Fundamentals

Spot the Premise

Certain words signal that a reason is being given. Learn to recognize them.

Quick recap

Arguments have two parts

Every argument has a conclusion — the claim being defended — and at least one premise — the reason offered in its support.

Certain words signal that a premise is coming. Learning to recognize them will help you see how arguments are put together.

Example

You should carry an umbrella today because the forecast calls for rain.

The word because signals that what follows — the forecast calls for rain — is the reason being given. The claim before it — you should carry an umbrella — is the conclusion being supported.

Premise indicators point toward reasons. They tell you: "here is why I believe this."

There are many premise indicator words and phrases. In the game, your job is to find them. Click any word or phrase you think is signaling a premise.

Watch out — some words signal conclusions instead. The feedback will help you tell them apart.

Words that signal a premise

Because is the most common premise indicator — but it has many companions. All of these words do the same job: they introduce a reason.

Example

We cannot trust this study given that it was funded by the industry it evaluated.

The phrase given that signals that what follows is the reason — the premise. The claim before it is the conclusion being supported.

There are many others like it. You'll encounter them in the game. Each time you find one, you'll get feedback explaining what it's doing. At the end, you'll see the full list of everything you discovered.

Conclusion indicator words will appear as distractors. If you click one by mistake, the feedback will explain the difference.

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What you discovered

Premise indicator words

These words and phrases signal that a reason is being given — that a premise is coming. You encountered all of them in the game.

because since given that for as seeing that inasmuch as in light of on the grounds that after all this is supported by

Conclusion indicators you also saw

These signal a conclusion is coming — they point the other way.

therefore thus hence so consequently