LSAT Prep | Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Logical reasoning How the evidence helps or fails to help a conclusion, read prompt first to identify
question type.
Logical reasoning tests your understanding between any conclusions and their
supporting evidence
Methods in logical reasoning 1. Look for obvious conclusion in the stimulus
2. Visually frame the relationship between any conclusions and their supporting
evidence
Logical reasoning asks 1 or 3 things: 1. Examine the implications of the data- implication family
2. Manipulate the argument- operation family
3. Analyze the argument- characterization family
Implication family Requires you to look for implications of an argument using given facts.
Question types: must be true, might be true, must be false, probably inferred
Stimulus Assume everything that is stated is true. Do not bring in outside information and
bias
Operation family Flip side of implication questions.
Answer choices are taken as true and the correct answer if true will affect the
stimulus.
Question types include: strengthen/weaken, crux, necessary/sufficient assumption,
resolve, explain
Characterization family Describe or characterize what the stimulus is doing. Stimulus gives an argument.
Prompt asks you to pick an answer choice that accurately describes something
about it or mirrors us. Understanding the stimulus is vital. Find main point, describe
how author reaches conclusion, describe what is wrong with position presented,
describe a point of disagreement between two speakers. Flaw questions. Find the
answer that identifies in the argument
Intro to reading comprehension Section that has the most questions, requires different reading skills and
techniques.
2 big structural elements: point of view and the author's role
Point of view 1 pov: thesis passage
2 povs: antithesis passage
3 povs: synthesis passage
Author's role Is the author present or absent?
Own opinion: author present
Other people or group's view: author absent
Arguments proposition Unit of assertion; declarative statement. Every logical reasoning has at least one
preposition. Usually contains an argument.
Prop being supported: conclusion
Prop providing support: premises
Conclusion indicators This, therefore, hence, so, as a result, consequently, it follows that, accordingly,
clearly, it is clear that
Premise indicators Since, because, for, after all, given that, as, moreover, in addition
Assumptions Something that must be true in order for the conclusion to be proven by the
premises
, LSAT Prep | Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Logical validity Valid- the conclusion must be true based on the premises.
Invalid- if the truth of the premises does not guarantee the proof of the conclusion
Majority of lsat arguments are invalid
Contain at least one assumption
Conditional statements Absolute- asserts concrete facts
Condition- hypothetical relationship, rather than a concrete facts; usually of then
statements
Valid inferences 1. Valid affirmation- affirming sufficient condition than necessary condition
2. Contrapositive- necessary for the condition to be true
Invalid inferences 1. Fallacy of the converse- when you converse the conditions
2. Fallacy of the inverse- negating both conditions
Conditional sufficient key words If, when, whenever, all, any, each every
Condition necessary key words Then, only, only if, only when, needs, requires, must
Intro to ordering rules Blocks- indicated the specific order of variables
Divisions- indicated two variables that cannot be beside each other, less common
than blocks
Options- indicates one space is restricted to two possible variables, limits the space,
not the variable. Can be pulled from deductions made with other rules
Arches- restricts variable
Conditional rules- the truth of one condition guarantees the other, always take the
contrapositive
Thesis passages One point of view toward a subject presents a lot of evidence supporting the thesis
view.
Must properly identify the thesis view.
Thesis passages: thesis structure Present author- the main point will be the authors view and primary purpose will be
what the author is trying to do and will lean more towards advocacy.
Author absent- main point captures the entire passage and primary purpose will be
very neutral and neutral answers for authors attitude questions
Logical force The measure of how strong a proposition is. Small , easily-overlooked words
frequently communicate the logical force of a statement
Modality The degree of necessity expressed by a proposition. How certain it is that
something will occur.
Weak modality Possibility, more than 0% chance
Key words: may, could, might, can, occasionally
Moderate modality Likely, more than 50% chance.
Key words: probably, likely, usually
Strong modality Necessity, 100% chance
Key words: will, must, definitely, always, is/are, necessarily, do/does
, LSAT Prep | Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Quantification The proportion of a group that has a given property. How many things have a
certain quality?
