essay questions lnat

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Free LNAT Practice Tests 2024

Are you looking for lnat practice tests struggling to find lnat questions for revision don't want to pay for a lnat question bank.

Get your preparation for the LNAT 2024 off to a great start with some free support from the LNAT Specialists at Law Mind! Find free LNAT Practice Questions for the LNAT Multiple Choice and the LNAT Essay to help you study for your LNAT! We have hundreds of sample LNAT Practice Tests to help you to familiarise yourself with the paper and common question types. Not sure about LNAT Essays? Need to revise your LNAT Multiple Choice? Then Law Mind can help!

LNAT Practice Tests (Full Mocks)

42 | Ethics and Education (Test 1)

40 | Politics

42 | Science (Test 1)

42 | Science (Test 2)

LNAT Practice Questions (Mini Tests)

14 | Ethics and Education (Test 2)

16 | Science (Test 3)

25 | Philosophy

LNAT Free Tutorials

• Detailed Revision Tips for LNAT
• Improve Reading & Thinking Skills

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We cover every LNAT Question Type

Section a: lnat multiple choice.

LNAT Section A is a multiple choice, 42 question, 95 minute test that will test your verbal reasoning, logic and creative thinking skills. This section is the only scored section of the LNAT; meaning that this is the only section that give you your LNAT score. This will be given as out of 42. In this section, you will have 12 argumentative passages to read, each with 3 or 4 multiple choice questions.

• Lesson 1 Analysis Multiple Choice
• Lesson 2 Literary Multiple Choice
• Lesson 3 Timing Strategies
• Lesson 4 Timing Contingencies
• Lesson 5 Assumptions vs. Text
• Lesson 6 LNAT Test Day
• Lesson 7 Tips from the Experts
• Lesson 8 Summary and Overview

Analysis Multiple Choice

These are the kinds of multiple choice question where you are asked to sum up or identify ideas behind the passage. This may involve identifying the ‘main reason’ behind the writer’s argument or choosing a summary of an idea. These kinds of questions are there to test your deducting, inferring and judgement skills, as you will often have to find the ‘most correct’ out of all correct answers!

Literary Multiple Choice

These are the kinds of multiple choice where you are asked to explain word choice within the text. This may involve identifying synonyms, interpreting meaning or defining language. These kinds of questions are designed to test your ability to identify, understand and use language, which is very important for a legal career.

Timing Strategies

As with all exams, it is important that you can complete the 42 questions in the time allotted. Our Law Mind tutors will guide you through LNAT Practice Questions to help you perfect your timings and increase your speed.

Timing Contingencies

What do you do if you have 10 LNAT questions left to do in 5 minutes? Don’t worry, we’ll guide you through our contingency Cheetah and Rabbit strategies just in case things go wrong!

Assumptions vs. Text

Your LNAT test is not a general knowledge test; the passages are all the information that you ought to use to get to your answer. It is important to not get too bogged down in prior knowledge, as it could distract you from the correct answer. Instead, when you do your LNAT Practice Questions, focus on logical inference based on the text.

LNAT Test Day

Understanding what will happen on your LNAT Test Day is the first step to feeling relaxed and confident.

Tips from the Experts

At Law Mind, we handpick our tutors and academics for having scored highly in the LNAT themselves and for having bags of teaching experience.

Summary and Overview

This revision lesson will re-cap all of the key LNAT Section A techniques we’ve taught you.

Section B: LNAT Essay

LNAT Section B is an essay question, where you get 40 minutes to fully answer one question in an essay. This tests your arguing and writing skills, as well as your ability to offer a point of view, defend it and present it convincingly. The maximum word count is 750, so being able to be concise is key. Although this section does not contribute to your LNAT score, it is still important as it viewed by your universities! In this section, you are given three questions, one of which you will answer in an essay. Topics can be on almost anything, from morality to medicine.

• Lesson 1 Develop your main argument
• Lesson 2 Structure your LNAT Essay
• Lesson 3 Language choice and accuracy
• Lesson 4 Timings and word count
• Lesson 5 Tips from Experts
• Lesson 6 Summary

Develop your main argument

The LNAT Essay is no place to be wishy-washy! This is the time to get an opinion and put it across as well as you can. It is important that, once you have decided on an argument, that you stick to it and develop it properly. Think about the most persuasive arguments for your point of view, and how you want to put them across.

