Drawing
Conclusions

Learn to combine passage details with your own reasoning to arrive at conclusions the author implies but never directly states.

SSAT Middle Level: Reading

What Is a Conclusion?

A conclusion is a judgment or decision you reach by thinking about the facts and details in a passage. Unlike facts that are stated outright, a conclusion is something you figure out from the evidence the author provides.

Why It Matters on the SSAT

High Frequency

Conclusion questions appear on nearly every SSAT reading passage you will see.

Beyond Recall

They test your ability to think, not just find an answer sitting in the text.

Transferable

The same skill powers inference, main idea, and tone questions.

The Building Blocks of a Conclusion

You combine specific details from the text with reasonable background knowledge to reach a conclusion. The conclusion must be supported by the passage: never guess beyond what the evidence allows.

The Core Rule

✓ Supported

"The character is nervous" when the passage says her hands were shaking and she kept glancing at the clock.

✕ Unsupported

"The character is angry at her brother" when the passage never mentions her brother at all.

Conclusion vs. Stated Fact

Conclusion vs. Inference vs. Opinion

	Conclusion	Inference	Opinion
Based on	Multiple passage details	One or two clues	Personal feelings
Scope	Broader: wraps up ideas	Narrower: fills one gap	Varies: subjective
SSAT worthy?	✓ Always	✓ Often overlaps	✕ Never correct
Example	The town values tradition	The shop is probably old	The town sounds boring

The 4-Step Method

1

Read the question stem first. Know whether they want a conclusion about a character, event, setting, or the passage as a whole.

2

Locate the evidence. Return to the passage and underline every detail related to the question.

3

Combine and reason. Ask: "What do these details add up to?" Form your own answer before looking at the choices.

4

Match and eliminate. Pick the choice closest to your answer. Eliminate any choice that adds new information or contradicts the passage.

Worked Example: Easy

Question: Based on this passage, the reader can conclude that Maya is:

Evidence

Three alarms, uniform ready, arrives early, color-coded notes, early submissions.

Conclusion

Maya is extremely organized and responsible.

Worked Example: Medium

Question: What can the reader conclude about the old quarter?

Worked Example: Hard

Question: The reader can conclude that Dr. Patel:

1

She reviewed data three times and asked for an independent re-run: she is thorough and careful.

2

The results matched, meaning the anomaly is real, not an error.

3

"This changes everything" shows the finding is significant and unexpected.

Eliminating Wrong Answers

On the SSAT, wrong answer choices follow predictable patterns. Learn to spot them and you will eliminate traps quickly.

Too Extreme

Uses words like "always," "never," "all," or "impossible." Conclusions are usually moderate.

Off Topic

Introduces a subject the passage never mentions. If you cannot find evidence, it is wrong.

Opposite

States the reverse of what the passage supports. Read carefully: one twisted word changes the meaning.

Signal Words in Questions

Certain words in a question stem tell you that you need to draw a conclusion rather than find a stated fact. Watch for these signals:

Conclude

"The reader can conclude..." or "It can be concluded..."

Suggest / Imply

"The passage suggests..." or "The author implies..."

Most Likely

"The character would most likely..." or "It is most likely true..."

The Evidence Strength Spectrum

Common Mistakes

✕ Adding Outside Knowledge

Using facts you know from school or life that are not in the passage. Your conclusion must come from the text.

✕ Picking a Stated Fact

Choosing an answer that directly quotes the passage. A conclusion is one step beyond what is written.

✕ Over-Generalizing

Jumping to a broad claim from limited evidence. If the passage describes one event, do not conclude it happens "always."

Quick Reference Summary

Step	Action	Key Tip
1	Read the question stem	Look for signal words
2	Locate evidence in passage	Underline related details
3	Combine and reason	Form your own answer first
4	Match and eliminate	Reject extreme or off-topic

Question 1 of 5

"When Lena's family moved to the coast, she spent every afternoon watching the waves. She borrowed library books about marine biology and began sketching the shells she found on the beach. By the end of summer, she had filled three notebooks with drawings and notes."

▼ Tap to read passage

Based on the passage, the reader can conclude that Lena:

Lena voluntarily watched waves, borrowed marine biology books, and filled notebooks with drawings of shells. All evidence points to a genuine interest in ocean life. Nothing suggests unhappiness (A), a specific career goal (C), or parental pressure (D).

Question 2 of 5

"The restaurant had no sign out front and no menu posted on the door. Inside, there were only six tables, each covered with a white cloth and a single candle. The waiter greeted each guest by name and recommended dishes based on their previous visits."

▼ Tap to read passage

What can the reader conclude about the restaurant?

No sign, only six tables, and the waiter knows guests by name and their past orders: these details converge on an exclusive, intimate restaurant with repeat customers. "New business" (A) contradicts the waiter knowing previous visits. The cuisine (B) and food quality (D) are never mentioned.

Question 3 of 5

"The old oak tree stood alone in the center of the field. Its bark was scarred with initials carved decades ago, and a tire swing still hung from its lowest branch. The city council had voted to widen the road, which would require removing the tree. Over two hundred residents signed a petition to save it."

▼ Tap to read passage

The passage suggests that the oak tree:

Initials carved decades ago, a tire swing, and 200 residents petitioning to save it all show deep emotional attachment. The passage never calls the tree dangerous (C) or recently planted (B), and the petition proves the community does not want it removed (A).

Question 4 of 5

"Marcus checked his watch for the fifth time and paced back and forth near the school entrance. He kept adjusting his tie and smoothing down his hair. When the auditorium doors finally opened, he took a deep breath and walked in, clutching his note cards."

▼ Tap to read passage

The reader can conclude that Marcus is most likely about to:

Checking his watch (anxiety), pacing, adjusting his tie, and clutching note cards while entering an auditorium all point to a speech or presentation. A movie (A) or party (D) would not require note cards and nervous preparation. A written exam (C) does not involve an auditorium and note cards together.

Question 5 of 5

"The farmer looked out at the cracked, dusty ground where his cornfield had once grown tall. The river that usually fed his irrigation canal had slowed to a trickle. His neighbor had already sold his cattle because there was not enough grass to feed them. The weather forecast showed no rain for the next two weeks."

▼ Tap to read passage

Based on the passage, what conclusion is best supported?

Cracked ground, a river reduced to a trickle, cattle sold for lack of grass, and no rain forecast: every detail converges on a severe drought. Moving to a new state (B) is unsupported speculation. Unhealthy cattle (C) misrepresents why they were sold. Dismissing the forecast (D) contradicts the passage.

DrawingConclusions

What Is a Conclusion?

Why It Matters on the SSAT

The Building Blocks of a Conclusion

The Core Rule

Conclusion vs. Stated Fact

Conclusion vs. Inference vs. Opinion

The 4-Step Method

Worked Example: Easy

Worked Example: Medium

Worked Example: Hard

Eliminating Wrong Answers

Signal Words in Questions

The Evidence Strength Spectrum

Common Mistakes

Quick Reference Summary

Question 1 of 5

Question 2 of 5

Question 3 of 5

Question 4 of 5

Question 5 of 5

Drawing
Conclusions