Assumption questions are where careful readers pull ahead. Every LSAT argument leaves something out — a bridge between what it tells you and what it concludes. Your job on an assumption question is to name that missing bridge. Do it well and you also get better at Flaw, Strengthen, and Weaken questions, because they all live on the same gap.

This page is a practice set. It gives you a fast method refresher, then a set of original assumption questions written in the current LSAT Logical Reasoning style, each with the answer and a full explanation. None of these are real LSAC questions — they're Lovare practice built to drill the exact skills the test rewards. When you want scored, official items, go straight to LawHub (LSAC's official practice platform).

Quick note on the current LSAT format

Since August 2024, the LSAT has two scored Logical Reasoning sections and one scored Reading Comprehension section, plus one unscored section, scored 120–180. Logic Games (Analytical Reasoning) is gone. That means Logical Reasoning is now worth roughly two-thirds of your score — and assumption questions appear several times per section. Getting sharp here moves your number more than almost anything else you can drill.

Method refresher: the two kinds of assumption

Before you touch a question, know which kind you're being asked for. The stem tells you.

Necessary assumption

Stems: "The argument depends on assuming which of the following?" / "Which of the following is an assumption required by the argument?" You want the premise the argument cannot do without. It may not prove the conclusion — it just has to be true for the argument to have any chance.

The Negation Test is your weapon. Negate the answer choice. If negating it destroys the argument, it's necessary — that's your answer. If the argument still stands after you negate it, it wasn't required. This single technique resolves most necessary-assumption questions.

Sufficient assumption

Stems: "Which of the following, if assumed, allows the conclusion to be properly drawn?" / "The conclusion follows logically if which of the following is assumed?" You want a premise that, when added, guarantees the conclusion — makes the argument airtight. These reward tracking the terms: find the new idea in the conclusion that never appeared in the premises, and connect it.

The four wrong-answer patterns

• Too strong: a sweeping claim ("always," "only," "never") the argument doesn't actually need. Common trap on necessary questions, where the correct answer is often modest.
• Too weak: helps a little but doesn't fill the gap. Common trap on sufficient questions, which demand a guarantee.
• Out of scope: introduces a term or comparison the argument never made.
• Already stated: restates a premise. An assumption is unstated by definition — if it's already there, it's not the assumption.

How to work each question below

Read the stimulus once for the argument. Find the conclusion, then the support. Ask: what has to be true to get from that support to that conclusion? Predict the gap in your own words before you read the choices. Then attack. For necessary questions, negate suspicious answers. For sufficient questions, plug the answer in and see if the conclusion becomes forced. Answers and explanations follow the set — resist peeking until you've committed.

The Practice Set

Ten original questions, mixed necessary and sufficient, roughly in ascending difficulty. Full explanations are in the practice_items and repeated below.

Question 1 (Necessary)

Restaurant critic: The new bistro on Fifth Street will not last a year. Its prices are far higher than those of any other restaurant in the neighborhood, and neighborhood residents rarely spend that much on a meal.

The argument depends on assuming which one of the following?

(A) The bistro's food is not significantly better than that of other neighborhood restaurants. (B) The bistro relies primarily on neighborhood residents for its business. (C) No restaurant with high prices has ever survived in the neighborhood. (D) The bistro's owners have no experience running a restaurant. (E) Neighborhood residents dine out frequently.

Question 2 (Sufficient)

Manager: Employees who telecommute report higher job satisfaction than those who work in the office. Therefore, if we want to raise overall job satisfaction, we should allow more employees to telecommute.

The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

(A) Some employees prefer working in the office. (B) Allowing more employees to telecommute would raise their job satisfaction to the level of current telecommuters. (C) Job satisfaction is the most important factor in employee productivity. (D) Telecommuting has no effect on the satisfaction of employees who remain in the office. (E) Most employees would choose to telecommute if allowed.

Question 3 (Necessary)

Scientist: The extinct dodo bird could not fly. We know this because its wing bones were far too small relative to its body to support flight.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?

(A) No flightless bird has ever had large wing bones. (B) Wing-bone-to-body ratio is the only factor that determines whether a bird can fly. (C) Birds with wing bones too small to support flight cannot fly. (D) The dodo had no other means of locomotion. (E) All birds capable of flight have proportionally large wing bones.

