What are inferences?

An inference is a conclusion that can be drawn from certain observed or supposed facts. For example, if someone enters a vehicle and turns on the engine, one might infer that this person is about to drive. However, this inference may ultimately be inaccurate, for example if that person simply intended to verify that the battery wasn’t flat.

In the inferences section of a Watson Glaser test, you will typically be presented with a primary passage of text, followed by a series of inferences (i.e. a series of statements containing proposed conclusions that are potentially based on the primary passage of text). 

You must regard all the information contained within the primary passage of text to be objectively true - even if you do not believe this to be the case in reality – then decide whether each corresponding inference is true, probably true, false, probably false, or whether there simply isn’t enough information within the passage for you to draw one of these conclusions. 

Inferences are particularly tricky, as you are not simply identifying whether an inference is objectively true or false based on the passage (or stating that you lack sufficient information to decide); you need to consider the degree of truth or falsity when determining whether a particular inference is “probably” true or “probably” false. 

For each proposed inference:

• Select TRUE if the proposed inference properly follows beyond a reasonable doubt based on the statements explicitly made within the primary passage of text.
• Select PROBABLY TRUE if the proposed inference is not explicitly or directly confirmed to be true in the primary passage, but is more likely than not to be true based on the information you are given and/or common knowledge.
• Select INSUFFICIENT DATA if the primary passage of text fails to provide enough information to enable you to ascertain whether the proposed inference is – or is likely to be - true or false.
• Select PROBABLY FALSE if the proposed inference is not explicitly or directly confirmed to be false in the primary passage, but is more likely than not to be false based on the information you are given and/or common knowledge.
• Select FALSE if the statements within the primary passage clearly demonstrate that the proposed inference is wrong (for example, if the inference misinterprets or contradicts the statements contained within the primary passage).

As alluded to above, sometimes, when deciding whether an inference is “probably” true or “probably” false, you may need to draw upon common knowledge (i.e. information that practically everyone knows). However, remember not to do so when determining whether an inference is simply “True” or “False”. “True” or “False” answers must be fully supported by the statements made in the primary passage.