Reference
Resolution

Master the skill of tracing pronouns, phrases, and references back to what they actually refer to in LSAT Reading Comprehension passages.

LSAT Reading Comprehension

What Is Reference Resolution?

In LSAT passages, authors constantly use pronouns (it, they, this, such), demonstratives (this argument, that approach), and summary noun phrases (the theory, the criticism) to refer back to ideas introduced earlier. Reference resolution is the skill of identifying exactly what each of these words or phrases points to.

Why Reference Resolution Matters

Accuracy

Misidentifying what "it" or "this" refers to leads to choosing answers that describe the wrong concept entirely.

Speed

Strong reference resolution lets you read passages faster because you track ideas without re-reading whole paragraphs.

Frequency

Nearly every LSAT RC passage contains 5+ pronouns or summary phrases that could trip you up on at least one question.

Three Types of References

1

Pronouns: Words like it, they, them, their, its, he, she. These replace a specific noun or noun phrase introduced earlier in the text.

2

Demonstratives: Phrases like this view, that claim, these findings, such reasoning. These point to a broader idea, argument, or set of evidence.

3

Summary Noun Phrases: Phrases like the theory, the criticism, the approach. These repackage a previously described concept under a new label.

The Core Rule

Proximity vs. Logic

Pronouns vs. Demonstratives

	Pronouns	Demonstratives
Examples	it, they, their, its	this view, that claim, such
Refers to	A specific noun or entity	A broader idea, claim, or argument
Scope	Narrow: one word or phrase	Wide: can span a full sentence or paragraph
Difficulty	Usually straightforward	Often tricky: requires synthesis
LSAT Trap	Two possible nouns nearby	Refers to something 3+ sentences back

How to Apply Reference Resolution

1

Identify the reference. Spot the pronoun, demonstrative, or summary phrase the question asks about (or that you encounter while reading).

2

Scan backward. Read the preceding sentence(s) looking for a noun or idea that matches in number, type, and context.

3

Substitute and test. Replace the reference with your candidate antecedent. Does the sentence still make logical sense?

4

Check for traps. If a closer noun seems to fit but makes the overall argument incoherent, look further back for the true antecedent.

5

Match to answer choices. The correct answer will paraphrase the antecedent: it does not need to use the exact same words.

Example 1: Simple Pronoun

"The committee proposed a new regulation for carbon emissions. Several industry groups challenged the regulation, arguing that it would impose excessive costs on small manufacturers."

Example 2: Demonstrative Phrase

"Some legal scholars argue that originalism provides the most stable framework for constitutional interpretation. Others counter that the framers' intentions are unknowable and that relying on historical context leads to regressive outcomes. This criticism has gained traction in recent decades."

Example 3: Distant Antecedent

"Proponents of restorative justice argue that it reduces recidivism more effectively than punitive measures. A 2018 meta-analysis confirmed lower re-offense rates among participants. However, critics note that the studies suffer from selection bias. Despite these concerns, the movement continues to grow."

Recognizing Question Stems

LSAT questions that test reference resolution often use these phrasings:

1

"The phrase 'this approach' (line 24) most likely refers to..."

2

"The word 'it' in the second paragraph refers to..."

3

"Which of the following is the '__(noun phrase)__' mentioned in line 37?"

4

"The author uses the term 'such evidence' to describe..."

The Reference Chain

Agreement Clues

Use grammatical agreement as a first filter to narrow candidate antecedents:

Number

"it" = singular antecedent. "they/them" = plural antecedent. "these" = plural concept or group.

Type

"this approach" = a method. "this view" = an opinion. "such evidence" = data or findings. Match the category.

Role

Is the reference the subject or object of the sentence? The antecedent must play a logically compatible role in the passage.

Common Mistakes

✕ Grabbing the Nearest Noun

Selecting the closest noun without checking if it logically fits the sentence. Proximity is a clue, not a guarantee.

✕ Ignoring Number Agreement

Matching a singular pronoun like "it" with a plural noun, or "these" with a single concept. Always check singular vs. plural.

✕ Confusing Author vs. Cited View

When a passage describes someone else's argument, "this view" may refer to the cited scholar's position, not the author's own.

Reference Resolution Summary

Step	Action	Watch For
1. Identify	Spot the pronoun or phrase	Question stem keywords
2. Scan Back	Find candidate antecedents	Multiple competing nouns
3. Filter	Check number, type, role	Singular/plural mismatch
4. Substitute	Replace reference with candidate	Logical incoherence
5. Match	Find the paraphrase in choices	Exact wording traps

Question 1 of 5

"Behaviorist psychologists argued that all learning could be explained through stimulus-response associations. Cognitive scientists later demonstrated that organisms form internal mental representations. This finding undermined the behaviorist claim that mental states are irrelevant to learning."

▼ Tap to read passage

The phrase "this finding" in the passage most likely refers to:

"This finding" is a summary noun phrase pointing back to the cognitive scientists' demonstration that organisms form internal mental representations. It is this specific discovery that undermined the behaviorist position.

Question 2 of 5

"The mayor announced a plan to expand public transit. The city council endorsed the plan but proposed amendments to reduce its projected cost."

▼ Tap to read passage

The word "its" most likely refers to:

"Its" is singular and possessive. The council proposed amendments to reduce the plan's projected cost. Substituting "the plan" yields: "reduce the plan's projected cost" — which fits perfectly. The trap is (B), but the amendments don't have a "projected cost" to reduce.

Question 3 of 5

"Some ethicists defend utilitarianism on the grounds that it maximizes overall welfare. Others argue that such reasoning ignores individual rights by treating people merely as means to aggregate happiness."

▼ Tap to read passage

The phrase "such reasoning" most likely refers to:

"Such reasoning" is a demonstrative phrase that refers back to the type of reasoning just described: the utilitarian defense based on maximizing overall welfare. The critics say this kind of reasoning ignores individual rights. (D) is tempting but describes the critics' objection, not the reasoning they object to.

Question 4 of 5

"The researchers analyzed data from three clinical trials. Two of the trials showed significant improvement in patient outcomes; the third showed none. They concluded that the treatment was effective in most populations but called for further study."

▼ Tap to read passage

The word "They" at the beginning of the final sentence most likely refers to:

"They concluded" and "called for further study" are actions only the researchers can perform. Trials and populations do not "conclude" or "call for" anything. The nearest plural noun is "two of the trials," but the logical fit test rules it out immediately.

Question 5 of 5

"Formalist legal theorists hold that judicial decisions should be derived solely from the text of statutes and precedents. Legal realists counter that judges inevitably incorporate social values into their rulings. Proponents of the formalist position insist that acknowledging this would erode the rule of law."

▼ Tap to read passage

In context, "this" in the final sentence most likely refers to:

The formalists insist that acknowledging the realist claim — that judges incorporate social values — would erode the rule of law. "This" refers to the immediately preceding idea the formalists are responding to. (A) is the formalists' own view; they would not say acknowledging their own view erodes the law. (D) is too broad.

ReferenceResolution

What Is Reference Resolution?

Why Reference Resolution Matters

Three Types of References

The Core Rule

Proximity vs. Logic

Pronouns vs. Demonstratives

How to Apply Reference Resolution

Example 1: Simple Pronoun

Example 2: Demonstrative Phrase

Example 3: Distant Antecedent

Recognizing Question Stems

The Reference Chain

Agreement Clues

Common Mistakes

Reference Resolution Summary

Question 1 of 5

Question 2 of 5

Question 3 of 5

Question 4 of 5

Question 5 of 5

Reference
Resolution