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Prediction
Prediction is the close cousin of inference. The question is "what might happen next?" — but the answer is never a free guess. It is always the most likely outcome, given the evidence the writer has already placed in the passage. This clinic teaches you how to predict like an examiner: with the page open.
Lesson 1 — Prediction is not guessing
A wild guess might be right or wrong, but it is never a prediction. A prediction is supported by something the writer has already shown you. Before you choose an answer, ask: which clue in the passage points there?
Mira had been afraid of dogs for as long as she could remember. When her best friend's family announced a puppy was joining them on holiday, Mira said nothing — but she packed her swimming things and her best book, and added, quietly, a small bag of dog treats she had bought after school.
What is Mira most likely to do during the holiday?
A. Refuse to leave the bedroom
B. Try, carefully, to become friends with the puppy
C. Persuade her friend to send the puppy home
D. Pretend the puppy is not there