LSAT Reading Flashcards: Reference Resolution

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Reference Resolution, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for LSAT Reading.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Identify the referent: "The plan angered the committee because it felt ignored." What does "it" refer to?

Answer: The committee. "It" refers to what felt ignored (committee), matching the emotion.

Flashcard 2: Identify the referent: "The policy had one flaw: it ignored rural costs." What does "one flaw" refer to?

Answer: Ignoring rural costs. The colon introduces the specific flaw being identified.

Flashcard 3: What is the key grammatical check when resolving "this/that" used as a noun?

Answer: It must refer to a specific prior idea, claim, event, or situation. "This" as a noun points to abstract concepts, not just objects.

Flashcard 4: Which option best resolves "such" in "such a claim" or "such methods"?

Answer: It points to the specific claim or methods just mentioned. "Such" creates a direct link to the exact type just described.

Flashcard 5: What is reference resolution in LSAT Reading Comprehension?

Answer: Identifying what a pronoun or pointer phrase refers to in context. Pronouns and phrases like "this" point back to earlier nouns or ideas.

Flashcard 6: Which reading task is most directly tested by pronouns like "it," "they," and "this"?

Answer: Linking each pronoun to its precise antecedent. Pronouns force readers to identify their specific noun antecedents.

Flashcard 7: Which grammatical check most quickly rules out a wrong antecedent for "it"?

Answer: Number agreement: "it" must match a singular antecedent. Singular pronouns require singular antecedents to match.

Flashcard 8: Identify the referent: "The policy reduced costs but increased delays. This undermined support." What does "This" refer to?

Answer: The increase in delays (the immediately prior outcome causing the effect). "This" refers to the negative outcome that caused the undermining.

Flashcard 9: What is the key grammatical check when resolving "it/its"?

Answer: Singular agreement: the antecedent must be singular and non-human in context. "It" refers to singular things, not people in formal writing.

Flashcard 10: What is a pointer phrase that often requires reference resolution?

Answer: A phrase like "this," "that," "these," "such," or "the former/latter". These demonstratives point to previously mentioned concepts.

Flashcard 11: Identify the referent: "A and B were proposed. The former is cheaper." What is "the former"?

Answer: A. "Former" refers to the first item in the preceding list.

Flashcard 12: Identify the referent: "The author rejects the hypothesis. This is surprising." What does "This" refer to?

Answer: The author's rejection of the hypothesis. "This" refers to the action described (rejecting the hypothesis).

Flashcard 13: Identify the referent: "Researchers interviewed doctors and patients. They reported high stress." Who reported high stress?

Answer: Patients. Stress reporting fits patients (interviewees) not researchers.

Flashcard 14: Identify the referents: "Cats and dogs are agile and loyal, respectively." Which trait matches dogs?

Answer: Loyal. "Respectively" pairs items in order: cats-agile, dogs-loyal.

Flashcard 15: Identify the referent: "Maria criticized Elena because she was late." Who was late if "because" gives the reason for criticizing?

Answer: Elena was late. "Because" clause explains Maria's action, so lateness belongs to Elena.

Flashcard 16: Identify the antecedent: "The committee rejected the proposal because it was costly."

Answer: the proposal. "It" matches "proposal" (costly thing) not "committee" (group of people).

Flashcard 17: What does "the latter" refer to when two items were just listed?

Answer: The second of the two items. In a pair, "latter" always means the second mentioned.

Flashcard 18: Which grammatical check most quickly rules out a wrong antecedent for "they"?

Answer: Number agreement: "they" must match a plural antecedent. Plural pronouns require plural antecedents to be grammatically correct.

Flashcard 19: Identify the referent: "The committee rejected the plan because it was risky." What does "it" refer to?

Answer: The plan. "It" refers to what was rejected (the plan), not who rejected.

Flashcard 20: Identify the referent: "The theory is elegant, but it is untestable." What is "it"?

Answer: the theory. "It" refers to the singular noun "theory" that can be untestable.

Flashcard 21: What is an antecedent in reference resolution?

Answer: The earlier noun phrase that a later pronoun or pointer refers to. The pronoun points back to this previously mentioned noun or phrase.

Flashcard 22: What is the most common trap in reference resolution questions?

Answer: Choosing a nearby noun that fits grammar but does not fit the author's logic. Test answers trap you with grammatically correct but illogical matches.

