PREMISES AND CONCLUSIONS

The building blocks of every LSAT argument

How to Identify Premises and Conclusions

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The words that tell you what's a conclusion and what's a premise. Memorize these and you'll catch it in most stimuli.

CONCLUSION INDICATORS
When you see these words, what comes after them is almost always the conclusion.
therefore hence so thus consequently it follows that
Example
"All birds have feathers. Penguins are birds. Therefore, penguins have feathers."
"Therefore" signals the conclusion → "penguins have feathers" is the conclusion.
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PREMISE INDICATORS
These words signal supporting evidence. What comes after them is usually a premise.
because for since given that as indicated by
Example
"Penguins have feathers because all birds have feathers and penguins are birds."
"Because" signals the premise → everything after it is support. What's left — "penguins have feathers" — is the conclusion.
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QUICK REFERENCE
For Every Stimulus
  • Spot a conclusion indicator? What comes after it is the conclusion.
  • Spot a premise indicator? What comes after it is a premise. What's left is likely the conclusion.
  • Spot only one indicator? Use process of elimination to label what's remaining.
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