LNAT Section A skills explained
Every Section A question asks for one of five moves. Two of them, structure and detail, are two thirds of the official practice questions.
The five skills
| Skill | What you do | Share of 84 official questions |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Say what a reason, example or objection is doing | |
| Detail | Keep exact wording, qualifiers and scope | |
| Inference | Say what follows, using only the passage | |
| Author | Read purpose, attitude and how strongly it is said | |
| Transfer | Apply a principle to a new case |
Read the stem first
- Underline the verb: explain, imply, support, compare or apply.
- Go back to the sentence that controls the choice.
- Check whether some, usually, may or only changes the option.
Fix misses by skill
| If you miss... | Next drill |
|---|---|
| Structure | Label each paragraph: support, objection, reply or conclusion |
| Inference | Write the chain using passage words only |
| Author | Circle who owns the claim and how strongly |
| Detail | Copy the scope word before comparing options |
| Transfer | State the relation, then test it on the new case |
Worked example Role is not the same as topic
A council wants to replace printed bus notices with an app. The author accepts that an app updates quickly, then notes that a passenger without a smartphone may lose access. The council should check whether missed journeys rise 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 names a limit on access without inventing a number.
Why the tempting route fails: The first reverses the passage, the second swaps an objection for the conclusion and the fourth invents a proportion.