| When reading LSAT reading comprehension | | | | relate to other questions. |
| passages, you should underline certain key words, | | | | - Groups of people with opinions: Words like |
| phrases, and sections. Because you will be | | | | "supporters" and "critics" are important because |
| underlining to be able to locate important | | | | they refer to groups of people with specific |
| information later on when answering questions, | | | | opinions. |
| your underlining will be different than the | | | | - Professions with opinions: Likewise, words like |
| underlining or highlighting you did in an English or | | | | "lawyers" and "engineers" should be underlined. |
| literature class in high school or college. Here, you | | | | - Author's opinion: The author's opinion is critical in |
| are underlining merely to set up markers that will | | | | LSAT reading comprehension passages and should |
| help you flag down pertinent information later on. | | | | always be underlined because it is either the actual |
| The following words, phrases, and sections are | | | | main point of the passage or will help you |
| what you should underline when you read through | | | | determine the main point. |
| LSAT reading comprehension passages. | | | | - Words that indicate order: Words like "first" or |
| - Names of important people or concepts: | | | | "second," or references to years (e.g., 1776) are |
| Underline a person's name whenever it appears. If, | | | | important because they help you set up a |
| however, a passage is not about any one person | | | | sequence of facts that will help you find |
| and, instead, discusses a certain concept like, for | | | | information later. |
| example, physics, underline that concept | | | | - Conjunctions and transitional phrases: Words like |
| whenever it is mentioned. | | | | "but," "whereas," and "because" are also critical |
| - Words that indicate certainty: Words like | | | | because they often lead into a part of a sentence |
| "exactly" and "totally" set forth a level of | | | | that yields important information. |
| certainty or predictability about information. | | | | This list is not exhaustive, but it is an excellent |
| Questions will usually target answers that address | | | | guide for underlining key words, phrases, and |
| that kind of certainty. | | | | opinions. If you follow these guidelines, you should |
| - Words that indicate an opinion: Words like | | | | be able to answers questions about LSAT reading |
| "argue" and "oppose" indicate that an opinion is | | | | comprehension passages quickly, efficiently, and |
| forthcoming. Opinions are very important because | | | | correctly. |
| they help answer main point questions and might | | | | |