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Strengthen

(Streng)

Stems that ask us to provide an additional piece of information that, if true, would strengthen the argument in the stimulus.

Avg. 1.95 per section

“The conclusion of the argument is strongly supported if which one of the following is assumed?”

15%
26%
28%
18%
13%

Avg. difficulty: 2.9

Correct answer criteria

  • Something that, if true, would make the conclusion more likely to follow from the premises.

Key tactics

  • Identify the conclusion and the premises
  • Think about why the conclusion doesn't have to be true even if the premises are true
  • Pay attention to new concepts brought up on the conclusion but not mentioned in the stimulus. The argument has to make some kind of assumption about those new ideas
  • Be ready for arguments where the author tries to provide a hypothesis (causal explanation) for some phenomenon. If you see this structure, think about alternate hypotheses
  • Be open-minded. It's hard to predict exactly what the correct answer will involve

Answer choice tips

  • The correct answer doesn't need to 100% prove the conclusion. Even if it just makes the conclusion slightly more likely to follow from the premises, it can still be considered a strengthen answer. If multiple answers appear to strengthen, choose the answer that most strengthens (the answer that requires the fewest, and most reasonable assumptions)
  • If the argument involves correlation to cause or explanations for a phenomenon, be ready for a correct answer that is about eliminating an alternate explanation. This isn't always the correct answer, but it's common on this kind of argument

Looking for more?

7Sage offers a full course of video lessons that cover each question type in depth, targeted drills, and performance analytics.

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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