The Law School Admissions Test is notorious for its more complex questions, time constraints for each question section, and the time it takes most people to fully prepare for the exam. As part of your preparation for this test, it’s important to understand the types of LSAT questions you will encounter. This helps you study the right materials and remain informed of the challenges that the LSAT might present you.
Our article gives you further details on the overall format and the specific types of questions you’ll see on this test so you can start your LSAT prep the right way.
Understanding the LSAT Format
The LSAT is given in two main parts – multiple-choice questions (broken into four sections) and the LSAT writing sample.
The multiple-choice questions typically get the most attention, as this requires the most studying and practice to obtain a high score. You will be met with four question sections: reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, and a fourth, which is an unscored repeat of one of the three other sections, that’s used by testing administrators to try out new questions.
So you will complete two of either the reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, or logical reasoning sections. Still, you won’t know which one is unscored until you receive your results. There will be 99 to 102 questions total on the multiple-choice part of the LSAT.
Scores on the LSAT range between 120 and 180, with 120 being the lowest score possible and 180 the highest. Along with your score, you are put into a percentile range which tells you where your score falls among other test-takers. The higher your LSAT score is, the higher your chances are of receiving merit scholarships and admission into certain law schools.
Each of the four sections and the writing sample is allotted 35 minutes to complete.
Types of Questions You Will See on the LSAT
There are three main question types that you will see on the LSAT. These questions are split into three sections, and a major part of LSAT preparation is learning to recognize the different question types within the time constraints of the test.
Reading Comprehension Questions
The reading comprehension questions on the LSAT are designed to test each individual’s ability to read, understand, and gain insight into more lengthy and complex reading materials. The reading passages encountered on the test will be similar to the types of texts commonly encountered in law school.
There are four sets of reading questions in the reading comprehension section, with each set consisting of text and then five to eight questions. Three of the four reading comprehension texts will be a single passage, while the other set will contain two shorter passages and test the individual’s skills at comparative reading.
Topics commonly found in the reading comprehension section include texts related to humanities, sociology, biological and physical sciences, and law-related issues. Most passages in the reading comprehension section are dense, contain high-level vocabulary, and require you to draw inferences to answer the questions.
Analytical Reasoning Questions
The analytical reasoning section, commonly referred to as ‘logic games,’ consists of four logic question ‘games’ that consist of the main question passage and then 5 to 8 questions. Depending on the overall test structure, there will be between 22 and 25 analytical reasoning questions on the LSAT.
Questions in the analytical reasoning section are designed to test how an individual analyzes and evaluates relationships between the things noted in each passage. Individuals taking this section must make inferences and understand items that ‘could be true,’ ‘must be true,’ and ‘if-then’ relationships. The overall skills that analytical reasoning questions are meant to test include general knowledge and reasoning ability.
Practicing logic games greatly helps improve scores in this LSAT section for most people.
Logical Reasoning Questions
Logical reasoning questions consist of a short passage typically containing an argument or a set of reasonings and then a question about the passage. Each logical reasoning question is designed to test critical thinking skills and the test-takers ability to examine, analyze, and evaluate each argument or set of points presented in the question.
The arguments and points found in each logical reasoning question are pulled from sources such as newspapers and magazines, scholarly works, informal writings, and advertisements. The types of complex arguments are designed to be similar to legal reasoning, testing the individual’s ability to read and analyze legal arguments or ideas when in law school.
There are approximately 25 logical reasoning questions in this section of the LSAT.
What About the LSAT Writing?
The LSAT writing sample is a separate section of the LSAT that can be taken up to eight days before the multiple-choice question portion of this exam is administered. It is a 35-minute proctored exam that is taken on your computer. It prompts you to write an essay response to a writing sample.
There are no right or wrong answers for the essay; this section is more of a measure of how well you can argue for a certain position according to the prompt.
It’s important to note that you must have your LSAT writing section completed and on file with your LSAC account before you can see your final score or have your score released to prospective schools. More detailed information on the LSAT writing section can be found on the LSAC’s website.
Prepare for the LSAT the Right Way
When it comes to LSAT preparation, there are many different study methods and preparation courses you can enroll in to help you get ready for this complex test. However, the best way to prepare for the LSAT is to sign up for an LSAT prep course that walks you through each test section and gives you effective studying tips for every question type. This comprehensive preparation, combined with consistent studying helps you learn everything you need to take the LSAT.