Free LSAT resources
Free law school admissions resources

Must be false

(MBF)

Stems that ask which answer choice "must be false," or "could be true, EXCEPT."

Avg. 0.1 per section

“If the statements above are true, which one of the following CANNOT be true?”

0%
4%
25%
49%
22%

Avg. difficulty: 3.9

Correct answer criteria

  • 100% contradicted by the information in the stimulus. The correct answer should not require any assumptions in order to be disproven by the stimulus.

Key tactics

  • Take statements in the stimulus as true
  • There is no need to identify conclusions and premises
  • If there are any statements that can be connected to each other, try to connect them
  • Anticipate counterexamples to conditional claims

Answer choice tips

  • Remember you are NOT in a MBT question. You can often expect at least one trap answer that must be true
  • Answers introducing concepts not discussed in the stimulus are highly unlikely to be correct

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Logical reasoning question types

Alternate explanation Analogy (LR) Argument part Bad authority Causal chain Causal mechanism Causal reasoning Circular reasoning Conditional reasoning Confusing sufficiency and necessity Correlation Diagram? Directionally wrong Eliminating options Equivocation Evaluate Except (LR) Failed alternate explanation False dichotomy Fighting the hypothetical Fill in the blank Flaw or descriptive weakening Illusory inconsistency Inference Internal contradiction Irrelevant corroboration Kick it up Lack of support v. false conclusion Link assumption Main conclusion or main point Math Mental state v. reality Method of reasoning or descriptive Miscellaneous (LR) Misdirected response Most strongly supported Must be false Must be true Necessary assumption Parallel flawed method of reasoning Parallel method of reasoning Part v. whole Phenomenon-hypothesis (LR) Plausibility Point at issue: agree Point at issue: disagree Principle PSA - find or complete the application PSA - find the rule Quantifier Relative v. absolute Resolve reconcile or explain Rule-application Sampling Source attack Strengthen Sufficient assumption Time Unwarranted assumption Value judgment Weaken Weighing factors

Reading comprehension question types

Analogy (RC) Application Art Author’s attitude Author’s perspective Comparative Critique or debate Describe approach Describe organization Describe relationship Except (RC) Humanities Implied Law Logical continuation Main point Meaning in context (of word, phrase, or idea) Miscellaneous (RC) Other’s perspective Phenomenon-hypothesis (RC) Principle or generalization Problem-analysis Purpose in context (of word, phrase, or idea) Purpose of paragraph Purpose of passage Science Single position Spotlight Stated Structure WSE (RC)

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