LSAT LR question types

structural analysis

structural analysis

- find the conclusion: “which…most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the argument?”

- role played: “BLANK plays which one of the following roles in the argument?”

- dialogue: “NAME and NAME disagree over which one of the following?”; “NAME’s reply to NAME’s argument proceeds by…”

sufficient assumption

- follows logically: “the main conclusion above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?”

- properly inferred: “the conclusion can be properly inferred if which of the following is assumed?”

- properly drawn: “which one of the following, if assumed, enables the conclusion of the argument to be properly drawn?”

flaw

- “the argument is flawed because it…”

- ”which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the argument above?”

- ”the reasoning above is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it…”

strengthener

- “which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?”

- “which one of the following principles, if valid, most justifies the conclusion?”

weakener

- “which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?”

- ”which one of the following, if true, most undermines the argument?”

- “which one of the following, if true, most calls into question the claim above?”

- ”which one of the following, if true, most strongly counters the claim above?”

necessary assumption

- “the argument depends on assuming which one of the following?”

- “which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?”

- “the argument requires the assumption that…”

- “the argument assumes that…”

parallel structure

- “which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of reasoning to the argument above?”

- “the reasoning in the argument above is most closely paralleled by that in which of the following?”

- “which one of the following exhibits a flawed pattern of reasoning most similar to that exhibited by the argument above?”

inference

- “which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above?”

- “if all of the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?”

- “which one of the following can be inferred from the passage above?”

unexpected result

- “which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above?”

- “which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain BLANK?”

- “which one of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of BLANK?”

- “which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox described above?”

apply the principle

- “which one of the following most closely conforms to the principle above?”

- “which one of the following best illustrates the proposition above?”

- “the situation described above most closely conforms to which one of the following propositions?”

- “which one of the following most closely conforms to the principle illustrated by the passage above?”