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Strengthen LSAT questions ask which answer makes an argument more likely to be right. Learn how to spot the gap, what to look for and the common traps.
Quick answer: a Strengthen question asks which answer, if true, makes the argument more likely to be right. It does not have to prove the argument. It only has to help it. Find the gap between the evidence and the conclusion, then pick the answer that helps close it.
Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
Which one of the following most supports the conclusion?
Which one of the following, if true, provides the most support for the argument?
How to Solve Strengthen Questions
Find the conclusion and the evidence.
Ask what the author is taking for granted.
Predict what kind of fact would help.
Accept each answer as true. New facts are allowed here.
Pick the answer that makes the conclusion more likely.
Strengthen Questions Example
This is a practice example we wrote to show the idea. It is not a real LSAT question.
Argument: A town put speed cameras on Main Street. Crashes on Main Street fell 30% in a year. So the cameras reduced crashes.
Question: Which answer most strengthens the argument?
Best answer: In the same year, crashes did not fall on similar streets without cameras.
Why: The argument assumes nothing else caused the drop. This fact helps rule out a citywide trend, so the cameras look more likely to be the cause. It does not prove it, and it does not need to.
Common Traps
Answers that are true and on topic but do not touch the gap.
Answers that help a different conclusion, such as “cameras raise money.”
Answers that are too weak to change anything.
Rejecting an answer because it is not proven. In this question type, you accept each answer as true.
Strengthen Questions FAQ
Does a Strengthen answer have to prove the conclusion?
No. It only has to make the conclusion more likely.
How is Strengthen different from Sufficient Assumption?
A sufficient assumption makes the conclusion follow for sure. A strengthener only helps.
Can a Strengthen answer bring in new information?
Yes. New facts are fine, as long as they help connect the evidence to the conclusion.
