What’s in the LSAT?

The LSAT® is administered in two parts. The first part consists of four 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. The second part consists of an unscored writing sample.

Multiple-Choice LSAT Questions

The multiple-choice portion of the LSAT includes three scored sections and one unscored section, which enables us to validate new test questions for future use. This validation process is vital to our commitment to fairness and helps ensure that our questions continue their long standard of being free from any kind of bias. The scored portion consists of two scored Logical Reasoning sections and one scored Reading Comprehension section, and the unscored section is either Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension. Most test takers can choose whether to take the multiple-choice LSAT in person or remotely.

Both law school and the practice of law revolve around extensive reading of highly varied, dense, argumentative, and expository texts (for example, cases, codes, contracts, briefs, decisions, evidence). This reading must be exacting, distinguishing precisely what is said from what is not said. It involves comparison, analysis, synthesis, and application (for example, of principles and rules). It involves drawing appropriate inferences and applying ideas and arguments to new contexts. Law school reading also requires the ability to grasp unfamiliar subject matter and the ability to penetrate difficult and challenging material.

The purpose of LSAT Reading Comprehension questions is to measure the ability to read, with understanding and insight, examples of lengthy and complex materials similar to those commonly encountered in law school. The Reading Comprehension section of the LSAT contains four sets of reading questions, each set consisting of a selection of reading material followed by five to eight questions. The reading selection will be either a single reading passage or two related shorter passages (commonly called comparative reading). A Reading Comprehensive section will include either 3 or 4 single reading passages, and either one or no comparative reading passages.

Reading selections for LSAT Reading Comprehension questions are drawn from a wide range of subjects in the humanities, the social sciences, the biological and physical sciences, and areas related to the law. Generally, the selections are densely written, use high-level vocabulary, and contain sophisticated argument or complex rhetorical structure (for example, multiple points of view). Reading Comprehension questions require you to read carefully and accurately, to determine the relationships among the various parts of the reading selection, and to draw reasonable inferences from the material in the selection. The questions may ask about the following characteristics of a passage or pair of passages:

• The main idea or primary purpose

• Information that is explicitly stated

• Information or ideas that can be inferred

• The meaning or purpose of words or phrases as used in context

• The organization or structure

• The application of information in the selection to a new context

• Principles that function in the selection

• Analogies to claims or arguments in the selection

• An author’s attitude as revealed in the tone of a passage or the language used

• The impact of new information on claims or arguments in the selection

Comparative Reading questions concern the relationships between the two passages, such as those of generalization/instance, principle/application, or point/counterpoint. Law school work often requires reading two or more texts in conjunction with each other and understanding their relationships. For example, a law student may read a trial court decision together with an appellate court decision that overturns it, or identify the fact pattern from a hypothetical suit together with the potentially controlling case law.

Suggested Strategies and Approaches to the Questions

There are a few ways to approach Reading Comprehension question sets. These include:

• Read the passage(s) very closely, then answer the questions

• Read the questions first, read the passage(s) closely, then return to the questions

• Skim the passage(s) and questions very quickly, then reread the passage(s) closely, then answer the questions

As you prepare for the test, you might want to experiment with each of these approaches and decide what works best for you.

Strategies for Reading

When reading the passage or pair of passages, try to distinguish the main ideas from the supporting ideas, and opinions and attitudes from factual or objective information.

Here are some helpful strategies to try:

• Pay attention to transitions from one idea to the next, and try to identify the relationships between different ideas or parts of a passage.

• Consider why an author makes certain points and how they draw conclusions. You may find it helpful to mark key parts of the passage(s). For example, you might underline or highlight the main idea or important arguments.

• Highlight or underline transitional words, such as "although," "nevertheless," and "however," to help you understand the structure of the passage.

• You might find it helpful to underline or highlight descriptive words that help identify the author's attitude toward a particular idea or person.

Strategies for Answering

Since passages are drawn from different disciplines, don’t be discouraged when you encounter something unfamiliar. It's important that you answer the questions based on the information provided in the passage(s).

