CRITICAL REASONING DECODED: THE CLAT ASPIRANT’S

HANDBOOK

TYPES OF QUESTIONS –
1) MAIN IDEA OF THE PASSAGE
2) STRENGTHEN/WEAKEN THE ARGUMENT
3) ASSUMPTION BASED
4) INFERENCE BASED
5) FLAW IN REASONING
6) PARALLEL REASONING
7) LOGICIAL FALLACY/COROLLARY
8) FACTS, JUDGEMENTS

MOST IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER BEFORE MARKING OPTIONS IN CR

SECTIONS

1) Anticipate (What to expect in a passage?)

Trick: Predict the tone, purpose, or key idea of the passage based on the
question or topic.

Example:

• Topic: "Climate change and its impact on agriculture."

• Anticipate:
▪ The passage might explain how changing weather patterns affect

crop yields.
▪ It may discuss solutions like sustainable farming or new technologies.

▪ The tone could be analytical or concerned.

• Focus on what the passage is likely to explain, argue, or describe based
on the topic. This helps you stay prepared while reading!

2) Apply (Break and Identify Roles)

Trick: Divide the passage into parts and label each part based on its role
(Premise, Conclusion, Example, or Counterargument).
Example Passage:

"Exercise is essential for good health. (Premise 1) It helps maintain weight and
improves mental well-being. (Premise 2) Therefore, everyone should aim to
exercise regularly. (Conclusion) However, some argue that busy schedules make
regular exercise difficult. (Counterargument)"

Breakdown and Roles:

1. Premise 1: "Exercise is essential for good health."

▪ Role: Establishes a general fact to support the argument.

2. Premise 2: "It helps maintain weight and improves mental well-being."

▪ Role: Provides additional evidence to strengthen the argument.

3. Conclusion: "Therefore, everyone should aim to exercise regularly."

▪ Role: The main point the author wants to prove.
4. Counterargument: "However, some argue that busy schedules make
regular exercise difficult."
▪ Role: Presents an opposing view to address potential criticism.
5. Always look for the main point (conclusion) and the supporting facts
(premises). If there's an opposing view, label it as a counterargument.

3) Avoid (Eliminate Wrong Options)

Trick: Use elimination to rule out incorrect choices based on these common
pitfalls:

Steps to Avoid Wrong Options:

1. Extreme Words: Eliminate options with words like always, never, must,
completely, unless the passage strongly supports them.
2. Off-Topic: Discard choices that discuss something unrelated to the
passage.
3. Contradiction: Avoid options that directly oppose the passage’s main idea
or facts.
4. Too Broad/Narrow: Eliminate options that either overgeneralize or focus
too much on minor details.
Example Passage:

"Reading books improves vocabulary and critical thinking. It also helps reduce
stress and enhance focus."

Options:

1. Reading books is the only way to improve vocabulary. (Extreme -

Eliminate)
2. Reading books can improve vocabulary and reduce stress. (Correct -
Matches the passage)
3. Watching movies is better for stress relief than reading books. (Off-Topic -
Eliminate)
4. Reading books is useful only for improving focus. (Too Narrow - Eliminate)

IMPORTANT POINT –

Focus on the passage’s main idea and tone to guide elimination. This narrows
down to the most accurate choice!
IMPORTANT TERMS WITH TRICKS –

1. Assumption (What is assumed?)

• Trick: Think of it as the hidden thought behind the statement.

• Example:
▪ Statement: "It’s cloudy, so carry an umbrella."

▪ Assumption: It might rain

2. Conclusion (What is the main purpose?)

• Trick: Look for what the author is trying to prove.

• Example:
▪ Statement: "Cats with long hair shed a lot, so don’t get one."

▪ Conclusion: Long-haired cats are not a good choice.

3. Main Idea (What is the passage about?)

Trick: Summarize the entire passage in one or two simple sentences. Focus on
the central theme or purpose.

Steps to Identify the Main Idea:

1. Read the First and Last Lines: They often contain the main idea.
2. Ignore Details: Skip examples, data, or extra explanations.
3. Ask: "What is the passage trying to teach, explain, or prove?"
4. Summarize: Write the main point in simple words.

Example Passage:

"Technology has transformed communication in the modern world. People can

now connect instantly through emails, video calls, and social media. This has
made the world more interconnected, but it has also led to issues like reduced
face-to-face interactions and privacy concerns. Despite these challenges, the
benefits of technological communication far outweigh the drawbacks."
Main Idea:

"Technology has greatly improved communication, making the world more

connected, but it also brings challenges like reduced personal interactions and
privacy issues."

IMPORTANT POINT

The main idea is usually broad and covers the whole passage. Avoid focusing on
specific details or examples.

4. Strengthening/Weakening (Making the argument stronger or weaker)

• Trick:
▪To strengthen: Add a fact that supports the argument.
▪ To weaken: Add a fact that breaks the argument.

