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SATs practice · Year 6Chapter 4 · Prediction from clues in the text
Year 6 · Chapter 4

Prediction from clues in the text

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Use a clue stated in the text to predict what is likely to happen next
  • Use a clue that is implied, not stated, to make a sensible prediction
  • Give a reason from the text to justify a prediction
  • Choose the outcome that is least likely, given the clues
  • Judge a prediction as likely, unlikely or can’t tell from the clues

You should already know

  • Inference: feelings, thoughts and motives (Chapter 3 of this book)
  • Finding information in a text (Chapter 1 of this book)

Where this leads

  • Language and structure: how the writer creates effects (Chapter 5 of this book)
  • Summarising the main ideas of a text (Chapter 6 of this book)

KS2 SATs practice for reading (Year 6). Original questions in the style of the national tests. Content: Predict what might happen from details stated and implied in the text (Y5-6 reading, R7), Justify a prediction with clues from the text, and tick the clues that support it (Y5-6 reading, R7), Judge which outcome is most or least likely, and whether a prediction is supported by the text (Y5-6 reading, R7).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWrite the word that means a guess about what will happen, based on clues. Write one word.
2
FWrite the word that means a detail in a text that points to something that may happen. Write one word.
3
FWrite the word that means the moment in a story where the tension is at its highest. Write one word.
4
FWhich word is an adverb in this sentence: Tara walked slowly along the path.? Write the word only.
5
FWrite the word that means a story ending at a tense point, which leaves the reader wanting to read on. Write one word.
4.1

Predicting from clues that are stated

Year 6
Predict what might happen from details that the text states (Y5-6 reading, R7)
Video lesson: Predicting from clues that are statedComing soon

This is practice material, not the official test.

Every text and question in this book was written for practice. It is not a real test paper, and the marks, the timing and the question types are a practice guide only.

Story. Tara is walking home along the river path. The river is high and the sky is growing dark. She hears a dog whimpering, and then the story stops at the moment she steps onto the stones.

A story that stops before the big moment. Read it, and use the clues to predict what happens next.

Tara walked home along the river path, counting the lamp posts the way she always did. The rain had stopped an hour earlier, but the path was slick with mud, and the river beside it had risen so high that it lapped against the reeds.

Grandad had made her promise. ‘Never go near the weir after dark,’ he had said, ‘and never, ever step onto the stones by the willow. The water pulls harder than you think.’

Tara had no intention of going near the weir. She was only going to cut across to the bridge. Then she heard it: a thin, desperate whimpering, coming from somewhere beyond the willow.

She pushed through the branches and found a red collar snagged on a low twig. The tag was wet, but the letters were clear: BISCUIT, 7 MILL LANE. Her heart thumped. Biscuit was a dog, and Biscuit was in trouble.

Tara checked her phone. The battery was at four per cent. The bridge was a long way off, and the sky was already the colour of ink.

Across the water, a shape moved in the reeds, and the whimpering rose to a yelp. Tara looked at the stones. They were slippery, and the river was loud, and the willow’s roots gripped the bank like fingers.

She took a deep breath, and she stepped onto the first stone.

A prediction is a sensible guess about what will happen next. A good prediction is based on a clue: a detail that the text states. Find the clue first, then decide what it makes likely.

Key ideas

  • A prediction should be based on a clue from the text.
  • A stated clue is written down, so you can point to it.
  • Ask: what does this clue make likely to happen next?
Worked example 4.1.1
The sky was already the colour of ink. What is most likely to happen next? Write the outcome.

Method. Use the stated clue to predict what is likely.

  1. Find the clue. The text says the sky was already the colour of ink.
    the colour of ink
  2. Think about what it means. Ink-dark skies mean that night is coming.
    night is coming
  3. Make the prediction. It will get darker, and harder for Tara to see.
    it will get darker
  4. Write the answer.
    it will get darker

Check. The clue makes the prediction likely. ✓

Worked example 4.1.2
Grandad says never to go near the weir after dark. What is most likely if Tara goes near it in the dark?

Method. Use the warning, and predict the likely result.

