Text vs. Passage — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 5, 2024
Text refers to any written content, focusing on its structure and purpose, while a passage specifically denotes a section of text with a unified theme or idea.
Difference Between Text and Passage
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Text encompasses any form of written material, ranging from books and articles to digital content. It's characterized by its medium, purpose, and structure, aiming to convey information, tell a story, or express ideas. On the other hand, a passage is a specific segment of this material, usually selected for its thematic unity or its relevance to a particular topic or analysis. This distinction highlights the broad applicability of the term "text" in comparison to the more focused nature of a "passage."
While a text can be as short as a tweet or as lengthy as a novel, emphasizing the diversity in length and format, a passage is inherently a part of a larger text, often chosen to illustrate a point, provide evidence, or facilitate analysis. This difference underlines the scope and completeness of a text versus the extracted and component nature of a passage.
Text is often analyzed for its overall content, structure, and style, serving as the primary focus in literary studies, linguistics, and various fields of analysis. Whereas, a passage, being a subset of a text, is typically examined for more specific purposes, such as close reading, thematic exploration, or textual analysis, highlighting the microscopic versus macroscopic approaches to studying written material.
In the realm of education and testing, texts are used to assess comprehension, analytical skills, and knowledge on a broad level. Conversely, passages are selected for quizzes, exams, and comprehension exercises to focus on particular skills, such as inferencing, critical thinking, or understanding of specific concepts, showcasing the functional difference in their use.
Texts form the cornerstone of literature, communication, and information dissemination, reflecting a wide range of genres, styles, and purposes. Meanwhile, passages serve as crucial tools for teaching, analysis, and illustration, proving essential in academic research, education, and literary critique, thereby illustrating the operational and contextual differences between these two concepts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Any written material.
A specific section of a text.
Purpose
To convey information, express ideas, or tell a story.
To illustrate a point or theme within a larger text.
Length
Can vary from a few words to thousands of pages.
Typically a paragraph or a few paragraphs long.
Context of Use
Broadly in literature, communication, and education.
Mainly in analysis, teaching, and specific studies.
Analysis Focus
Overall content, structure, and style.
Specific themes, ideas, or textual details.
Compare with Definitions
Text
Any written content aimed at communicating a message.
The textbook was filled with informative text on biology.
Passage
A part of a written work that forms a distinct section.
The passage from the novel was used to demonstrate the author’s writing style.
Text
Written words in the context of a software or digital medium.
The app’s text was not displaying correctly on different devices.
Passage
A short extract from a book or other printed material.
She read a passage that moved her deeply during the meeting.
Text
A body of words intended for reading.
The website’s text was carefully crafted to engage visitors.
Passage
A portion of a text used to illustrate a point.
In his speech, he quoted a passage from Shakespeare.
Text
The main body of a book or document, excluding appendices and references.
The text of her thesis was meticulously researched.
Passage
A specific sequence of words within a larger text.
The controversial passage was debated by the scholars.
Text
The wording of something written or printed.
He scrutinized the text of the contract before signing.
Passage
Text selected for a particular purpose, such as analysis.
The teacher chose a challenging passage for the students to interpret.
Text
A book or other written or printed work, regarded in terms of its content rather than its physical form
A text which explores pain and grief
Passage
The action or process of moving through or past somewhere on the way from one place to another
There were moorings for boats wanting passage through the lock
Text
The main body of a book or other piece of writing, as distinct from other material such as notes, appendices, and illustrations
The pictures are clear and relate well to the text
Passage
A narrow way allowing access between buildings or to different rooms within a building; a passageway
The larger bedroom was at the end of the passage
Text
A written work chosen or set as a subject of study
Too much concentration on set texts can turn pupils against reading
Passage
The process of transition from one state to another
An allegory on the theme of the passage from ignorance to knowledge
Text
A text message
Just give us a call or send us a text
Passage
A short extract from a book or other printed material
He picked up the newspaper and read the passage again
Text
Fine, large handwriting, used especially for manuscripts.
Passage
The propagation of microorganisms or cells in a series of host organisms or culture media, so as to maintain them or modify their virulence
Cultured cells can replicate on serial passage for predictable periods of time
Text
Send (someone) a text message
If she was going to go she would have texted us
Passage
A movement performed in advanced dressage and classical riding, in which the horse executes a slow elevated trot, giving the impression of dancing.
Text
The original words of something written or printed, as opposed to a paraphrase, translation, revision, or condensation.
Passage
Subject (a strain of microorganisms or cells) to a passage
Each recombinant virus was passaged nine times successively
Text
The words of a speech appearing in print.
Passage
Movement from one place to another
The passage of water through a sieve.
Text
Words, as of a libretto, that are set to music in a composition.
Passage
The process of elapsing
The passage of time.
Text
Words treated as data by a computer.
Passage
The process of changing from one condition or stage to another; transition
The passage from childhood to adulthood.
Text
A text message.
Passage
Enactment into law of a legislative bill.
Text
The body of a printed work as distinct from headings and illustrative matter on a page or from front and back matter in a book.
Passage
A journey, especially one by air or water
We had a rough passage on the stormy sea.
