Logical reasoning The 7 WRONG ANSWER TYPES ADVANCED STRATEGIES FOR SAT ACT ASVAB LSAT PRAXIS GMAT MCAT & GRE

The 7 types of Wrong logical reasoning Answers All Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension questions contain pattern wrong answer types. We organize the patterns answer types into 7 categories. Why? Because if you can identify what makes a wrong answer wrong, then you can become a master at process of elimination on test day. To help you learn the wrong answer types, we explain them as if they were the wrong answers to an argument passage about chihuahuas. So imagine you have just read a fascinating passage about chihuahuas, and are asking to identify the main point of the passage. Let’s begin! The 7 types of Wrong logical reasoning Answers CHIHUAHUA PASSAGE!

Wrong Answer Type 1: Too Broad/ Too General If the answer choice was about all dogs, it would be too general. The passage is only about chihuahuas, not all dogs. Since we know nothing about golden retrievers and poodles, to suggest that we do would be utterly speculative.

Wrong Answer Type 2: Too NARROW/TOO Specific If the answer choice is only about chihuahuas that prefer to sit in purses, then the answer choice is overly narrow. Since the author was talking about all chihuahuas, the answer can’t only specify the purse dogs, because big dogs would be left out of the group.

Wrong Answer Type 3: Outside of scope / irrelevant If the answer choice is about llamas….well, who cares?! You may feel inclined to care though. Irrelevant answer choices make us feel insecure because we are tempted to believe we didn’t read closely enough. If you are the type to read the word “llamas” and ask, “How did I miss that in the passage?!” be mindful of this wrong answer type– it could be your Achilles’ heel!

Wrong Answer Type 4: False fact/ opposite If the answer choice states that all chihuahuas are llamas, that’s just wrong. If the answer choice states that this passage is NOT about chihuahuas, it’s also wrong. Watch out for the word NOT– it is a small word that packs a lot of meaning!

Wrong Answer Type 5: Partially true/Partially false If an answer choice is incomplete or not always true, it must be eliminated. For example, if the answer choice talks about chihuahuas and their size, but the entire passage talks about chihuahua size, behavior, and lifespan, then this answer choice is only partially true. The better answer choice will not have any part of the answer that is wrong. To be sure you don’t fall into the trap of selecting a partially true/partially false answer choice, here’s a tip: Place a mark next to the end of each answer choice as proof that you have read the answer choice to the very end and haven’t missed any “false” pieces.

Wrong Answer Type 6: Misidentified argument part If the answer choice identifies a premise of the argument, rather than a conclusion, it’s wrong. This is tricky, because a premise, by definition, is a stated fact that must be accepted as true. So, yeah, it looks true! However, if you are answering a question that asks you to identify the argument’s conclusion, the premise will always be an incorrect answer.

Wrong Answer Type 7: Cause/Effect Reversal If the passage said that because chihuahuas are small, they are inexpensive, watch out for an answer choice that reverses the relationship. A wrong answer would state that because chihuahuas are inexpensive, they are small. Sure, it has the correct parts (the premise and the conclusion), but reversing the cause/effect relationship is an error. Read carefully and watch for sneaky sequencing errors!

“There is always a reason for a right answer. You just have to find it “There is always a reason for a right answer. You just have to find it.” – shana ginsburg