  1. Find the clue. Grandad says never to go near the weir after dark.
    Never go near the weir after dark
  2. Think about the warning. The warning is there because the weir is dangerous.
    dangerous
  3. Make the prediction. If she goes near it, she could be in danger.
    she could be in danger
  4. Write the answer.
    she could be in danger

Check. The warning supports the prediction. ✓

Worked example 4.1.3
The battery was at four per cent. Predict what might happen to Tara’s phone.

Method. Use the stated battery level to predict what will happen.

  1. Find the clue. The battery was at four per cent.
    The battery was at four per cent
  2. Think about the level. Four per cent is almost empty.
    almost empty
  3. Make the prediction. The phone may run out soon.
    may run out soon
  4. Write the answer.
    it may run out soon

Check. The low battery supports the prediction. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a prediction is not a fact. Say what is likely, and give the clue that makes it likely.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say what they think will happen next, and to point to the sentence that gave them the idea.

Exercise 4A  Practice: predicting from stated clues

1
FThe sky was already the colour of ink. Which outcome is most likely? Choose one: it will get darker, and harder to see / it will become sunny and warm / it will snow in July.
2
FGrandad says never to go near the weir after dark. Which outcome is most likely if Tara goes near the weir in the dark? Choose one: she could be in danger / she will be given a prize / she will be home early.
3
FThe river has risen so high that it lapped against the reeds. Which outcome is most likely? Choose one: the path by the river could be flooded or slippery / the river will shrink in the sun / the reeds will move to the city.
4
FThe bridge was a long way off. Which outcome is most likely? Choose one: Tara will not reach the bridge quickly / Tara will reach the bridge in one minute / the bridge will move closer to her.
5
FTara hears a thin, desperate whimpering. What is most likely to be making the sound? Choose one: a dog / the wind in the reeds / a bird singing.
6
FThe collar tag reads BISCUIT, 7 MILL LANE. What is the most likely name of the dog? Choose one: Biscuit / Mill / Lane.
7
PSThe battery was at four per cent. Predict what Tara might do when the phone runs out. Give a reason from the text.
8
PSThe whimpering rose to a yelp. Predict what Tara will do next. Give a reason from the text.
9
PSPredict what Tara will find on the far side of the willow. Give one clue from the text.
10
FElla found the cage door open and crumbs on the floor. Where is Pip most likely to be? Choose one: in the cupboard under the sink / at the far end of the playground / at Ella’s house.
11
FBy four o’clock the pitch was covered in puddles. What is most likely to happen? Choose one: the pitch will not be safe to play on at the moment / the pitch will be dry by tea time / the match will be played in the puddles.
12
PSThe coach has pinned a note: We will check again on Saturday morning. Predict what might happen next. Give a reason.
4.2

Predicting from clues that are implied

Year 6
Use a clue that is implied, not stated, to make a sensible prediction (Y5-6 reading, R7)
Video lesson: Predicting from clues that are impliedComing soon
Story. Kofi finds an old map in a library atlas. It shows a cross beside an oak tree. Read the story, and use the clues the writer gives you, even where the writer does not spell them out.

A library story with a map. Read it, and use the clues to predict what happens next.

Kofi found the atlas on the top shelf of the library, wedged between two dusty encyclopaedias. It smelled of old paper, and its cover was faded to a pale green.

When he opened it, a folded map slipped out and landed face-up on the carpet. It showed the school field, with the old oak tree drawn in thick ink. Beside the tree, someone had drawn a small cross, and underneath it were the words: Dig where the shadow falls at noon.

‘Dev!’ Kofi whispered, though his friend was not there. He glanced at the clock above the door. It said ten to twelve.

Outside, the caretaker’s spade leaned against the shed, its blade caked in fresh mud. Kofi could see the oak from the library window, and its shadow was stretching across the grass, shorter and shorter as the sun climbed.

Mrs Adeyemi, the librarian, was already stacking the books for the lunch break. ‘Five minutes, Kofi,’ she called. ‘Then I need the shelves clear.’

Kofi folded the map carefully and tucked it into his pocket. He looked at the window, at the oak, and at the cross on the map.

Then the bell for the end of morning break rang, and the shadow of the oak reached the cross.

Some clues are implied: the writer does not say what will happen, but the details point towards it. Think about what the details suggest, and what would be a sensible result.

