

A Quick Example

Her eyes flicked to the clock for the third time in a minute as the front door creaked open.
We’re not directly told she’s worried – but the repeated glances and the sound of the door are clues. Is she anxious? Waiting for someone she’s nervous about? That’s what your child needs to work out.

Can You Practise Inference in Real Life? Yes.

Fictional characters reflect real people – even the ones shaped into animals or fantasy creatures. So, if children get used to spotting feelings and intentions in real people, they’ll find it easier to do the same in stories.

Try Turning It into a Game

Next time you’re out and about, pick a stranger (discreetly!) and ask your child to guess what that person might be feeling.
For example –
Look at that man in the café queue – hands jammed into his coat pockets, shoulders hunched, checking his phone. What might he be thinking? How might he be feeling?
It becomes a light-hearted guessing game. You’re helping your child build the habit of noticing the tiny clues that suggest mood or intention – the same kind of clues they’ll need to pick up in fiction.

Try This with Fiction at Home

Choose a short story or extract and read it aloud. Pause at key points and ask questions like:
• What do you think she’s really feeling here?
• Why might he have said that in that tone?
• What might happen next?
• What evidence from the story supports your answer?
Encourage your child to think like a detective. The aim isn’t just to guess, but to back up each idea with a context clue from the text – just like in the exam.

Use Our 11+ Reading Books to Practise Inference

The Cadwaladr Chronicles and Cadwaladr Quests are 11+ vocabulary reading books that actively support this type of thinking. Our Knowledge Nuggets appear in the stories, flagging key inferential moments and offering short prompts to help children understand what’s really happening beneath the surface.
These in-text guides highlight:
• Subtle reactions or shifts in tone
• Character dynamics or unspoken intentions
• Literary devices and punctuation clues that support meaning
They also explain SPaG points in context – so your child isn’t just reading a story but developing deeper comprehension all the way through.

Don’t Panic – Just Practise

Inference can feel daunting, but it becomes easier with practice. It’s not about knowing the ‘right’ answer – it’s about justifying an idea with evidence.
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and explain why. This practice builds confidence and gives them a method for tackling even the trickiest comprehension passages.
So next time a character avoids eye contact, or slams a door, or hesitates before replying – pause and ask: what’s really going on?
With the right tools, your child will begin to spot the clues that others miss.