Weak quantification At least one
Key words: some, a few, several, many, a significant number
Moderate qualification More than half
Key words: most, majority, over half
Strong quantification 100%
Key words: all, any, each, every
Caveats Literal vs. layman meaning: LSAT always uses literal meaning
"Most"= anything over 50% of a group has a certain property
The most: a comparative claim
Why do i care? Helps with implication family of questions
Rule: conclusions can be supported only by a premise of equal or greater strength.
Weaker conclusions are easier to support.
Moderate conclusions can only be supported by moderate or stronger premise.
Must be true Part of the implication family
Present a series of statements then asks what must be true on the basis of those
statements
Supply a valid conclusion
Skills needed in must be true Make no unwarranted assumptions
Bring in no outside information
Identify what follows from the facts the questions presents
Accept the stimulus as true no matter what it says
Use conditional reasoning to draw logical conclusions from the given statements
Pay close attention to the logical force of the stimulus and answer choices
Strong stimulus statements
Weak answer choices
Be wary of strongly worded answer choices
Answering MBT questions Ex: what must be true on the basis of the stimulus? What can be properly inferred
from the stimulus? What follows logically from the stimulus? What logically
completes the stimulus
MBT stimulus Determine whether the stimulus can be diagrammed
If diagrammable, use conditional statements to create a diagram and use the
transitive property to draw any possible inferences
Use the contrapositive if necessary
If not diagrammable, mentally summarize the stimulus and consider what type of
conclusion it may be able to support
Read the stimulus very carefully
"Most" or "all" can change the conclusion
Pay attention to statements that use strong language
Correct answer will be completely, inarguably true based on the stimulus
Wrong answers for MBT Anything that has a chance of not being true
Many will try to generalize from one specific instance
Commonly give a hypothetical situation that differs from the stimulus
Try to explain what caused a certain thing to happen
Be on the lookout for converse and the inverse fallacies in answer choices if you're
diagraming
Keep an eye on any especially strong or weak language you might see
Logical reasoning How the evidence helps or fails to help a conclusion, read prompt first to identify
question type.
Logical reasoning tests your understanding between any conclusions and their
supporting evidence
Methods in logical reasoning 1. Look for obvious conclusion in the stimulus
2. Visually frame the relationship between any conclusions and their supporting
evidence
Logical reasoning asks 1 or 3 things: 1. Examine the implications of the data- implication family
2. Manipulate the argument- operation family
3. Analyze the argument- characterization family
Implication family Requires you to look for implications of an argument using given facts.
Question types: must be true, might be true, must be false, probably inferred
Stimulus Assume everything that is stated is true. Do not bring in outside information and
bias
Operation family Flip side of implication questions.
Answer choices are taken as true and the correct answer if true will affect the
stimulus.
Question types include: strengthen/weaken, crux, necessary/sufficient assumption,
resolve, explain
Characterization family Describe or characterize what the stimulus is doing. Stimulus gives an argument.
Prompt asks you to pick an answer choice that accurately describes something
about it or mirrors us. Understanding the stimulus is vital. Find main point, describe
how author reaches conclusion, describe what is wrong with position presented,
describe a point of disagreement between two speakers. Flaw questions. Find the
answer that identifies in the argument
Intro to reading comprehension Section that has the most questions, requires different reading skills and
techniques.
2 big structural elements: point of view and the author's role
Point of view 1 pov: thesis passage
2 povs: antithesis passage
3 povs: synthesis passage
Author's role Is the author present or absent?
Own opinion: author present
Other people or group's view: author absent
Arguments proposition Unit of assertion; declarative statement. Every logical reasoning has at least one
preposition. Usually contains an argument.
Prop being supported: conclusion
Prop providing support: premises
Conclusion indicators This, therefore, hence, so, as a result, consequently, it follows that, accordingly,
clearly, it is clear that
Premise indicators Since, because, for, after all, given that, as, moreover, in addition
Assumptions Something that must be true in order for the conclusion to be proven by the
premises
, LSAT Prep | Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Logical validity Valid- the conclusion must be true based on the premises.