You will not have to make any inferences based on prior knowledge of the subject brought up in the passage(s). When taking the test, though, you may want to begin with subjects that seem more familiar and defer working on sets that seem particularly difficult or unfamiliar.

• Always read all of the answer choices before selecting the best answer. The best answer choice is the one that most accurately answers the question being posed.

• Respond to the specific question being asked. Don’t pick an answer simply because it is a true statement.

• Answer the questions only on the basis of the information provided in the selection.

Explore Reading Comprehension Sample Questions

Logical Reasoning questions assess your ability to analyze, critically evaluate, and complete arguments.

Arguments are a fundamental part of the law, and analyzing arguments is a key element of legal analysis. The training provided in law school builds on a foundation of critical reasoning skills.

As a law student, you need to draw on the skills of analyzing, evaluating, constructing, and refuting arguments. You also need to be able to identify what information is relevant to an issue or argument and what impact further evidence might have. And you need to be able to reconcile opposing positions and use arguments to persuade others.

The LSAT’s Logical Reasoning section questions are designed to evaluate your ability to examine, analyze, and critically evaluate arguments as they occur in ordinary language. Each Logical Reasoning question requires you to read and comprehend a short passage, then answer one question about it.

The Logical Reasoning questions are adapted from a wide variety of sources, including newspapers, general interest magazines, scholarly publications, advertisements, and informal discourse. These arguments mirror legal reasoning in the types of arguments presented and their complexity.

The questions are designed to assess a wide range of skills involved in thinking critically, with an emphasis on skills that have proven to be central to legal reasoning.

These skills include:

• Recognizing the parts of an argument and their relationships

• Recognizing similarities and differences between patterns of reasoning

• Drawing well-supported conclusions

• Reasoning by analogy

• Recognizing misunderstandings or points of disagreement

• Determining how additional evidence affects an argument

• Detecting assumptions made by particular arguments

• Identifying and applying principles or rules

• Identifying flaws in arguments

• Identifying explanations

Suggested Approach to Logical Reasoning Questions

Logical reasoning questions do not require specialized knowledge of logical terminology. The LSAT may use such concepts, but it will describe them using other words. LSAT questions can be answered without knowing precise terminology. For example, you will not need to know the meaning of specialized terms such as “ad hominem” or “syllogism.”

On the other hand, you will be asked to understand and critique the reasoning contained in arguments. To do so, it’s important to have an understanding of concepts such as argument, premise, assumption, and conclusion. If you are not familiar with these concepts, it would be a good idea to get better acquainted with them.

Here are some strategies to keep in mind when answering logical reasoning questions:

• Read each question carefully. Make sure you understand the meaning of each part of the question, each answer choice, and the ways in which each answer may or may not relate to the question posed.

• Do not pick a response simply because it is a true statement. Although true, it may not answer the question posed.

• Answer each question on the basis of the context provided by the passage.

• LSAT questions do not involve any tricks or hidden meanings.

Explore Logical Reasoning Sample Questions

LSAT Argumentative Writing is separately administered online, using secure proctoring software you can install on your own computer. You can take LSAT Argumentative Writing at your convenience, as early as eight (8) days prior to the date of your multiple-choice test. LSAT Argumentative Writing will continue to be administered remotely for all test takers, meaning it is not available at a Prometric test center.

As a part of the writing task, you’ll be presented with a debatable issue, along with three or four perspectives that provide additional context for the issue. You’ll then draft an argumentative essay in which you take a position on the issue while addressing some of the arguments and ideas presented by the other perspectives. There are no “right” or “wrong” positions; the writing sample is designed to let you demonstrate your persuasive writing skills. Law schools will examine the reasoning, clarity, organization, language usage, and writing mechanics you display in your sample. You’ll have a total of 50 minutes to complete your writing sample — 15 minutes for prewriting analysis and 35 minutes for essay writing.

Learn More About LSAT Argumentative Writing

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