Text
One of the editions or forms of a written work
After examining all three manuscripts, he published a new text of the poem.
Passage
The right to travel as a passenger, especially on a ship
Book passage.
Pay for one's passage.
Text
Something, such as a literary work or other cultural product, regarded as an object of critical analysis.
Passage
The right, permission, or power to come and go freely
Only medical supply trucks were granted safe passage through enemy territory.
Text
A passage from the Scriptures or another authoritative source chosen for the subject of a discourse or cited for support in argument.
Passage
A path, channel, or duct through, over, or along which something may pass
The nasal passages.
Text
A passage from a written work used as the starting point of a discussion.
Passage
A corridor.
Text
A subject; a topic.
Passage
An occurrence or event
"Another encouraging passage took place ... when heads of state ... took note of the extraneous factors affecting their economies that are beyond their control" (Helen Kitchen).
Text
A textbook.
Passage
Something, such as an exchange of words or blows, that occurs between two persons
A passage at arms.
Text
To send a text message to
She texted me when she arrived at the airport.
Passage
A segment of a written work or speech
A celebrated passage from Shakespeare.
Text
To communicate by text message
He texted that he would be late.
Passage
(Music) A segment of a composition, especially one that demonstrates the virtuousity of the composer or performer
A passage of exquisite beauty, played to perfection.
Text
To key or send text messages
She was texting in class and missed what was said.
Passage
A section of a painting or other piece of artwork; a detail.
Text
A writing consisting of multiple glyphs, characters, symbols or sentences.
Passage
(Physiology) The process of discharging something from a bodily part, such as evacuation of waste from the bowels.
Text
A book, tome or other set of writings.
Passage
(Medicine) The introduction of an instrument into a bodily cavity.
Text
(colloquial) A brief written message transmitted between mobile phones.
Passage
(Obsolete) Death.
Text
(computing) Data which can be interpreted as human-readable text.
Plain text
Passage
A slow cadenced trot in which the horse raises and returns to the ground first one diagonal pair of feet, then the other.
Text
A verse or passage of Scripture, especially one chosen as the subject of a sermon, or in proof of a doctrine.
Passage
To execute such a trot in dressage.
Text
(by extension) Anything chosen as the subject of an argument, literary composition, etc.
Passage
To cause (a horse) to execute such a trot in dressage.
Text
(printing) A style of writing in large characters; also, a kind of type used in printing.
German text
Passage
A paragraph or section of text or music with particular meaning.
Passage of scripture
She struggled to play the difficult passages.
Text
(transitive) To send a text message to; i.e. to transmit text using the Short Message Service (SMS), or a similar service, between communications devices, particularly mobile phones.
Just text me when you get here.
I'll text the address to you as soon as I find it.
Passage
Part of a path or journey.
He made his passage through the trees carefully, mindful of the stickers.
Text
(intransitive) To send and receive text messages.
Have you been texting all afternoon?
Passage
An incident or episode.
Text
(dated) To write in large characters, as in text hand.
Passage
The official approval of a bill or act by a parliament.
The company was one of the prime movers in lobbying for the passage of the act.
Text
A discourse or composition on which a note or commentary is written; the original words of an author, in distinction from a paraphrase, annotation, or commentary.
Passage
The advance of time.
Text
The four Gospels, by way of distinction or eminence.
Passage
(art) The use of tight brushwork to link objects in separate spatial plains. Commonly seen in Cubist works.
Text
A verse or passage of Scripture, especially one chosen as the subject of a sermon, or in proof of a doctrine.
How oft, when Paul has served us with a text,Has Epictetus, Plato, Tully, preached!
Passage
A passageway or corridor.
Text
Hence, anything chosen as the subject of an argument, literary composition, or the like; topic; theme.
Passage
(nautical) A strait or other narrow waterway.
The Northwest Passage
Text
A style of writing in large characters; text-hand also, a kind of type used in printing; as, German text.
Passage
(caving) An underground cavity, formed by water or falling rocks, which is much longer than it is wide.
Text
That part of a document (printed or electronic) comprising the words, especially the main body of expository words, in contrast to the illustrations, pictures, charts, tables, or other formatted material which contain graphic elements as a major component.
Passage
(euphemistic) The vagina.
Text
Any communication composed of words.
Passage
The act of passing; movement across or through.
Text
A textbook.
Passage
The right to pass from one place to another.
Text
To write in large characters, as in text hand.
Passage
A fee paid for passing or for being conveyed between places.
Text
The words of something written;
There were more than a thousand words of text
They handed out the printed text of the mayor's speech
He wants to reconstruct the original text
Passage
Serial passage.
Text
A passage from the Bible that is used as the subject of a sermon;
The preacher chose a text from Psalms to introduce his sermon
Passage
A gambling game for two players using three dice, in which the object is to throw a double over ten.
Text
A book prepared for use in schools or colleges;
His economics textbook is in its tenth edition
The professor wrote the text that he assigned students to buy
Passage
(dressage) A movement in classical dressage, in which the horse performs a very collected, energetic, and elevated trot that has a longer period of suspension between each foot fall than a working trot.