• Example:
▪ Argument: "Exercise helps in weight loss."

▪ Strengthen: Studies show people who exercise lose weight faster.

▪ Weaken: Some people exercise but don’t lose weight.

5. Logical Fallacy (Mistake in reasoning)

• Trick: Spot common errors like:

▪ Attacking the person: “You are wrong because you are lazy.”

▪ False choices: “Either you agree with me, or you are wrong.”

6. Parallel Reasoning (Similar structure)

• Trick: Match the pattern, not the topic.

• Example:
o Argument: “If A happens, B will follow.”

o Look for: A similar argument like “If X happens, Y will follow.”

7. Flaw (What is wrong in the argument?)

• Trick: Find the mistake in logic.

 • Example:

▪ Argument:
"Everyone who scored well in CLAT studied for 10 hours daily. So, if you
study 10 hours daily, you will definitely score well in CLAT."
▪ Flaw:
This is faulty logic because:
❖ The argument assumes that studying 10 hours daily is the only reason
for scoring well, ignoring other factors like quality of study,
understanding, and strategy.
❖ Just because one thing is observed with another (studying 10 hours and
scoring well) doesn’t mean one causes the other.

8. Paradox (Two things that seem opposite but can be true)

• Trick: Find a reason that explains both sides.

• Example:

▪ Statement:
"Despite eating junk food daily, Ravi is very fit and healthy."
▪ Why is it a paradox?
Normally, eating junk food makes people unhealthy, but Ravi is fit,
which seems contradictory.
▪ Resolution:
Ravi may have a very active lifestyle or a fast metabolism that burns
off the effects of junk food.

9. Cause-Effect (What causes what?)

• Trick: Check if one thing directly leads to another.

• Example:
▪ Cause: "It rained heavily."

▪ Effect: "The streets got flooded."

10. Inference (What can you guess?)

• Trick: Combine the facts and guess what is likely true.

• Example:
▪ Passage: "Ram’s palms were sweaty, and he looked nervous before
 the exam."
▪ Inference: Ram was stressed about the exam.
11. Course of Action (What should be done?)

• Trick: The solution should be practical and solve the problem.

• Example:
▪ Problem: "Floods have hit the city."

▪ Action: Provide food, medical help, and shelter.

12. Premise (What supports the argument?)

Trick: Premises are facts or reasons that support the conclusion. They are the
foundation of the argument.
Example:

• Statement: "It’s raining, so carry an umbrella."

• Premise: Rain can make you wet, and an umbrella protects you from rain.

13. Boldface (What do the bold parts represent?)

Trick: Each bold part in the argument serves a specific role—like a premise,
conclusion, or opposing view. Identify their roles.

Example:

• Statement: "Eating vegetables is healthy (boldface 1) because they

provide essential nutrients (boldface 2)."
▪ Boldface 1: Conclusion (What the author is trying to prove).

▪ Boldface 2: Premise (The reason supporting the conclusion).

14. Syllogisms (What conclusion follows?)

Trick: Break down the statements, find the relationship between them, and
check if the conclusion logically follows.

Steps to Solve Syllogisms:

1. Identify the Statements: Separate the premises (facts given).

2. Check Connections: See how the two premises relate.
3. Use Venn Diagrams (if needed): Visualize the overlap of categories to
clarify relationships.
4. Test the Conclusion: Ask, "Does this conclusion always follow from the
premises?"
Example Syllogism:

Statements:

1. All cats are animals.

2. Some animals are dogs.

Possible Conclusions:

1. Some cats are dogs. (Incorrect – No direct link between cats and dogs.)
2. All cats are dogs. (Incorrect – No such statement is given.)
3. Some animals are cats. (Correct – Derived from the first statement.)

Trick for Eliminating Wrong Conclusions:

• Avoid Assumptions: If the conclusion assumes something not stated,

eliminate it.
• No Extra Links: If the premises don’t connect two categories, the
conclusion can’t connect them either.

IMPORTANT POINT –

Only conclusions that are always true based on the given statements are valid.
Use logic, not guesses!

DIFFERENT WORDS WITH SIMILAR MEANINGS.

1) INHERENT MESSAGE – INFERENCE
2) AGREE/DISAGREE - AUTHOR'S VIEWPOINT
3) MAIN OBJECTIVE – CONCLUSION
4) IMPLIED IN STATEMENT/PASSAGE – INFERENCE
5) CONTEXT - MAIN THEME (TITLES, TONES TYPE QUESTION)
6) CRUX - MAIN IDEA
7) COURSE OF ACTION - HYPOTHETICAL PREMISE
 8) UNDERMINE/UNDERPIN THE ARGUMENT - WEAKEN/STRENGTHEN THE
ARGUMENT
9) ENCAPSULATE - CRUX/MAIN IDEA
10) BEST REPRESENTATIVE - PARALLEL REASONING
11) BEST SUMMARIZE - CRUX/MAIN IDEA
12) DEDUCE – CONCLUSION
13) EVALUATING - DOUBTFUL, SOMETHING NEGATIVE
14) ROLE PLAYED - BOLDFACE

OPTING STRATEGIES

1. Pre-Thinking (THINK BEFORE YOU OPT)

• Think: Before reading the answer choices, think about what the correct
answer should look like. This keeps you focused and saves time.
• How to Apply:
▪ Quickly identify the gap in reasoning or the conclusion of the

argument.
▪ Use that as a guide to predict the answer.