Invalid- if the truth of the premises does not guarantee the proof of the conclusion
Majority of lsat arguments are invalid
Contain at least one assumption
Conditional statements Absolute- asserts concrete facts
Condition- hypothetical relationship, rather than a concrete facts; usually of then
statements
Valid inferences 1. Valid affirmation- affirming sufficient condition than necessary condition
2. Contrapositive- necessary for the condition to be true
Invalid inferences 1. Fallacy of the converse- when you converse the conditions
2. Fallacy of the inverse- negating both conditions
Conditional sufficient key words If, when, whenever, all, any, each every
Condition necessary key words Then, only, only if, only when, needs, requires, must
Intro to ordering rules Blocks- indicated the specific order of variables
Divisions- indicated two variables that cannot be beside each other, less common
than blocks
Options- indicates one space is restricted to two possible variables, limits the space,
not the variable. Can be pulled from deductions made with other rules
Arches- restricts variable
Conditional rules- the truth of one condition guarantees the other, always take the
contrapositive
Thesis passages One point of view toward a subject presents a lot of evidence supporting the thesis
view.
Must properly identify the thesis view.
Thesis passages: thesis structure Present author- the main point will be the authors view and primary purpose will be
what the author is trying to do and will lean more towards advocacy.
Author absent- main point captures the entire passage and primary purpose will be
very neutral and neutral answers for authors attitude questions
Logical force The measure of how strong a proposition is. Small , easily-overlooked words
frequently communicate the logical force of a statement
Modality The degree of necessity expressed by a proposition. How certain it is that
something will occur.
Weak modality Possibility, more than 0% chance
Key words: may, could, might, can, occasionally
Moderate modality Likely, more than 50% chance.
Key words: probably, likely, usually
Strong modality Necessity, 100% chance
Key words: will, must, definitely, always, is/are, necessarily, do/does
, LSAT Prep | Practice Questions & Verified Answers
Quantification The proportion of a group that has a given property. How many things have a
certain quality?
Weak quantification At least one
Key words: some, a few, several, many, a significant number
Moderate qualification More than half
Key words: most, majority, over half
Strong quantification 100%
Key words: all, any, each, every
Caveats Literal vs. layman meaning: LSAT always uses literal meaning
"Most"= anything over 50% of a group has a certain property
The most: a comparative claim
Why do i care? Helps with implication family of questions
Rule: conclusions can be supported only by a premise of equal or greater strength.
Weaker conclusions are easier to support.
Moderate conclusions can only be supported by moderate or stronger premise.
Must be true Part of the implication family
Present a series of statements then asks what must be true on the basis of those
statements
Supply a valid conclusion
Skills needed in must be true Make no unwarranted assumptions
Bring in no outside information
Identify what follows from the facts the questions presents
Accept the stimulus as true no matter what it says
Use conditional reasoning to draw logical conclusions from the given statements
Pay close attention to the logical force of the stimulus and answer choices
Strong stimulus statements
Weak answer choices
Be wary of strongly worded answer choices
Answering MBT questions Ex: what must be true on the basis of the stimulus? What can be properly inferred
from the stimulus? What follows logically from the stimulus? What logically
completes the stimulus
MBT stimulus Determine whether the stimulus can be diagrammed
If diagrammable, use conditional statements to create a diagram and use the
transitive property to draw any possible inferences
Use the contrapositive if necessary
If not diagrammable, mentally summarize the stimulus and consider what type of
conclusion it may be able to support
Read the stimulus very carefully
"Most" or "all" can change the conclusion
Pay attention to statements that use strong language
Correct answer will be completely, inarguably true based on the stimulus
Wrong answers for MBT Anything that has a chance of not being true
Many will try to generalize from one specific instance
Commonly give a hypothetical situation that differs from the stimulus
Try to explain what caused a certain thing to happen
Be on the lookout for converse and the inverse fallacies in answer choices if you're
diagraming
Keep an eye on any especially strong or weak language you might see
