Main Conclusion guide
Main Conclusion questions ask which statement the argument is ultimately trying to establish — the claim the other statements are there to support, not a premise and not a stepping-stone along the way.
The method
- Find the claim that the rest of the argument supports — apply the 'therefore' test.
- Distinguish premises (the support) from the conclusion (the point).
- Watch for intermediate conclusions: a claim can be supported and still not be the main one.
- Separate a recommendation from the conclusion that justifies it.
How to identify the main conclusion in an argument
Map each sentence by function: background, evidence, intermediate conclusion or final claim. The main conclusion is the claim the author most wants you to accept. It may appear at the start or middle, and conclusion words are clues rather than guarantees.
Use the therefore test in both directions. If sentence A is offered because of sentence B, A is the conclusion and B is support. Then ask whether another claim sits above A in the chain. A supported claim can still be only an intermediate conclusion.
Final check before you answer
- Ask what single claim the other statements are trying to establish.
- Separate evidence about an outcome from the recommendation based on it.
- Check whether your choice supports a later claim and is therefore only intermediate.
Worked method example: evidence is not the final claim
Original teaching example. It is not a live provider question or a premium bank item.
Customer interviews identify onboarding as the main source of confusion. Support tickets peak during each customer's first week, and a two-week guided-onboarding pilot reduced those tickets. The company should therefore make guided onboarding standard.
Task: What is the main conclusion?
Answer: The company should make guided onboarding standard.
Why: The interviews, ticket pattern and pilot result are all offered to support that recommendation. The pilot result is evidence, not the argument's final point.
Strongest trap: Choosing the reduced-ticket result mistakes a premise for the claim that the whole argument is trying to establish.
Common mistakes
- Picking a premise instead of the conclusion.
- Picking an intermediate conclusion partway through the chain.
- Confusing a recommendation with the main conclusion.
- Choosing the most strongly worded sentence rather than the supported one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a premise from the conclusion?
Put 'therefore' in front of each candidate. The conclusion is the one the others lead to, not the one that provides the reason.
Practise this now
Preview the question styleOpen the drill
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