Year 6 English: Predicting from details stated and implied
Part of the Year 6 English reading fiction and plays chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Predicting from details stated and implied
A reader can predict what might happen by using details the text states (directly says) and details it implies (suggests without saying). Good predictions link a clue to a character and to what they have done before.
An original myth: why the Moon shines softly.
Long ago, the Moon was the brightest thing in the night sky, and she shone so fiercely that the stars were ashamed to appear beside her. One evening, a young hunter called Teo looked up and asked her why she burned so hard. Nobody in the village dared to ask her such a thing.
The Moon laughed, and her laugh made the sea shiver, and the fishermen pulled their boats higher on the sand. 'Because I am proud,' she said, 'and I will not be dimmed by anyone.'
Teo was poor, but he was clever. Nobody in the village had ever seen a hunter speak so boldly to the sky. He climbed the highest hill, and he sang a song to the wind, asking it to carry a message to the Moon. The wind agreed, and it blew a single cloud across her face.
The Moon grew angry, and her light flared across the whole valley. But the cloud was soft and patient, and it drifted slowly, until she could see that her pride had hurt the sea, the stars and the hunters below.
From that night, the Moon chose to shine more gently. She still rises each evening, but her light is softer, so that the stars can shine too, and the hunters can find their way home by the gentle glow.
Key ideas
- A prediction uses clues from the text.
- Stated details are said directly; implied details are suggested.
- A prediction should be sensible, and supported by a clue.
Method. Find a detail that shows what Teo is like.
- Find the detail. The text says he is poor but clever, and he sang a song to the wind.poor but clever
- Make the prediction. A clever person will find another way to reach the Moon.find another way
- Write the answer. he sang a song to the wind
Check. The prediction uses a stated detail. ✓
Method. Look at what the Moon says.
- Find the clue. The Moon says she will not be dimmed by anyone.will not be dimmed
- Make the prediction. If she remains proud, a cloud or another event might still reduce her light.reduce her light
- Write the answer. she would be dimmed or lose her light
Check. The prediction is based on her words. ✓
Method. Read what happens to the Moon after the cloud.
- Find the detail. The cloud was soft and patient, and her pride hurt the sea.soft and patient
- Make the prediction. She will learn from it and shine more gently.shine more gently
- Write the answer. shine more gently
Check. The text states she chooses to shine more gently. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a prediction is a sensible guess, based on clues. Do not predict something with no clue in the text.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Stop reading a story part-way, and ask your child to predict the ending, using two clues from what they have read.
Exercise 10C Practice: predicting from the text
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words in the text. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.a young hunter called Teo
- Check the answer. The text names the hunter.Teo
- Write the answer. Teo
Check. The text states this detail. ✓
Watch out. Copy the detail from the text, and do not guess.
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words in the text. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.blew a single cloud across her face
- Check the answer. The text names the object the wind blew.a single cloud
- Write the answer. a single cloud
Check. The text states this detail. ✓
Watch out. Copy the detail from the text, and do not guess.
Method. Find the words in the text that answer the question.
- Find the words in the text. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.he sang a song to the wind
- Check the answer. The text says what Teo does.sang a song to the wind
- Write the answer. sang a song to the wind
Check. The text states this detail. ✓
Watch out. Copy the detail from the text, and do not guess.
Method. Use the clue about Teo.
- Find the clue. Teo is clever, and he climbed the highest hill.clever
- Make the prediction. A clever hunter would find another way.another way
- Write the answer. He might climb higher or sing louder, because he is clever and determined.
Check. The prediction uses a clue. ✓
Method. Use the clues in the text, then predict what might happen next.
- Find the clue. The text gives a detail that points forward.The Moon laughed
- Make the prediction. A sensible prediction uses the clue and the character.She might stop laughing and listen to Teo, because she is now angry
- Write the answer. She might stop laughing and listen to Teo, because she is now angry.
Check. The prediction is based on a clue. ✓
Watch out. A prediction should be supported by a clue from the text.
Method. Find the detail about Teo.
- Find the detail. The text says he was poor.Teo was poor
- Check. The detail is stated directly.poor
- Write the answer. Teo was poor
Check. The detail is stated. ✓
Method. Think about the Moon's pride and the damage it causes.
- Find the clue. Her pride hurt the sea, the stars and the hunters.hurt the sea
- Make the prediction. If nothing changes, the harm would continue.the harm would continue
- Write the answer. The stars and the sea would stay hurt, because the Moon would stay proud.
Check. The prediction uses the clue. ✓
Method. Look for a detail that shows the Moon reacting to Teo.
- Find the reaction. The Moon grew angry, which shows she heard him.grew angry
- Check. The reaction implies that she is listening.implies
- Write the answer. The Moon grew angry
Check. The reaction implies she heard him. ✓
Method. Use the clues in the text, then predict what might happen next.
- Find the clue. The text gives a detail that points forward.so that the stars can shine too
- Make the prediction. A sensible prediction uses the clue and the character.She will shine softly, so the stars can also shine
- Write the answer. She will shine softly, so the stars can also shine.
Check. The prediction is based on a clue. ✓
Watch out. A prediction should be supported by a clue from the text.
Method. Use two clues.
- Clue one. Teo is poor but clever.poor but clever
- Clue two. He sang a song to the wind, which carried the message.sang a song to the wind
- Write the answer. Teo is clever, and he chooses to sing to the wind, which carries his message.
Check. Two clues support the prediction. ✓
Method. Look for words that describe the cloud.
- Find the words. The cloud was soft and patient.soft and patient
- Check the meaning. Soft and patient suggest the cloud is gentle, not harsh.gentle
- Write the answer. soft and patient
Check. soft and patient describe the cloud. ✓
Method. Think about what the Moon realises.
- Find the clue. The text says her pride had hurt the sea.her pride had hurt the sea
- Make the prediction. When she realises this, she will feel sorry.feel sorry
- Write the answer. She will feel sorry, because she realises her pride hurt the sea.
Check. The prediction is based on her realisation. ✓