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About the Passages 
GRE passages are usually complex excerpts from a wide range of scholarly texts. The passages mirror the complexity of
reading materials you will encounter at the graduate level. Regardless of the passage length, Reading Comprehension
passages can be overwhelming as they contain intentionally complex language and require you to understand the
presented information. In many cases, you are asked to make inferences based on the information provided. The author of
each passage will express a viewpoint and/or state a series of facts that outline an argument. You can expect questions
that test your understanding of the logical flow of the passage, the organization, the author’s tone, and weaknesses in
the argument. 
Common Elements of Passages 
Though GRE passages are organized in a number of ways and vary in content, they all share some common elements
that you will need to identify and understand in order to accurately answer the questions. Let us look at some key
characteristics you can expect to find in all GRE passages. 
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Main Point 
Each passage will have a main point (sometimes referred to as the conclusion). The main point is always the author’s

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point of view and answers the question, “Why did the author write this passage?” 
Note that the main point is not limited to the opening paragraph or closing sentence; it is a common misconception
that main points are always found in one of these two locations. The main point can be found anywhere in the passage
and requires you to carefully consider what the author is trying to convey. In the example above, the main point is
found in the second sentence: 
To solve this problem, scientists have started examining chimpanzees’ hunting behavior and
diet to find clues about our own prehistoric past
.
Premises 
The main point is supported by premises in the passage. Premises are statements that provide evidence for the author’s
argument. In some cases, premises provide evidence against a position that conflicts with the author’s assertion. 
Premises can support the main point independently or work together with other premises to support the author’s
main point. 
On the exam, premises are often correct answer choices for questions. You should also be able to distinguish between
the main point and evidence that supports the main point, as some questions will ask you to do just that. In the
example above, the sentence describing humans’ and chimpanzees’ shared DNA is a premise that supports the author’s
argument of the scientific validity of studying chimpanzee behavior to understand humanity’s past.