Key ideas

  • An implied clue suggests something without stating it.
  • Ask: what would a sensible person expect, given this detail?
  • A good prediction uses the implied clue and explains it.
Worked example 4.2.1
The shadow is shorter and shorter as the sun climbs. What is most likely to happen at noon?

Method. Use the implied clue about the sun and the shadow.

  1. Find the clue. The shadow was shorter and shorter as the sun climbed.
    shorter and shorter
  2. Think about the sun. The sun is highest at noon, so shadows are shortest.
    highest at noon
  3. Make the prediction. At noon, the shadow will be at its shortest.
    at its shortest
  4. Write the answer.
    the shadow will be at its shortest

Check. The implied clue supports the prediction. ✓

Worked example 4.2.2
The spade is caked in fresh mud. What is most likely to have happened?

Method. Think about what would make fresh mud on a spade.

  1. Find the clue. Its blade was caked in fresh mud.
    caked in fresh mud
  2. Think about what it means. Fresh mud means the spade has been used recently.
    used recently
  3. Make the prediction. Someone has probably been digging recently.
    been digging
  4. Write the answer.
    someone has been digging near the oak

Check. The mud is a clue to recent digging. ✓

Worked example 4.2.3
Mrs Adeyemi says Five minutes, Kofi. What is most likely to happen?

Method. Use the time limit to predict what will happen.

  1. Find the clue. The librarian gives Kofi five minutes.
    Five minutes, Kofi
  2. Think about the time. Five minutes is a short time, and the shelves need clearing.
    a short time
  3. Make the prediction. Kofi will have to leave soon.
    leave soon
  4. Write the answer.
    Kofi will have to leave the library soon

Check. The time limit supports the prediction. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an implied clue is not a stated fact. Do not say what the writer did not write, but say what the clue makes likely.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child why the writer mentions the shadow, the mud or the time. What do these details make you expect?

Exercise 4B  Practice: predicting from implied clues

1
FThe shadow is shorter and shorter as the sun climbs. What is most likely to happen at noon? Choose one: the shadow will be at its shortest / the shadow will be longer than before / the shadow will disappear completely.
2
FThe spade blade is caked in fresh mud. Which is most likely? Choose one: someone has been digging near the oak recently / the spade has been cleaned for years / the caretaker has never used the spade.
3
FMrs Adeyemi says Five minutes, Kofi. What is most likely to happen? Choose one: Kofi will have to leave the library soon / Kofi will be allowed to stay all afternoon / the library will close for a year.
4
FIt said ten to twelve. Which is most likely to happen soon? Choose one: it will soon be noon, the time on the map / the library will be empty all day / the oak tree will fall down.
5
PSPredict what Kofi will do with the map. Give one clue from the text.
6
PSPredict whether Dev will join Kofi. Give a reason from the text.
7
RIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Mrs Adeyemi will catch Kofi before he digs.
8
FIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: The spade has been used by someone this morning.
9
RIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: The map was drawn many years ago.
10
PSKofi tucks the map into his pocket and looks at the window. What is most likely? Choose one: he is planning to go back to the oak / he is going to throw the map away / he is going to give the map to the librarian.
11
PSPredict what the librarian will do when the bell rings. Give one reason from the text.
12
PSKofi folded the map carefully. What is most likely to happen to it? Choose one: Kofi will keep it safe and use it at noon / Kofi will throw it in the bin / the librarian will keep it for the library.
4.3

Justifying a prediction with clues

Year 6
Justify a prediction with clues from the text, and tick the clues that support it (Y5-6 reading, R7)
Video lesson: Justifying a prediction with cluesComing soon
Story. Two readers are arguing about what will happen next. Each reader must point to the clues in the text that support their prediction.

A short note about a school match.

The rain began at three o’clock. By four, the pitch was covered in puddles, and the referee said the match could not go ahead.

The coach, Mr Ellis, pinned a note to the notice board: ‘Pitch is unsafe. We will check again on Saturday morning.’

A short note about a missing hamster.

Ella arrived at school on Monday to find Pip missing. The cage door was open, and there were crumbs on the floor. A trail of crumbs led across the classroom to the cupboard under the sink, and the door of the cupboard was ajar.

A prediction is only as good as the clues behind it. Find each clue, and check that it points to the prediction. A clue that does not point to it does not help.

