Main Point questions ask you to identify the author's primary conclusion — the central claim that all other sentences support. Unlike Must Be True, the answer must reflect the author's specific point of view, not just any logical inference from the text.
A) The Core Distinction from Must Be True
In Must Be True, any valid inference qualifies. In Main Point, the answer must capture the author's primary conclusion — the one thing the author is most trying to convince you of. Supporting premises are also true, but they are not the main point.
B) Argument Structure
An argument gives one or more ideas as reasons to accept one or more other ideas. It has three structural elements:
- Premises: ideas given as reasons. Marked by: because, since, for, given that, as evidenced by, after all, in light of the fact that, for the reason that.
- Conclusion: the claim being supported. Marked by: therefore, thus, so, hence, consequently, as a result, in conclusion, this shows that, it follows that.
- Implied premises: ideas the argument requires but does not state explicitly. These are what Assumption questions target.
C) Types of Conclusions to Recognize
- Factual conclusion: "X is true." The author is claiming a fact they believe follows from evidence.
- Causal conclusion: "A causes B." The author claims one thing explains another.
- Predictive conclusion: "X will happen." The author predicts a future outcome.
- Prescriptive / Evaluative / Interpretive: see Reasoning Foundations E) for full definitions.
D) The Why Test
Ask "Why does the author believe X?" If Y answers that question, Y is a premise and X is the conclusion. A conclusion cannot itself be the answer to "Why does the author believe this?" — it IS the thing being supported.
E) The Five Trap Types
- Premise repeat: states one of the supporting facts as if it were the main conclusion. Very common.
- Too narrow: captures only one aspect of the argument when the conclusion is broader.
- Too broad: makes a sweeping claim that goes beyond what the author actually argues.
- Extreme language: exaggerates with "always," "never," "must" when the author only claims "likely" or "generally."
- Opposite: contradicts the author's actual conclusion.
F) Strategy
- Identify every conclusion indicator and premise indicator in the stimulus.
- Map out: premises → sub-conclusions → main conclusion.
- The main conclusion is supported by evidence but does not itself support anything else in the stimulus.
- Paraphrase the main conclusion in your own words before reading choices.
- Eliminate answers that restate premises or use language more extreme than the original conclusion.