GRE Reading Comprehension Inference Questions: What You Can Actually Conclude

Inference questions on GRE Reading Comprehension ask what must be true based on the passage, not what is merely plausible. The stems use phrasing like "the passage implies," "it can be inferred that," or "the author would most likely agree that."

The correct answer follows from the text with a very short logical step. The wrong answers usually go further than the passage supports — they are reasonable, even likely, but not guaranteed.

The mental rule: prefer the answer that adds the least. If a choice requires you to assume something the passage never established, it is too big a leap, no matter how sensible it sounds.

Watch the strength of language. Modest answers — "some," "can," "at least" — are easier to support than absolute ones — "all," "never," "must always." On inference questions, weaker claims are usually safer.

Out of scope: the choice introduces a topic the passage did not address. True in the real world is not the same as supported by the passage.

Too strong: the choice overstates a hedged point, turning "this may contribute" into "this is the main cause."

Reversed or distorted: the choice flips a relationship or attributes a view to the wrong party. Always check who said what.

Suppose a passage says a policy "reduced costs in several cities, though results varied and long-term effects remain unstudied." A safe inference: the policy lowered costs in at least some cities. An unsafe inference: the policy will reduce costs everywhere it is adopted — the passage explicitly noted variation and unknown long-term effects.

Notice the safe answer barely moves past the text, while the trap sounds like a natural conclusion but claims far more than was stated.