Key ideas

  • Name the clue, then say what it makes likely.
  • Two clues that point the same way make a prediction stronger.
  • A detail that does not point towards the prediction is not a clue for it.
Worked example 4.3.1
Predict whether the match will be played today. Which clue supports your prediction? Write the clue.

Method. Look for the clue that points to the match not being played today.

  1. Find the clues. The pitch was covered in puddles, and the referee said the match could not go ahead.
    covered in puddles
  2. Test each clue. The puddles make the pitch unsafe, so it points to no match today.
    unsafe
  3. Choose the clue. The puddles are a clue for the prediction.
    the pitch was covered in puddles
  4. Write the answer.
    the pitch was covered in puddles

Check. The clue points to the prediction. ✓

Worked example 4.3.2
Predict where Pip is. Which clue supports your prediction? Write the clue.

Method. Find the clue that points to a place.

  1. Find the clues. There was a trail of crumbs and the cupboard door was ajar.
    the cupboard door was ajar
  2. Test the clue. An open cupboard door is where Pip might be.
    open door
  3. Choose the clue. The open door is the clue that points to the cupboard.
    the door of the cupboard was ajar
  4. Write the answer.
    the door of the cupboard was ajar

Check. The open door points to the cupboard. ✓

Worked example 4.3.3
Predict what Kofi will do at noon. Which clue supports your prediction? Write the clue.

Method. Look for the words that tell Kofi what to do, and when.

  1. Find the clues. The map says where and when to dig.
    Dig where the shadow falls at noon
  2. Test the clue. The words tell him what to do, at noon.
    what to do, at noon
  3. Choose the clue. These words are the clue for the prediction.
    Dig where the shadow falls at noon
  4. Write the answer.
    Dig where the shadow falls at noon

Check. The words on the map support the prediction. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a detail that is interesting is not always a clue for your prediction. Check that it points to the outcome.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to make a prediction, and then to find two sentences in the text that support it.

Exercise 4C  Practice: justifying predictions

1
FTick two clues that suggest the river is dangerous. Tick two boxes: the river had risen so high / the stones were slippery / the bridge was a long way off / the phone was at four per cent.
2
FTick two clues that suggest Tara is worried about the time. Tick two boxes: the sky was already the colour of ink / Tara checked her phone / Tara counted the lamp posts / she sat by the reeds.
3
FTick two clues that suggest Tara has been warned about the river. Tick two boxes: Grandad had made her promise / The water pulls harder than you think / the reeds lapped at the bank / Tara counted the lamp posts.
4
FTick two clues that suggest Kofi is short of time. Tick two boxes: It said ten to twelve / the atlas smelled of old paper / Five minutes, Kofi / the map was folded carefully.
5
PSTick two clues that suggest someone has been digging near the oak. Tick two boxes: caked in fresh mud / a small cross beside the tree / the librarian was stacking books / the atlas was on the top shelf.
6
PSTick two clues that suggest Pip is in the cupboard. Tick two boxes: there were crumbs on the floor / the door of the cupboard was ajar / Ella arrived at school on Monday / the cage door was open.
7
FTick two clues that suggest the match will not be played today. Tick two boxes: the pitch was covered in puddles / the referee said the match could not go ahead / the coach has a notice board / the rain began at three o’clock.
8
PSTick two clues that suggest the match may be played later. Tick two boxes: We will check again on Saturday morning / pinned a note to the notice board / the rain began at three o’clock / the pitch was covered in puddles.
9
FWrite the clue that suggests Tara is near danger when she hears the sound. Write the words from the text.
10
FWrite the clue that suggests the spade was used recently. Copy the words.
11
FCopy the words that show where the trail of crumbs leads.
12
FWrite the words that show the shadow is moving. Copy them.
4.4

Least likely outcomes, and judging a prediction

Year 6
Judge which outcome is least likely, and whether a prediction is likely, unlikely or can’t tell (Y5-6 reading, R7)
Video lesson: Least likely outcomes, and judging a predictionComing soon
Story. A reader is asked to decide which outcomes are least likely, and to judge some predictions about the stories. Each prediction must be checked against the clues.

A story that stops before the big moment. Read it, and use the clues to predict what happens next.

Tara walked home along the river path, counting the lamp posts the way she always did. The rain had stopped an hour earlier, but the path was slick with mud, and the river beside it had risen so high that it lapped against the reeds.

