Main Point Questions

[lsatjourneygirl]

Hello,

A lot of the time, the answer to Main Point questions will be indicated by the counter-premise indicator "but," which will be the main conclusion. However, sometimes the counter-premise indicator is part of a sentence that is right before the main conclusion.

I sometimes get tripped up on this.

For instance, from Prep Test 53 Section 1 Question 14, the main conclusion come after the sentence with "but." In Prep Test 45 Section 1 Q 17, the main conclusion is directly from the sentence with "but." I guess I was able to get both answers because each time it felt right, but just wondering if there is a clearer way of explaining this so I do not confuse myself further.

thank you in advance!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi lsatjourneygirl,

The argument/counterargument structure can be presented in multiple ways. To understand the author's main point, it is imperative to understand the argument she is attempting to refute. Counterpremise indicators such as "however" or "but" usually precede the main conclusion of the argument, but not always: sometimes they can precede a premise that the author is using in support of her conclusion. Other times, they can precede a second argument that is not, in fact, the author's own position.

I understand how discomforting this can be, which is precisely why recognizing patterns is important, but it's even more important to have a solid conceptual grasp on what a conclusion is: The conclusion of an argument is that statement or proposition for which the premises are intended to provide support. In short, it is the point the argument is trying to make. The main conclusion will always be supported by one or more claims (i.e. premises), but it will never support any other claim.

Hope this helps!