Questions: Argument Structure: Premises and Conclusions

Question 1

In the passage 'The roads are icy, so you should drive slowly,' which part is the conclusion?

• A. 'The roads are icy'
• B. 'you should drive slowly'
• C. Both are conclusions
• D. Neither — this is an observation, not an argument

Answer: (B)

'So' is a conclusion indicator word: it signals that what follows is being claimed on the basis of what came before. 'The roads are icy' is the premise (the reason offered), and 'you should drive slowly' is the conclusion (the claim being supported). The argument could also be written with 'because': 'Drive slowly, because the roads are icy.'

Question 2

In a written argument, the conclusion is expected to appear as the final sentence.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

The conclusion can appear anywhere — at the beginning, middle, or end of a passage. In persuasive writing, conclusions often appear first (thesis-first structure), with premises following as supporting evidence. Identifying the conclusion requires recognizing its logical role, not its position in the text.

Question 3

What is the difference between an argument and a mere assertion, and why does it matter for critical thinking?

Model answer: An assertion is a claim made without supporting reasons. An argument provides one or more premises as reasons to accept the conclusion. The difference matters because only arguments can be evaluated for logical validity — mere assertions give you nothing to assess beyond whether you already agree.

Critical thinking requires engaging with reasons, not just claims. If someone asserts 'X is true,' you can agree or disagree, but there is no logical structure to analyze. If they argue 'X is true because of P1 and P2,' you can ask whether P1 and P2 are accurate and whether they actually support X. This is the starting point for all rational evaluation.