Grandad had made her promise. ‘Never go near the weir after dark,’ he had said, ‘and never, ever step onto the stones by the willow. The water pulls harder than you think.’

Tara had no intention of going near the weir. She was only going to cut across to the bridge. Then she heard it: a thin, desperate whimpering, coming from somewhere beyond the willow.

She pushed through the branches and found a red collar snagged on a low twig. The tag was wet, but the letters were clear: BISCUIT, 7 MILL LANE. Her heart thumped. Biscuit was a dog, and Biscuit was in trouble.

Tara checked her phone. The battery was at four per cent. The bridge was a long way off, and the sky was already the colour of ink.

Across the water, a shape moved in the reeds, and the whimpering rose to a yelp. Tara looked at the stones. They were slippery, and the river was loud, and the willow’s roots gripped the bank like fingers.

She took a deep breath, and she stepped onto the first stone.

A short note about a school match.

The rain began at three o’clock. By four, the pitch was covered in puddles, and the referee said the match could not go ahead.

The coach, Mr Ellis, pinned a note to the notice board: ‘Pitch is unsafe. We will check again on Saturday morning.’

The least likely outcome is the one that the clues make most unlikely. To judge a prediction, decide whether the clues make it likely, unlikely, or whether the text does not give enough clues to decide: can’t tell.

Key ideas

  • Least likely: the outcome the clues make most unlikely.
  • Likely: the clues point towards it. Unlikely: the clues point against it.
  • Can’t tell: the clues are not enough to decide.
Worked example 4.4.1
Which outcome is least likely: the match will be played this afternoon, or the match may be played on Saturday?

Method. Find the clue that makes one outcome unlikely.

  1. Find the clue. The referee said the match could not go ahead.
    could not go ahead
  2. Test each outcome. The clue makes a match this afternoon unlikely.
    unlikely
  3. Choose the least likely outcome. A match this afternoon is least likely.
    the match will be played this afternoon
  4. Write the answer.
    the match will be played this afternoon

Check. The referee’s words make this unlikely. ✓

Worked example 4.4.2
Prediction: Tara will leave the collar on the twig. Is this likely, unlikely or can’t tell?

Method. Use the clue about Biscuit to judge the prediction.

  1. Find the clue. Biscuit was a dog, and Biscuit was in trouble.
    Biscuit was in trouble
  2. Judge the prediction. A girl who thinks a dog is in trouble is unlikely to leave the collar behind.
    unlikely to leave it
  3. Write the answer. The clue makes the prediction unlikely.
    Unlikely
  4. Write the answer.
    Unlikely

Check. The clue points against the prediction. ✓

Worked example 4.4.3
Prediction: the match will be played on Saturday. Is this likely, unlikely or can’t tell?

Method. Check whether the text gives enough clues to decide.

  1. Find the clue. The note says the pitch will be checked again on Saturday.
    We will check again on Saturday morning
  2. Judge the prediction. The note does not say the match will go ahead.
    does not say
  3. Write the answer. The clues are not enough to decide.
    Can’t tell
  4. Write the answer.
    Can’t tell

Check. The text does not decide the match. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a prediction can be hoped for without being likely. Judge it by the clues, not by what you wish would happen.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say whether a prediction is likely, unlikely, or can’t tell, and to point to the evidence.

Exercise 4D  Practice: least likely and judging predictions

1
FWhich outcome is least likely, given the clues? Choose one: Tara will be safe if she goes near the weir / Tara will feel scared / the river will stay loud.
2
FWhich outcome is least likely? Choose one: the phone will last all night / the phone battery will run out soon / Tara will look for help.
3
PSWhich outcome is least likely by noon? Choose one: the shadow will be at its shortest by noon / the shadow will be longer than it was at ten to twelve / the shadow will reach the cross at noon.
4
FWhich outcome is least likely? Choose one: the match will be played this afternoon / the match may be played on Saturday / the pitch will be checked on Saturday morning.
5
FIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Tara will leave the collar on the twig.
6
RIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Tara will be home before dark.
7
FIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Pip is in the classroom cupboard.
8
RIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: The match will be played on Saturday.
9
PSIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: The librarian will let Kofi stay after the bell.
10
RIs this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Tara will reach the dog before her phone runs out.
4.5

Predicting from several clues

Year 6
Predict what might happen from several clues, and give a reason from the text (Y5-6 reading, R7)
Video lesson: Predicting from several cluesComing soon
Story. Ella finds that Pip is missing, and Kofi is about to act on his map. Both stories end at a turning point. Use several clues together to predict what happens next.

