Both the logical reasoning and reading comprehension sections of the LSAT are composed of complex arguments. One of the most fundamental skills an LSAT test-taker needs is to be able to break down these arguments into their parts.
A logical argument is a set of claims, called premises and conclusions, that make a point. A conclusion is the point an argument is making, and the premises are claims that support that point.
Use Indicator Words to Identify Premises and Conclusions
To spot premises and conclusions, start by looking for indicator words.
Words that indicate a premise include “because,” “since” and “for.”Words that indicate a conclusion include “so,” “therefore,” “thus” and “consequently.”
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However, the word’s context is critical here. Some premise indicator words, like “for,” have multiple uses in the English language. They do not always signal an argument.
And some words and phrases can indicate either a premise or a conclusion depending on the context, like “but,” “although,” “yet,” “however,” “nevertheless” and “after all.”
Furthermore, some premises and conclusions don’t start with an indicator word at all. Writing would be clunky and repetitive if writers had to signal every point they made. Instead, indicator words are primarily used to add clarity or emphasis.
Analyze Complex Arguments
Be careful. Indicator words may lead you to a conclusion that is not necessarily the main point of the argument.
For example, consider the following argument that could be used in the logical reasoning section: “Don’t play with your pet turtle in the snow. Turtles are reptiles, which are cold-blooded. Cold-blooded animals freeze easily, so snow is bad for turtles.”
This argument may seem simple, but if you break it down, it has several parts.
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This argument has three clear premises: Turtles are reptiles, reptiles are cold-blooded and cold-blooded animals freeze easily.
Then, there is an implicit conclusion that turtles are cold-blooded. The author here likely assumed that the reader could put two and two together, but this is an unstated logical deduction from the premises.
Next, the author does state a conclusion that follows these premises, as indicated by the word “so.” This conclusion is that snow is bad for turtles.
But does the argument end there, at the end of the paragraph?
It sounds like it does, but don’t overlook that first sentence: “Don’t play with your pet turtle in the snow.” The author’s conclusion that snow is bad for turtles is just a step toward this conclusion, which is the argument’s main point.
Glossing over that conclusion could trip you up on the LSAT, and it wouldn’t be great for your poor turtle.
Choose Among Multiple Conclusions
If you identify two conclusions in an argument, decide which one supports the other. Try to imagine which conclusion would make more sense after the word “because.” In this case, “Don’t play with your pet turtle in the snow because snow is bad for turtles” makes more sense than, “Snow is bad for turtles because you shouldn’t play with your pet turtle in the snow.”
This test will help you distinguish a subconclusion from the author’s main point.
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Using Knowledge of Premises and Conclusions on the LSAT
The LSAT often asks you to assess and modify arguments. You may have to strengthen, weaken or find hidden assumptions or flaws in an argument; compare the argument to other arguments; or explain how the argument works.
In all these cases, you will need to find the argument’s premises and conclusions. For example, correctly isolating an argument’s conclusion is essential to strengthening or weakening that argument.
If an argument in the logical reasoning section seems to lack a conclusion, don’t panic. The question may ask you to draw your own conclusion by asking “what must be true” based on the prompt.
Learning to spot premises and conclusions on logical reasoning questions quickly and flawlessly is one of the best things you can do to boost your LSAT score in a short time. While tricky at first, it will become second nature with careful practice.
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Identify Premises and Conclusions on the LSAT originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/14/25: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated wth new information.