Question 4 (Sufficient)

Editorial: The city should not build the proposed stadium. Public funds should be spent only on projects that benefit all residents, and the stadium would benefit only sports fans.

The conclusion is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed?

(A) The stadium would be funded entirely with public funds. (B) Sports fans make up a minority of city residents. (C) There are better uses for the city's public funds. (D) Most residents oppose the stadium. (E) The stadium would generate no revenue for the city.

Question 5 (Necessary)

Nutritionist: People who eat breakfast weigh less on average than people who skip it. So skipping breakfast must cause weight gain.

The argument depends on which one of the following assumptions?

(A) Everyone who eats breakfast is at a healthy weight. (B) The lower weight of breakfast-eaters is not primarily explained by some factor other than eating breakfast. (C) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. (D) People who skip breakfast eat more at other meals. (E) Weight is determined entirely by eating habits.

Question 6 (Sufficient)

Coach: Marcus practices more than any other player on the team. Any player who practices that much will make the starting lineup. So Marcus will make the starting lineup.

This argument is actually complete — so consider instead: Coach: Marcus practices more than any other player on the team. Therefore he will make the starting lineup.

The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

(A) Marcus is the most talented player on the team. (B) The player who practices most will make the starting lineup. (C) Practice is more important than talent for making the lineup. (D) No player who practices less than Marcus will make the lineup. (E) Marcus has never missed a practice.

Question 7 (Necessary)

Columnist: The proposed tax on sugary drinks will reduce consumption of those drinks, which will improve public health. Therefore the tax should be adopted.

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

(A) The tax will not have offsetting negative effects that outweigh the public-health benefit. (B) Sugary drinks are the leading cause of poor public health. (C) People will switch entirely to water. (D) The tax will generate significant revenue. (E) No other measure would improve public health as effectively.

Question 8 (Sufficient)

Critic: This novel deserves the award. It is beautifully written, and the award should go to whichever nominated novel is beautifully written.

Consider the leaner version — Critic: This novel is beautifully written. Therefore it deserves the award.

The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

(A) No other nominated novel is beautifully written. (B) Any beautifully written novel deserves the award. (C) The award should reward writing above all else. (D) The novel has been nominated for the award. (E) Beautiful writing is rare among the nominees.

Question 9 (Necessary)

Doctor: This patient's fever will break by morning. She has been given the antibiotic, and patients given this antibiotic recover quickly.

The argument depends on assuming which one of the following?

(A) The antibiotic has no side effects. (B) The patient's illness is one the antibiotic is effective against. (C) The patient will take the full course of the antibiotic. (D) No other treatment would work as quickly. (E) The patient has a fever caused by infection.

Question 10 (Sufficient)

Analyst: The company's profits rose last quarter. Since a company's stock price rises whenever its profits rise, the company's stock price rose last quarter.

Consider — Analyst: The company's profits rose last quarter. Therefore its stock price rose last quarter.

The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

(A) The company's profits rose more than analysts expected. (B) A company's stock price rises whenever its profits rise. (C) Rising profits are the main driver of stock prices. (D) The company had no other bad news last quarter. (E) The stock market rose overall last quarter.

How to review this set

Getting a question right isn't the goal — knowing why the other four are wrong is. For every question, name the trap category for each wrong choice (too strong, too weak, out of scope, already stated). If you missed one, don't just read the explanation and move on. Redo the question a day later from scratch. And on necessary questions especially, physically practice the Negation Test until it's automatic — it converts "I think it's B" into "I can prove it's B."

Track the kind of assumption you miss. If sufficient questions trip you, you're probably under-tracking the new term in the conclusion. If necessary questions trip you, you're probably picking answers that are too strong — the LSAT loves a modest, easily-overlooked correct answer here.

Where to get official scored practice

These are original Lovare questions built to match the current LSAT style. For the real thing — scored PrepTests and official Logical Reasoning sections — use LawHub, LSAC's official platform. Blend both: drill skills with sets like this one, then measure yourself under timed conditions on official material.