A short note about a missing hamster.

Ella arrived at school on Monday to find Pip missing. The cage door was open, and there were crumbs on the floor. A trail of crumbs led across the classroom to the cupboard under the sink, and the door of the cupboard was ajar.

A library story with a map. Read it, and use the clues to predict what happens next.

Kofi found the atlas on the top shelf of the library, wedged between two dusty encyclopaedias. It smelled of old paper, and its cover was faded to a pale green.

When he opened it, a folded map slipped out and landed face-up on the carpet. It showed the school field, with the old oak tree drawn in thick ink. Beside the tree, someone had drawn a small cross, and underneath it were the words: Dig where the shadow falls at noon.

‘Dev!’ Kofi whispered, though his friend was not there. He glanced at the clock above the door. It said ten to twelve.

Outside, the caretaker’s spade leaned against the shed, its blade caked in fresh mud. Kofi could see the oak from the library window, and its shadow was stretching across the grass, shorter and shorter as the sun climbed.

Mrs Adeyemi, the librarian, was already stacking the books for the lunch break. ‘Five minutes, Kofi,’ she called. ‘Then I need the shelves clear.’

Kofi folded the map carefully and tucked it into his pocket. He looked at the window, at the oak, and at the cross on the map.

Then the bell for the end of morning break rang, and the shadow of the oak reached the cross.

When several clues point the same way, your prediction is stronger. Choose the clues that matter most, and say how they fit together.

Key ideas

  • Use more than one clue where you can; clues that point the same way are stronger.
  • Give a reason for each prediction, and quote the clue if you can.
  • Check that your prediction would still make sense if the clue was not there.
Worked example 4.5.1
Pip has been missing. Where is Pip most likely to be? Give one clue.

Method. Use the clues about the crumbs and the cupboard.

  1. Find the clues. There were crumbs on the floor, and a trail led to the cupboard.
    a trail led to the cupboard
  2. Put them together. The crumbs and the open door both point to the cupboard.
    both point to the cupboard
  3. Write the prediction. Pip is most likely in the cupboard under the sink.
    in the cupboard under the sink
  4. Write the answer.
    in the cupboard under the sink

Check. Both clues support the prediction. ✓

Worked example 4.5.2
Kofi is about to dig at noon. What will he most likely find? Give a reason.

Method. Use the map and the time to predict the outcome.

  1. Find the clue. The map says to dig where the shadow falls at noon.
    Dig where the shadow falls at noon
  2. Put the clues together. The map shows a cross, and the mud shows the spade has been used.
    a small cross
  3. Write the prediction. He may find something buried at the marked place.
    something buried
  4. Write the answer.
    something buried

Check. The map and the mud point to a dig. ✓

Worked example 4.5.3
Tara has been warned about the weir. What is most likely to happen if she slips on the stones? Give one clue.

Method. Use the warning and the slippery stones together.

  1. Find the clues. Grandad warned her about the water, and the stones were slippery.
    They were slippery
  2. Put them together. Slippery stones above strong water make a fall dangerous.
    a fall is dangerous
  3. Write the prediction. She might fall into the river.
    fall into the river
  4. Write the answer.
    she might fall into the river

Check. The clues point to a fall. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: do not add a prediction that no clue supports. A reason from the text is always needed.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to predict the ending of a story, and to name two clues that support the ending.