Flashcard 23: What is the most reliable default rule for resolving "this" or "that" in dense prose?

Answer: Prefer the nearest logically compatible prior idea or noun phrase. Proximity plus logical fit usually identifies the correct referent.

Flashcard 24: What is the best practice when "this/that" could refer to multiple prior ideas?

Answer: Tie it to the specific claim that the current sentence evaluates or explains. Match "this/that" to the idea the sentence directly comments on.

Flashcard 25: What does "respectively" signal for reference resolution in paired lists?

Answer: Items match in order: first-to-first, second-to-second, etc. "Respectively" creates one-to-one mappings in the order presented.

Flashcard 26: Which option best resolves "former" in "the former ... the latter"?

Answer: "Former" refers to the first of the two items mentioned. In paired references, "former" always means the first-mentioned item.

Flashcard 27: Identify the antecedent: "The committee rejected the proposal because it was divided."

Answer: the committee. "It" matches "committee" (can be divided) not "proposal" (abstract idea).

Flashcard 28: Identify the referent: "Maria criticized Elena because she was strict." Who was strict if it explains the criticism?

Answer: Maria was strict. Strictness explains why Maria criticized, making it Maria's trait.

Flashcard 29: Identify the mapping: "A and B affect X and Y, respectively." Which affects Y?

Answer: B affects Y. "Respectively" pairs second item (B) with second effect (Y).

Flashcard 30: Identify the referent: "Some critics praise the method. Others reject it." What is "it"?

Answer: the method. "It" refers to the singular noun "method" that can be rejected.

Flashcard 31: Identify the referent: "Researchers tested two drugs. They were skeptical." What does "They" refer to?

Answer: The researchers. "They" refers to who felt skeptical (the researchers).

Flashcard 32: Identify the referent: "The study found no effect, a result that critics dispute." What does "a result" refer to?

Answer: The finding of no effect. Appositives rename or restate the immediately preceding phrase.

Flashcard 33: Identify the referent: "The committee rejected the proposal. This surprised analysts." What does "This" refer to?

Answer: The committee rejecting the proposal. "This" refers to the entire action/event, not just the proposal.

Flashcard 34: What is the key grammatical check when resolving "they/their/them"?

Answer: Plural agreement: the antecedent must be plural or a plural collective. "They" can only refer to plural nouns or groups.

Flashcard 35: Find the correct referent: "The author cites Smith, but she later disputes the data." Who is "she"?

Answer: the author. "She" refers to the subject "author" not the cited "Smith".

Flashcard 36: Identify the referent: "A and B were proposed. The latter is cheaper." What is "the latter"?

Answer: B. "Latter" refers to the second item in the preceding list.

Flashcard 37: Identify the referent: "The experiments were flawed; this undermines the conclusion." What is "this"?

Answer: the fact that the experiments were flawed. "This" often refers to an entire preceding statement or situation.

Flashcard 38: What is the correct resolution rule when two candidates fit grammar but only one fits causality?

Answer: Choose the antecedent that makes the stated cause-and-effect coherent. Logic trumps proximity when both options fit grammatically.

Flashcard 39: Which option best resolves "latter" in "the former ... the latter"?

Answer: "Latter" refers to the second of the two items mentioned. In paired references, "latter" always means the second-mentioned item.

Flashcard 40: What is the key danger of resolving references by proximity alone?

Answer: You may pick a nearby noun that is not logically compatible. The nearest noun might not make logical sense in context.

Flashcard 41: What is the primary rule for resolving a pronoun reference in a passage?

Answer: Match the pronoun to the nearest grammatically and logically valid antecedent. Look for the closest noun that agrees in number and makes logical sense.

Flashcard 42: Identify the referent: "Some argue the law deters innovation. This argument assumes firms avoid risk." What does "This argument" refer to?

Answer: The claim that the law deters innovation. "This argument" points to the entire preceding claim about deterrence.

Flashcard 43: Identify the referent: "Two theories emerged: A and B. The latter gained support." Which theory gained support?

Answer: Theory B. "Latter" always refers to the second of two previously mentioned items.

Flashcard 44: What does "the former" refer to when two items were just listed?

Answer: The first of the two items. In a pair, "former" always means the first mentioned.

Flashcard 45: Identify the referent: "Researchers tested two drugs. They reduced symptoms." What does "They" refer to?

Answer: The two drugs. "They" refers to what reduced symptoms (the drugs tested).