SAT Inferences study notes

An inference is a small step past what is stated. The SAT often gives you incomplete evidence on purpose. Your job is to say what is likely or possible without turning it into a certainty. Words such as ‘may’ and ‘suggests’ can be signs of a properly limited conclusion.

Worked example

A shipping register lists only boats at the main pier. Separate tax records show fees from boats using nearby coves. What follows?

The register may miss some coastal activity. We cannot calculate how much trade it missed because the tax records do not give cargo or trip counts.

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