Text
The main body of a written work (as distinct from illustrations or footnotes etc.);
Pictures made the text easier to understand
Passage
(medicine) To pass something, such as a pathogen or stem cell, through a host or medium.
He passaged the virus through a series of goats.
After 24 hours, the culture was passaged to an agar plate.
Passage
(rare) To make a passage, especially by sea; to cross.
They passaged to America in 1902.
Passage
To execute a passage movement.
Passage
Of a bird: Less than a year old but living on its own, having left the nest.
Passage red-tailed hawks are preferred by falconers because these younger birds have not yet developed the adult behaviors which would make them more difficult to train.
Passage
The act of passing; transit from one place to another; movement from point to point; a going by, over, across, or through; as, the passage of a man or a carriage; the passage of a ship or a bird; the passage of light; the passage of fluids through the pores or channels of the body.
What! are my doors opposed against my passage!
Passage
Transit by means of conveyance; journey, as by water, carriage, car, or the like; travel; right, liberty, or means, of passing; conveyance.
The ship in which he had taken passage.
Passage
Price paid for the liberty to pass; fare; as, to pay one's passage.
Passage
Removal from life; decease; departure; death.
When he is fit and season'd for his passage.
Passage
Way; road; path; channel or course through or by which one passes; way of exit or entrance; way of access or transit. Hence, a common avenue to various apartments in a building; a hall; a corridor.
And with his pointed dartExplores the nearest passage to his heart.
The Persian army had advanced into the . . . passages of Cilicia.
Passage
A continuous course, process, or progress; a connected or continuous series; as, the passage of time.
The conduct and passage of affairs.
The passage and whole carriage of this action.
Passage
A separate part of a course, process, or series; an occurrence; an incident; an act or deed.
The . . . almost incredible passage of their unbelief.
Passage
A particular portion constituting a part of something continuous; esp., a portion of a book, speech, or musical composition; a paragraph; a clause.
How commentators each dark passage shun.
Passage
Reception; currency.
Passage
A pass or en encounter; as, a passage at arms.
No passages of loveBetwixt us twain henceforward evermore.
Passage
A movement or an evacuation of the bowels.
Passage
In parliamentary proceedings: (a) The course of a proposition (bill, resolution, etc.) through the several stages of consideration and action; as, during its passage through Congress the bill was amended in both Houses. (b) The advancement of a bill or other proposition from one stage to another by an affirmative vote; esp., the final affirmative action of the body upon a proposition; hence, adoption; enactment; as, the passage of the bill to its third reading was delayed.
The final question was then put upon its passage.
Passage
The act of passing from one state or place to the next
Passage
A section of text; particularly a section of medium length
Passage
A way through or along which someone or something may pass
Passage
The passing of a law by a legislative body
Passage
A journey usually by ship;
The outward passage took 10 days
Passage
A short section of a musical composition
Passage
A path or channel or duct through or along which something may pass;
The nasal passages
Passage
A bodily process of passing from one place or stage to another;
The passage of air from the lungs
The passing of flatus
Passage
The motion of one object relative to another;
Stellar passings can perturb the orbits of comets
Passage
The act of passing something to another person
Common Curiosities
Can a passage stand alone without the larger text?
While a passage can be understood out of context, it gains full meaning and relevance within the framework of its larger text.
What defines a passage?
A passage is a specific section or part of a text, usually chosen for its thematic unity or relevance to a topic.
What is a text?
A text is any written material, regardless of length or format, intended to convey ideas, information, or stories.
How does the purpose of a text differ from that of a passage?
Texts serve to communicate on a broad level, while passages are used for specific illustrative, analytical, or educational purposes.
Can a single sentence be considered a text?
Yes, a single sentence can be considered a text if it conveys a complete idea or message.
Why are passages important in literary analysis?
Passages allow for detailed examination of language, theme, and structure, facilitating deeper understanding of the text as a whole.
How are passages selected from a text?
Passages are selected based on their relevance to a specific theme, topic, or analytical purpose.
What makes a good passage for analysis?
A good passage for analysis contains significant thematic elements, literary devices, or language that exemplifies the text’s broader themes.
How do texts and passages differ in length?
Texts can range widely in length, from short messages to lengthy books, while passages are typically shorter, focused sections of these texts.
Can a text contain multiple passages?
Yes, a text can contain multiple passages, each potentially serving a different purpose or illustrating different ideas.
Are passages always written?
Yes, passages are written sections of a larger text, whether printed or digital.
How do educators use passages in teaching?
Educators use passages for close reading exercises, to highlight specific literary techniques, or to examine thematic elements.
How do texts and passages contribute to understanding literature?
Texts provide a macroscopic view of literature, offering insight into cultural, historical, and thematic contexts, while passages allow for microscopic analysis of specific elements, enriching overall comprehension.
Is there a maximum length for a passage?
There's no strict maximum length, but passages are generally concise enough to focus on a specific idea or theme.
Can a text be both digital and printed?
Yes, texts can exist in both digital and printed formats, encompassing a wide range of mediums.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Persist vs. Remain
Next Comparison
Allowable vs. AllowedAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
