Assumption Questions — Prelims Strategy

Prelims Strategy

First identify whether the stem asks for a necessary assumption or a statement that would be sufficient to justify the conclusion. Do not apply the same test indiscriminately to both. For a necessary-assumption task, write the premise and conclusion separately and look for a term or population that changes between them.

Negate only the commitment made by the option. Replace “all” with “at least one not”, not with “none”. Then ask whether the stated evidence still supports the stated conclusion. If the argument retains its rationale, the option is probably a helpful detail rather than a requirement.

Be cautious with universal technological or behavioural claims: a service may be usable through assistance even when not every beneficiary owns a device. In practice sessions, explain both the winning negation and why the strongest distractor is unnecessarily demanding. Under time pressure, test the two closest options instead of mechanically negating every irrelevant statement. Keep the target conclusion visible throughout the comparison.