Statements and arguments questions ask you to judge the quality of a reason given for or against a statement. The task is not to decide whether you personally agree with the statement; it is to decide whether the argument is strong, relevant, and logically sound.

Key terms

• Statement: the issue, proposal, or claim under discussion.
• Argument: a reason offered in support of or against the statement.
• Strong argument: direct, practical, important, and based on a valid reason.
• Weak argument: irrelevant, vague, emotional, trivial, or based on an unsupported assumption.

What makes an argument strong?

• It addresses the exact issue raised by the statement.
• It gives a practical, logical, or broadly valid reason.
• It considers a meaningful consequence, such as safety, fairness, cost, or public welfare.
• It does not rely on personal preference, prejudice, or an extreme claim.

Common weak arguments

• Irrelevant: talks about something unrelated to the decision.
• Emotional: attempts to persuade through fear, sympathy, or popularity alone.
• Overgeneralized: treats a few cases as proof of a universal rule.
• Assumption-based: depends on a fact that has not been given or established.
• Trivial: gives a minor reason that does not materially affect the issue.

How to evaluate an argument

1. Read the statement as a policy question, not as a fact to prove.
2. Identify whether the argument supports or opposes the proposal.
3. Ask whether it directly affects the decision.
4. Check whether its reason is important and realistic.
5. Ignore outside knowledge unless it is a universally accepted fact.

Important exam rules

• Do not reject an argument only because it opposes your opinion.
• Do not accept an argument just because it sounds confident or popular.
• Both arguments can be strong, both can be weak, or only one can be strong.
• A strong argument need not prove the statement completely; it must be a valid and important consideration.
• Prefer direct reasons over broad slogans or unrelated comparisons.

Quick revision summary

• Judge relevance and logic, not personal agreement.
• Strong arguments are direct, important, and practical.
• Weak arguments are emotional, irrelevant, vague, or assumption-based.
• Test every argument separately against the statement.