EXCEPT / LEAST Questions & Stem Traps Across Types
EXCEPT / LEAST Questions & Stem Traps Across Types
Not a new question type but a stem modifier that appears across Strengthen, Weaken, and others, flipping the normal task. Today drills the discipline of catching it, across every family covered so far.
1. The Modifier, Not a New Skill
"Which of the following, if true, would NOT weaken the argument" is a Weaken question with the direction inverted for four of five choices. The underlying skill (attacking the gap) is unchanged — only the selection rule flips.
2. LEAST Works the Same Way
"Which would LEAST help resolve the paradox" — four choices help to some degree, and you want the one that helps least (or not at all).
3. The Fix Is Procedural
Circle or mentally flag EXCEPT/LEAST the moment you see it, before reading the stimulus if you read the stem first. This is pure discipline, not new content — but it's worth a dedicated day because the error is entirely preventable and entirely common under time pressure.
Practice items on this page are curriculum-authored in LSAT style; they are not official LSAC questions. Real drilling happens on LawHub — see the assignment below.
Q1. On a "which of the following, if true, would NOT strengthen the argument" question, how many of the five choices actually fail to strengthen?
LawHub drill-tier LR section, untimed. Deliberately seek out and flag every EXCEPT/LEAST stem before answering.
An RC maintenance day tomorrow on law passages, then the hardest LR material of the phase: dense stimuli and the last ten questions of a section.