Structure your LNAT Essay

A good LNAT Essay needs to be properly structured and have a logical flow. You will need to start with an introduction, that will lay out your plan, and end with a conclusion that will sum up and tie together your whole essay.

Language choice and accuracy

You will need to write clearly and accurately in the LNAT Essay for it to be impactful; you don’t want to distract the admissions team with spelling mistakes or clumsy wording! Improving your language use is very important and, although doing regular LNAT Practice Tests can help you to get used to this way of writing, you might want to consider doing specific revision to improve this.

Timings and word count

It may seem a lot of time, but it amazing how quickly 40 minutes can go when you are trying to plan and write an essay! You want to make sure that your LNAT Practice Tests are timed so you get used to how fast you need to write in the time. For most people, the issue with the word count is that they go over, rather than under. Make sure you count the words in each of your LNAT Practice Tests, so you can see what 750 words looks like and get used to working to this as a limit. As you practise, you will need to find ways to reduce words and cut unnecessary babble.

Tips from Experts

Hear from LNAT Decision Making experts who can give you their insight into how they did well in their LNAT and what they found useful in their preparation.

Here we wrap up everything we’ve taught you and help condense everything into the salient points as well as telling you the next steps on how to formulate your revision.

Upgrade to 1-to-1 Tutoring

Take your LNAT to the next level by adding in some of our award-winning 1-1 tutoring. Get feedback on your performance from LNAT experts and get useful tips on how you can improve your LNAT skills.

Why you should upgrade to our LNAT Online Course

Are you aiming for the best LNAT score possible? Well, if you are, we really recommend buying our online LNAT course. We break down your thinking process, and continuously improve and perfect your LNAT technique in both sections. You can also upgrade to our 1-1 tutoring services and essay marking services.

How Law Mind can help you with LNAT Preparation

We believe that a personal approach is best when it comes to teaching and learning. So when you sign-up for our 1-to-1 tutoring, we’ll create your study plan and you’ll receive ongoing support tailored to your needs. In addition, you’ll have access to a wealth of online resources to revise and test everything you learn.

Start with an expert LNAT tutor

After your consultation, we consider everything you’re looking for - from time to exam to prospective universities, and find a tutor that’s right for you. All of them are:

Build a personalised LNAT lesson plan

Your tutor will develop a personalised LNAT lesson plan for you based on the time until your test, the LNAT scores you are getting and your weak areas.

Maximise your LNAT potential

Regular homework and progress report will help you to get the most out of your tuition sessions.

So maximise your LNAT potential Start your journey now.

Book your medic mind consultation, start your law mind journey, our lnat services.

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Who are law mind.

Law Mind is an online company that helps future law students to get places on their dream law courses by getting great scores on their exams!

Are these LNAT Practice Tests really free?

Yes, they are really free! We believe that everyone should be able to achieve their educational goals, regardless of background, and so we have worked hard to create a free set of LNAT Practice Tests that you can access for free. We are always looking to add more LNAT Practice Tests to this page, and would like your input! Get in touch with us to let us know which questions you find useful, what kind of questions you want to see more of and what kinds of topics you want us to cover. We want these LNAT Practice Tests to be useful to you!

How can I get the most out of these LNAT Practice Questions?

Revision can be very individual, so you can use these LNAT Practice Questions in whatever way that suits you! Stuck for ideas? Here are a few ways our LNAT students have used these in the past: - Go through the LNAT Practice Questions and use them at the beginning of your revision. That way, you can then see what level you are starting at. - Write out LNAT Practice Question and do them at intervals over your revision. For example, when you cover a particular topic, you can do a related LNAT Practice Question you find. - Rewrite LNAT Practice Questions yourself- you can use the framework from the LNAT Practice Questions and change out topics, words and ideas so you can personalise them to you.

Which LNAT Practice Questions should I focus on the most?

Do an even mix of both Section A and Section B- even though your LNAT score is only made up from Section A, Section B is still important and your university will use it as part of your application.

Other than the LNAT Practice Questions, what else can I do to boost my LNAT score?

You want to become used to common LNAT topics and more formal ways of expressing yourself, so things like reading the newspaper can be really helpful. You need to be able to make a quick judgment on a topics, so learning more in general about the world will help you. However, it is important to remember in Section A that you should only refer to ideas in the text, so here it might be useful to read literature or opinion pieces to see how people convey their ideas. This will also help you to find ways to introduce ideas in Section B.

How many LNAT Practice Questions should I do?