• Example 1:
▪ Statement: Raj carries a raincoat when it’s cloudy.

▪ Question: What assumption is Raj making?

▪ Pre-Think: Raj believes that cloudy weather means there’s a chance

of rain.
• Example 2:
▪ Question: What strengthens the argument that eating vegetables

improves health?
▪ Pre-Think: Any proof, like a study or statistics, showing how

vegetables reduce illness.

2. Extreme Words

• Think: Avoid answers with extreme words like always, never, must, only,
etc.
• Why? Most arguments have room for flexibility or exceptions.
• Example 1:
▪ Question: Why does Aman think it will rain?
 ▪ A. It must rain if there are clouds. (Extreme)
▪ B. It might rain because of clouds. (Correct)
• Example 2:
▪ Statement: Junk food is unhealthy.

▪ Wrong Option: “Everyone eating junk food will get sick.” (Extreme)

▪ Right Option: “Junk food can contribute to health problems over

time.”

3. Avoid Traps (CR Fallacies)

• Think: Watch out for these common logical traps:

▪ Correlation/Causation Fallacy: Assuming two things happening

together means one caused the other.

▪ Circular Reasoning: The conclusion repeats the premise.
▪ False Dichotomy: Presenting only two choices when more exist.

• Example 1 (Correlation/Causation):
▪ If Ravi eats sweets and gets sick, it doesn’t mean sweets caused the

sickness.
• Example 2 (False Dichotomy):
▪ “Either you are a success or a failure.” (What about average people?)

4. POE (Process of Elimination)

• Think: Eliminate wrong answers to narrow down to the right one.

• How to Apply:
▪ Look for extreme language, irrelevant points, or choices that don’t

match the argument.

• Example 1:
▪ Question: Why does Priya carry an umbrella?

▪ A. It rains 100% of the time when it’s cloudy. (Extreme)

▪ B. It might rain when it’s cloudy. (Reasonable)

▪ Eliminate: A is extreme; B is correct.

• Example 2:
▪ If you have 4 choices, remove 2-3 irrelevant or overly exaggerated

ones. For example:

▪ “Jogging guarantees a long life” (extreme, so eliminate).

▪ “Jogging can improve fitness” (moderate, likely correct).

5. Being Neutral (Avoid Personal Bias)
Trick: Focus only on what the passage or argument says, not your own beliefs or
opinions.

Steps to Stay Neutral:

1. Stick to the Text: Base your answers only on the facts or ideas presented
in the passage.
2. Ignore Personal Opinions: Even if you disagree with the argument, answer
based on its logic.
3. Avoid Emotional Choices: Don’t pick answers that feel right but aren’t
supported by the passage.
4. Focus on Keywords: Use the exact language of the passage to guide your
reasoning.

Example Passage:

"Some people believe that eating meat is unethical because it harms animals.
Others argue that it’s a natural part of the food chain and provides necessary
nutrients."

Question:
Which statement best reflects the passage?

1. Eating meat is unethical and should be avoided. (Biased – Not neutral)

2. Eating meat is natural and provides important nutrients. (Biased – Not
neutral)
3. There are differing opinions on whether eating meat is ethical. (Neutral –
Correct)

IMPORTANT POINTS –

• Choose answers that reflect the author’s tone and balance all sides of the
argument.
• Avoid letting your personal agreement or disagreement affect your choice.
Critical Reasoning: Comprehensive Summary
Critical Reasoning is about understanding, analysing, and evaluating arguments
logically. It involves identifying the relationships between statements (premises,
assumptions, and conclusions) and assessing their validity. Key elements
include:

1. Assumptions: These are unstated beliefs or ideas that connect the

premise to the conclusion. They are essential for the argument to hold.
2. Premises: These are the factual statements or evidence provided to
support the conclusion.
3. Conclusion: This is the main point or claim the argument is trying to
establish, based on the premises.

Critical Reasoning also examines how arguments can be strengthened,

weakened, or resolved. Techniques include spotting logical flaws, identifying
patterns in reasoning, and resolving contradictions (paradoxes). Being neutral
and avoiding personal bias is crucial to accurately evaluate arguments.

The goal is to think logically, break down complex ideas into simpler parts, and
arrive at conclusions that are fully supported by the given information.