The Predictive Power of Inference Items in Testing Students’ Reading Comprehension Skills

Reading comprehension, a complex cognitive process, is crucial for academic success and effective communication, particularly for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. Among the skills contributing to reading comprehension, inference skills—the ability to draw conclusions and make assumptions based on implicit information—are pivotal. Proficient inference skills are essential for navigating complex academic texts and unlocking deeper meaning, ultimately enhancing academic performance and communicative competence. This study explored the relationship between EFL students’ inference skills and their overall reading comprehension abilities, specifically investigating the predictive power of inference items in assessing these skills. Results revealed a strong positive correlation (r = .746) between inference skills and reading comprehension scores. Regression analysis further indicated that inference skills accounted for approximately 56% of the variance in reading comprehension scores, suggesting that inference-making significantly, though not exclusively, influences reading comprehension. Targeted instruction in inference-making could thus markedly improve EFL learners’ reading comprehension abilities.