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LNAT Section A skills explained
The official pages describe abilities rather than a granular syllabus. This working map names the operation each question demands. It is a reading map, not a list of law topics.
The five item-level skills
The evidence register assigns one primary skill to every one of the Section A questions in the two official practice papers. The label follows the decision you must make, not the subject the passage happens to discuss.
| Skill | What you do | Corpus evidence |
|---|---|---|
| A1 structure | Track the function of reasons, examples, objections, contrasts and conclusions. | of , |
| A2 inference | Work out what follows without importing outside knowledge. | of , |
| A3 author | Read purpose, attitude, tone and degree of commitment from the passage. | of , |
| A4 detail | Preserve exact statements, qualifications, local meaning and scope. | of , |
| A5 transfer | Apply a governing relation or principle to a new case. | of , |
A1 and A4 together account for of items, or . That is why a preparation plan built only around broad main-idea questions leaves so much of the real work untrained.
Recognise the stem before you reread
| Stem pattern | Question job | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Argument function | Why is this phrase, example or contrast there? | |
| Literal detail | Which fact, qualification or formal cell is exact? | |
| Main claim or purpose | What central conclusion or aim controls the passage? | |
| Inference | What is supported without being stated in those words? | |
| Meaning in context | What does this word or phrase mean here? | |
| Tone or stance | How does the author feel or commit? | |
| Cross-source comparison | Which voice agrees, differs or is being attributed? | |
| Fact, opinion or support | Which statement has the requested status? | |
| Analogy or application | Which new case preserves the same relation? |
These are primary labels, so one question can involve more than one mental move. The point is to identify the move that separates the correct option from its nearest rival.
- Underline the verb in the stem: explain, imply, support, compare, identify or apply.
- Write the smallest answer the stem could accept. Do not answer a wider question because the passage is interesting.
- Return to the sentence, paragraph or speaker that controls the choice.
- Check whether a degree word such as some, usually, may or only changes the option.
Turn the map into a repair loop
| If you miss... | Record... | Next drill |
|---|---|---|
| A1 structure | Role swap | Label each paragraph as support, pressure, reply or conclusion |
| A2 inference | Outside fact | Write the supporting chain using passage words only |
| A3 author | Voice or degree | Circle who owns the claim and how strongly it is stated |
| A4 detail | Qualification loss | Copy the exact scope word before comparing options |
| A5 transfer | Topic match | State the relation, then test it in the new case |
Worked example Function is not the same as topic
A council wants to replace printed bus notices with an app. The author accepts that an app can be updated quickly, then notes that a passenger without a smartphone may lose access. The council should test whether missed journeys fall before removing the printed notice.
What role does the passenger point play?
- It proves that apps cannot be updated quickly.
- It gives the author's final recommendation.
- It supplies a limit to the benefit claimed for the app.
- It shows that most passengers do not own smartphones.
Why this works: The third answer identifies a limitation on access. It does not turn an access concern into a population statistic.
Why the tempting route fails: The first reverses the passage, the second swaps an objection for a conclusion and the fourth invents a proportion.
Sources
LNAT test format. questions, argumentative passages and the separate Section B task. Read the official formathttps://lnat.ac.uk/what-is-lnat/test-format/
LNAT hints and tips. Passage-bound reasoning, close options, no negative marking and deliberate practice. Read the official advicehttps://lnat.ac.uk/how-to-prepare/hints-and-tips/
Official practice commentary. The published commentary behind the reading and reasoning behaviours in the evidence register. Open the commentaryhttps://lnat.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Practice-Tests-2010-Commentary.pdf
The A1 to A6 labels are the platform's study mapping. The LNAT Consortium publishes format and preparation guidance rather than this granular syllabus.