LSAT

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Main point, structure,

State the main point and

Know exactly what is

Frame the answer in your

Confirm the choice in the

author's view

purpose to yourself

asked

own words

text

Evaluate each answer choice against the passage, not against general knowledge or preference. The correct answer is supported by passage content. When you are torn between two choices, return to the passage: one will have stronger textual support.

Wrong-Answerpatterns

Wrong-Answerpatterns(Continued)

Pattern	HowItFails
Toobroad	Goesbeyondwhatthepassagesupports
Contradicted	Conflictswithastatementinthepassage
Outofscope	Addressesatopicthepassageorquestiondoesnotraise
Truebutunresponsive	Accuratelyrestatesthepassagebutdoesnotanswerthequestionasked

Active reading turns passive reading into analysis. Instead of letting your eyes drift over the text, you question, predict, and evaluate as you go. From the first paragraph, ask what topic the passage addresses and what the author is doing: explaining, arguing, comparing, or critiquing. Then track the main point (the central claim the author wants you to accept) separately from the supporting points that bolster it.

Relationship	SignalWords	WhatFollows
Contrast	however butyet nevertheless incontrast , , , ,	Anobjection ashift oracompetingview , ,
Conclusion	therefore thus hence consequently , , ,	Aclaimtheauthorhasarguedfor
Support	because since forexample moreover , , ,	Evidenceoranadditionalreason
Comparison	similarly likewise inthesameway , ,	Aparallelbetweentwoideas
Concession	although admittedly whileitistruethat , ,	Apointgrantedbeforethemainclaim

Annotate sparingly. The digital LSAT lets you highlight and flag text. Mark the main point, the author's perspective, key evidence, and contrasting views; over-annotating clutters the passage and costs time.

Paraphrase difficult sentences. Restate a complex sentence in simpler terms before moving on so you never read without understanding.

Separate fact from interpretation. Factual claims assert that something is the case; interpretive claims offer explanations, theories, or evaluations. Know what the author takes as given and what the author argues for.

Watch scope and certainty. Note whether a claim is said to be always, usually, sometimes, or possibly true, and whether it applies to all cases or only some. These qualifications decide many answer choices.

Note concessions. Points the author grants to an opposing view often reappear in questions about what the author would agree with.

Favor comprehension over speed. Reading quickly without understanding forces rereading. A steady pace that maintains comprehension is faster overall.

Build stamina by reading demanding material outside test preparation: academic articles, court opinions, and serious long-form journalism. The more familiar complex prose becomes, the more manageable LSAT passages feel.

Question Types

Reading Comprehension questions fall into recurring categories. Identifying the type tells you what information you need and what the correct answer will look like.

Type	TypicalStemLanguage	WhattheCorrectAnswerDoes
Mainpoint Detail	"mainpoint""primarypurpose" , , "centralidea" "accordingtothepassage""the , passagestates"	Captures what the whole passage argues neither too narrow (on1e part) , nortoobroad(beyondthepassage) andreflectstheauthor's , perspective Restatesorcloselyparaphrasessomethingthepassagesays;verifyit inthetextratherthanfrommemory

Readingcomprehensionquestiontypes(Continued)

Type	TypicalStemLanguage	WhattheCorrectAnswerDoes
Inference	"itcanbeinferred""thepassage ,	Followsfromstatedinformationandstaysclosetothetext;amerely
	suggests""theauthorwouldmost ,	possibleanswerisnotenough
	likelyagree"
Function	"theauthormentionsXinorderto" ,	Explainswhythecontentappears:tointroduce support illustrate , , ,
	"theprimaryfunctionofthethird	contrast concede qualify ortransition , , ,
	paragraph"
Author'sattitude	"theauthor'sattitude""thetoneof ,	Matchesthestanceshownbywordchoiceandemphasis:supportive ,
	thepassage"	critical skeptical neutral orambivalent withtherightdegreeof , , , ,
		intensity
Structure	"bestdescribestheorganization" ,	Describesthelogicalflowinthecorrectorder suchasproblemand ,
	"therelationshipbetweenthefirst	solution claimandevidence orthesisandcritique , ,
	andsecondparagraphs"
Application	"theapproachdescribedwouldmost	Extendsaprinciple method orperspectivefromthepassagetoanew , ,
	likelybeappliedto"	situationconsistently
Analogy	"mostanalogousto""mostsimilarto ,	Sharestheunderlyingrelationshiporprinciple notthesurfacetopic ,
	thesituationdescribed"
Strengthen/	"iftrue wouldmoststrengthen" , ,	Makesaspecificclaiminthepassagemoreorlesslikelytobetrue
weaken	"mostseriouslyweaken"	(lesscommoninthissection)

On function questions, a choice that accurately describes what the cited content says is often wrong because it does not explain why the author included it. Ask what the argument would lose if that content were removed.