Exercise 4E  Practice: predicting from several clues

1
FPredict where Pip will be found. Give one clue from the text.
2
PSPredict what Ella will do when she finds Pip. Give a reason from the text.
3
PSPredict what Tara will say to Grandad when she gets home. Give a reason from the text.
4
PSPredict what will happen to the collar. Use a clue from the text.
5
PSGrandad has warned her about the stones. Which is most likely to happen if she steps onto them? Choose one: she might slip into the river / she will reach the dog at once / she will find a bridge.
6
PSThe story ends with Tara stepping onto the first stone. What is most likely to happen next? Choose one: she will have to decide how to reach the dog safely / she will go home for tea / she will forget about the dog.
7
RPredict what Tara will do if the stones are too slippery. Give a reason from the text.
8
RPredict what Kofi will find under the oak. Give a reason from the text.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Find the clueName the detail in the text that points towards the outcome.
Use stated and implied cluesA stated clue is written down; an implied clue suggests something without saying it.
JustifyGive a reason from the text, and tick only the clues that point to the prediction.
Least likelyThe outcome the clues make most unlikely.
JudgeLikely if the clues point towards it, unlikely if they point against it, can’t tell if the clues are not enough.

Can you…?

  • I can predict what will happen next, using a clue that is stated in the text
  • I can use a clue that is implied, and explain why it makes an outcome likely
  • I can give a reason from the text to justify a prediction
  • I can choose the outcome that is least likely, given the clues
  • I can judge a prediction as likely, unlikely or can’t tell

Key terms

prediction
a sensible guess about what will happen next, based on clues
clue
a detail in the text that points towards an answer or an outcome
implied
suggested by the text, but not stated directly
cliffhanger
an ending at a tense point, which leaves the reader wanting to read on
likely
probably going to happen, because the clues point towards it
unlikely
not probably going to happen, because the clues point against it
weir
a low wall built across a river to control the flow of water

Exercise 4Z  Check-up

1
Is this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Tara will go home without checking the collar.
2
Tick two clues that suggest the dog may need help soon. Tick two boxes: the whimpering rose to a yelp / Tara checked her phone / the sky was the colour of ink / a thin, desperate whimpering.
3
Predict what will happen to the spade. Give one clue.
4
Write the place where the trail of crumbs leads.
5
Kofi folds the map carefully. What is most likely to happen to it? Choose one: Kofi will keep it safe and use it at noon / Kofi will throw it in the bin / the librarian will keep it for the library.
6
Predict what Grandad will say when Tara tells him about the collar. Give a reason from the text.
7
Is this prediction supported by the text? Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell: Tara will shout for help from the bank before she steps onto the stones.
8
Ella finds the cupboard door ajar. What is most likely to happen next? Choose one: Ella will look in the cupboard for Pip / Ella will go home for the day / Ella will close the cage door and forget Pip.
9
Which outcome is least likely? Choose one: it will soon be noon / the library will be empty all day / the spade will be cleaned at once.
10
Predict what Mr Ellis will do with the note. Give a reason from the text.

Total 16 marks. Allow about 16 minutes.

Exercise 4X  Practice test questions

1
FA story says: The sky was already the colour of ink. Predict what is most likely to happen next. Choose one: it will get darker / it will snow in July / it will become sunny.[1 mark]
2
FA story says: They were slippery, and the river was loud. Judge this prediction: Tara will find the stones easy to walk on. Write Likely, Unlikely or Can’t tell.[1 mark]
3
FA note says: Pitch is unsafe. We will check again on Saturday morning. Predict when the pitch will next be checked. Write the day and time the note gives.[1 mark]
4
FA story says: The battery was at four per cent. Predict what might happen to Tara’s phone. Give a reason.[2 marks]
5
FA story says: Dig where the shadow falls at noon. Predict what Kofi will do at noon. Give a reason.[2 marks]
6
FA story says: Five minutes, Kofi. Which outcome is most likely? Choose one: Kofi must leave the library soon / Kofi can stay all afternoon / the library will close for a year.[1 mark]
7
PSA story says: Biscuit was a dog, and Biscuit was in trouble. Predict what Tara will do. Give a reason.[2 marks]
8
PSA story says: The water pulls harder than you think. Which outcome is least likely? Choose one: Tara will be safe if she goes near the weir / Tara will be careful near the weir / Tara will stay on the bank.[1 mark]
9
FA text says: there were crumbs on the floor. A trail of crumbs led across the classroom to the cupboard under the sink. Predict where Pip is most likely to be. Give one clue.[2 marks]
10
RA story says: She took a deep breath, and she stepped onto the first stone. Predict what Tara will need to do to reach the dog safely. Give two reasons from the text.[3 marks]
← Chapter 3: Inference: feelings, thoughts and motivesChapter 5: Language and structure: how the writer creates effects →

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