Strengthen an
Argument

Master the art of identifying answer choices that support a conclusion by filling logical gaps between evidence and claim.

GRE Verbal

What Is an Argument?

On the GRE, an "argument" is not a debate: it is a structured set of statements in which evidence (also called premises) is offered in support of a conclusion. Every strengthen question asks you to find the answer choice that makes the conclusion more likely to be true.

Evidence

Facts, data, or observations the author presents as given.

Assumption

Unstated link the author takes for granted between evidence and conclusion.

Conclusion

The claim the author is trying to prove, often signaled by "therefore" or "thus."

Anatomy of a Strengthen Question

Recognizing the Question Stem

The GRE uses specific language to signal a strengthen question. Learn to spot these phrasings instantly so you can shift into the right problem-solving mode.

1

"Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?"

2

"Which of the following provides the most support for the conclusion above?"

3

"Which of the following, if true, most justifies the claim made?"

4

"Which additional piece of evidence would best support the author's reasoning?"

The Core Rule

The Assumption Bridge

Every argument rests on at least one unstated assumption. The fastest way to strengthen an argument is to confirm its hidden assumption. If you can identify what the author takes for granted, the correct answer will often directly validate that assumption.

Strategy A

Validate the assumption: state the hidden link explicitly.

Strategy B

Eliminate an alternative cause: rule out other explanations for the evidence.

Strategy C

Provide additional supporting evidence that parallels the original reasoning.

Strengthen vs. Weaken

	Strengthen	Weaken
Goal	Make conclusion more likely	Make conclusion less likely
Assumption	Confirm the hidden link	Attack the hidden link
Alt. Cause	Rule out alternatives	Introduce alternatives
Evidence	Add supporting data	Add contradicting data

How to Apply the Method

1

Read the stimulus carefully. Identify the conclusion (look for signal words: "therefore," "thus," "consequently," "it follows that").

2

Isolate the evidence. What specific facts, observations, or data does the author provide?

3

Find the gap. Ask: "What must be true for this evidence to lead to this conclusion?" That is the assumption.

4

Predict the answer. Before looking at choices, articulate what a strengthening fact would look like.

5

Evaluate each choice. Ask: "If this is true, does it make the conclusion more likely?" Pick the best match.

Worked Example 1

Stimulus: A city introduced free public transit last year. Since then, traffic congestion in the city center has decreased by 15%. Therefore, the free transit program is responsible for the reduction in congestion.

Worked Example 2

Stimulus: Researchers found that employees who attend mindfulness workshops report lower stress levels. Thus, companies should implement mindfulness workshops to reduce workplace stress for all employees.

Worked Example 3: Higher Difficulty

Stimulus: A new antibiotic was tested in a clinical trial. Patients receiving the antibiotic recovered, on average, two days faster than patients receiving a placebo. However, critics argue the trial was too small to be meaningful. Nevertheless, the pharmaceutical company concludes that the drug is effective and should be approved.

Common Trap Answer Types

Irrelevant Scope

Introduces a topic outside the argument's scope. Sounds smart but does not connect evidence to conclusion.

Reversal Trap

Actually weakens the argument. Read carefully: the choice may seem related but undermines the conclusion.

Too Extreme

Goes far beyond what is needed. Proving something "always" or "never" true is not required to strengthen.

Restates Evidence

Merely repeats what the stimulus already says. Restating evidence does not bridge any gap.

Common Mistakes

✕ Confusing Strengthen with Prove

The correct answer only needs to make the conclusion more likely. It does not have to guarantee it. Do not reject a good answer because it is not "proof."

✕ Ignoring the Conclusion

Students often focus on evidence and pick choices that support the premises rather than the conclusion. Always re-read the conclusion before evaluating choices.

✕ Picking Based on Truth

Every answer choice is prefaced by "if true." Do not eliminate a choice because it seems unlikely in reality. Evaluate its logical effect, not its real-world plausibility.

Common Argument Patterns

Pattern	How to Strengthen
Causal Claim	Rule out alternative causes or show a mechanism
Analogy	Show the two things compared are relevantly similar
Statistical Sample	Confirm the sample is representative of the population
Prediction	Show conditions are consistent with the prediction's basis
Plan / Proposal	Show the plan is feasible and no obstacles prevent it

Quick Checklist

✓

Identify the conclusion before reading any answer choices.

✓

Articulate the gap between evidence and conclusion in your own words.

✓

Predict a strengthening fact before reviewing answer choices.

✓

For each choice, ask: "If true, does this make the conclusion more likely?"

✓

Eliminate choices that are irrelevant, that weaken, or that merely restate evidence.

Question 1 of 5

A study found that students who eat breakfast every day score, on average, 12% higher on standardized tests than students who skip breakfast. Therefore, schools should provide free breakfast programs to improve academic performance.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

Choice (B) directly shows that when breakfast-skipping students receive breakfast, their scores improve: this bridges the gap between correlation and causation. (A) introduces a confounding variable. (C) is an appeal to authority, not evidence. (D) addresses cost, not effectiveness.

Question 2 of 5

A city banned single-use plastic bags last year. Since the ban, the amount of plastic waste in local waterways has decreased by 20%. City officials conclude that the bag ban is primarily responsible for the reduction in plastic waste.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the officials' conclusion?

Choice (C) eliminates alternative causes for the reduction, confirming the bag ban is the primary factor. (A) is supportive but does not rule out other local causes. (B) actually weakens the argument by introducing an alternative explanation. (D) is irrelevant to local waterway results.

Question 3 of 5

A technology company argues that working from home increases productivity. The company cites data showing that remote employees completed 10% more tasks per week than their in-office counterparts during the last quarter. Consequently, the company plans to make remote work permanent for all departments.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the company's reasoning?

Choice (D) validates the comparison by confirming that the higher task count for remote workers reflects genuinely equivalent work. Without this, remote workers might have been assigned simpler tasks. (A) is about revenue, not productivity. (B) addresses preference, not effectiveness. (C) is an appeal to popularity.

Question 4 of 5

Archaeologists discovered that ancient Mayan cities had elaborate drainage systems. They concluded that the Maya possessed advanced engineering knowledge far beyond what was previously attributed to them by historians.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the archaeologists' conclusion?

Choice (A) directly supports the claim of "advanced" engineering by showing the Maya used principles that European engineers didn't formalize for centuries. This strengthens the "far beyond what was previously attributed" conclusion. (B) is about calendars, not engineering. (C) actually weakens uniqueness. (D) addresses population, not engineering knowledge.

Question 5 of 5

A nutritionist observes that people who consume at least five servings of vegetables daily have a 30% lower incidence of heart disease. She concludes that increasing vegetable consumption is an effective strategy for reducing heart disease risk in the general population.

▼ Tap to read passage

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the nutritionist's argument?

Choice (B) isolates the effect of vegetables by controlling for confounding variables, confirming that the correlation is not driven by other healthy behaviors. (A) actually introduces a confounding variable that weakens the argument. (C) is true but irrelevant to whether vegetables reduce risk. (D) addresses accessibility, not effectiveness.

Strengthen anArgument

What Is an Argument?

Anatomy of a Strengthen Question

Recognizing the Question Stem

The Core Rule

The Assumption Bridge

Strengthen vs. Weaken

How to Apply the Method

Worked Example 1

Worked Example 2

Worked Example 3: Higher Difficulty

Common Trap Answer Types

Common Mistakes

Common Argument Patterns

Quick Checklist

Question 1 of 5

Question 2 of 5

Question 3 of 5

Question 4 of 5

Question 5 of 5

Strengthen an
Argument