LSAT Guides

LSAT Reading Comprehension Question Types

By Andrew Collins / April 30, 2026

The main LSAT Reading Comprehension question types: main idea, detail, inference, author attitude, function and analogy, and how to approach each.

Quick answer: Reading Comprehension has 27 scored questions. The main types ask for the main idea, a specific detail, an inference, the author’s attitude, the purpose of a part, or a similar situation. Knowing which type you face tells you where to look in the passage.

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LSAT Reading Comprehension Question Types

Type What it asks Where to look
Main idea What the passage is mostly about The whole passage
Detail What the passage says about something The exact lines
Inference What the passage suggests The lines, plus a small step
Author attitude How the author feels about a view Tone words like “unfortunately”
Function Why the author included something The sentences around it
Analogy Which situation is most like one in the passage The structure of the example
Comparative How two passages relate Both passages

How to Approach Them

  1. Read for structure first: who says what, and what the author thinks.
  2. Note the main point and the author’s view.
  3. Name the question type before reading the answers.
  4. For detail and inference questions, go back to the text.
  5. Prefer answers that stay close to what is written.

Common Traps

  • Answers that are true of one paragraph but not the whole passage.
  • Answers that use words from the passage in the wrong way.
  • Answers that are stronger than the passage.
  • Picking what you believe rather than what the passage says.

Reading Comprehension FAQ

How many passages are on the LSAT?

Four passage sets, one of which is a comparative set with two shorter passages.

Should I read the questions first?

Most students do better reading the passage first for its structure. Test both and keep what works.

Is the format changing?

LSAC plans a new layout from August 2027, with 27 scored questions still in Reading Comprehension.

See passage types, comparative reading and the full Reading Comprehension guide.

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