Hardest SAT Inference Question Answer Explanations

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 SAT Inference questions are among the most frequently missed on SAT Reading—not because they're inherently harder, but because students approach them the wrong way.

Many test takers believe these questions reward sophisticated interpretation or clever chains of reasoning. They don't. Like every other question type on SAT Reading, Inference questions reward precision and accuracy.

As I discuss in my book, the key distinction is between adding to the passage and adding up the passage. Invalid inferences introduce content the passage never discusses—speculation dressed up as deduction. Valid inferences combine specific textual components to reach a conclusion the passage implies but doesn't state outright.

When evaluating a potential inference, ask yourself: can I point to the specific pieces of text that logically combine to produce this conclusion? If not, it's not a valid inference—it's an error.

The answer explanations below walk through some of the most challenging Inference questions the official College Board question bank, demonstrating how to apply this framework to real test questions.

For the complete methodology—including the Modified Highlighter Test, the Stretch Test, and the Focal Point Test—pick up a copy of my test prep book SAT Reading Mastery, enroll in my comprehensive SAT Reading & Writing Mastery Course, or check out my Score Accelerator Program, which includes both the course and live Zoom group sessions where we work through difficult questions together in real time.