Inference and Interpretation of Spoken English
Reading between the lines
Inference questions ask what the speaker implies, suggests, or assumes rather than states outright. You must combine explicit clues-word choice, contrast, intonation, and the response of the other speaker-with everyday conversational logic. Common targets include the speaker's attitude or feelings, the reason behind a request, the relationship between speakers, the meaning of an idiom, what will probably happen next, and what a pronoun refers to. The correct answer is always supported by the passage; it is a conclusion the speakers would accept, not a guess from outside knowledge.
Traps to expect
The main danger is over-inference: choosing a dramatic or moral conclusion the passage only hints at. Another trap is taking an idiom or sarcastic remark literally. Tone questions often tempt you with the topic rather than the attitude-for example, a speaker discussing a problem calmly is not necessarily upset. Watch for answers that are generally true but not supported here. Extreme wording ("completely," "proves," "hates") is usually wrong when the passage shows only a mild attitude.
Worked example
Woman: "I thought the seminar started at nine." Man: "It did-for the people who checked the email update." The man implies that the seminar time was changed and announced by email, and that the woman missed the update. He sounds mildly teasing or pointed, not furious. An answer saying "He is angry about the seminar" goes too far; an answer saying "He suggests she missed a schedule change" stays within the clues. Rule of thumb: name the exact clue (the dash, "for the people who," the contrast with "I thought") and reject any choice that needs a second unsupported assumption.