Reading between the lines

For grown-ups: this lesson in words

Years 3 to 6 · English

Reading between the lines: I can work out how a character feels, and why, from the clues the writer leaves.

1. Here is a short story about Mei and a parcel. Read it carefully.

   The writer never tells us how Mei feels. But the writer leaves clues.

   Picture: A short text called "The parcel" with a picture of a present: "Mei tore the paper off the parcel. She gasped, hugged the box and ran to show Gran. "It's just what I wanted!" she said."

2. The clues hide in what Mei does.

   Mei tore the paper off, gasped, hugged the box and ran to show Gran. Those are the clues.

   People do those things when they are excited. So Mei feels excited.

   Working something out from clues is called inference, or reading between the lines.

   Picture: A short text called "The parcel" with a picture of a present: "Mei tore the paper off the parcel. She gasped, hugged the box and ran to show Gran. "It's just what I wanted!" she said." "tore", "gasped", "hugged the box" and "ran" are underlined.

3. Your turn: Read about Tom. How does Tom feel?

   Picture: A short text called "The kite" with a picture of a kite: "Tom's bottom lip wobbled. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and turned away from the broken kite."

   Choose one:

   • sad
   • excited
   • hungry

   Answer

   The answer: sad

   Sad. His lip wobbled and he wiped his eyes. Those clues show Tom is crying, so he feels sad.

   Picture: A short text called "The kite" with a picture of a kite: "Tom's bottom lip wobbled. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and turned away from the broken kite." "bottom lip wobbled" and "wiped his eyes" are underlined.

Words to know

clue:

A small detail in the text that helps you work something out.

infer:

Work something out from clues, even when the writer does not say it.

evidence:

The words in the text that prove your idea.

character:

A person or animal in a story.

setting:

Where and when a story happens.