There is no simple answer to this, but you want to do enough preparation that you feel relaxed and confident going into the exam. Make sure that you include timed preparation when you do your LNAT Practice Questions too, as timing can often be an issue in exams.

What can I do to boost my LNAT score more?

Law Mind provides award-winning tuition that can help you take your LNAT revision to the next level. Contact us today for more information.

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LNAT Sample Essays

• Updated on  
• Dec 3, 2022

LNAT or National Admission test for law is an aptitude test that is conducted across 89 universities in the UK before offering admissions into their law programmes . Due to an ever increasing competition, this test was developed by oxford university to solve the problems faced by institutes with respect to shortlisting candidates. LNAT is mandatory for both home as well as international students, applying for law courses in the UK . LNAT is a 130 minute long exam that consists of 2 sections; an MCQ type and an essay type. In this blog we bring you various practise questions that’ll help you ace your LNAT Sample essays.  

LNAT Sample Essays: Structure and Format

While writing the essay it is important to keep the following points in mind in order to write a well-structured essay.

• What – try to understand the motion that is put forward. Is the motion based on law, politics, economics or ethics? What exactly is being asked of you? While writing the essay you are required to display high levels of critical thinking which must be visible in your essay.
• Why – ask yourself why this question is being asked? What could be the purpose of such a statement? Provide evidence to suggest the accuracy or inaccuracy of the motion. Question why you are required to use certain terms, phrases or literary technique. Your analytical ability and persuasiveness will be put to test.
• How- how is this statement concluded and what are the practicalities of implementing it? What are the ways in which this can be challenged? How can it be enforced and monitored? You will be required to provide solid logical reasoning and demonstrate how your answer forms a conclusion.
• What if – another question you must ask yourself is about the alternatives you have provided in your essay. Are there any views to consider? What are the practical implications of the arguments you have put forth? Can those be challenges? If yes, how? Weigh in both the strengths and weaknesses of your argument.

Practise Questions 

Here are some of the best questions that can help you practise for LNAT essays: 

• What disciplinary sanctions should teachers be allowed to use?
• Make the best case you can for public funding of the arts.
• How should judges be appointed?
• ‘It is right that students should contribute to the cost of their degrees.’ Do you agree?
• Does it matter if some animal and plant species die out?
• What is ‘political correctness’ and why does it matter?
• Should the law require people to vote in general elections?
• We must be prepared to sacrifice traditional liberties to defeat terrorism.’
• Should private cars be rationed? If so, how?
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LNAT Sample Essay

Should the privacy of the accused be maintained in Criminal legal proceedings?

The criminal justice system is rooted on the principle that the suspect is innocent until proven guilty by the court of law. This principle is applicable whether the person is renowned in the public sphere, therefore making the case susceptible to prejudice or someone wholly anonymous. Therefore, I am of the opinion that wherever possible, the anonymity of the accused ought to be maintained. There are several reasons to believe so. Firstly and most importantly, the legal system ought to be free from biases and prejudices. Secondly, publishing the accused’s identity does not serve public interest. It would be a gross breach of an individual’s right to privacy when publishing the identity.

The nature of the legal process is a dialectic process; it is a rule of thumb that the prosecutor must prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.  the defence ought to cast doubt on the case of the prosecution or prove the defendant’s innocence. This process necessitates the gathering of evidence, familiarity with the facts pertinent to the case and precedents set by the previous cases. If a defendant’s anonymity is compromised that could potentially colour the legal proceedings with public prejudice. This would be antithetical to the very nature of legal process. 

A public bias is as dangerous as any other bias and can impact the legal proceedings in negative ways. Therefore there is the possibility that the disclosure of the accused’s identity can impact the objectivity of the court. The accused only ought to be tried by the court and not by the media. 

To elaborate on the 2nd issue, the publishing of the accused identity can be extremely counterproductive and in general unhelpful to the public interest. Media trials can be extremely dehumanizing which apart from affecting the trial can additionally impact the accused life if found to be innocent.  

Most importantly, an individual’s right to privacy has been recognized as a fundamental right. A man acquitted 100 times is the same as a man once or never prosecuted at all, but seldom do the larger public view the situation from a legal perspective. The person may never escape the humiliation and public prejudice of having once been accused. 

In conclusion, I’d like to reiterate the importance of maintaining anonymity in a case of criminal accusation. It is a fair argument that the public at large ought to know the argument of the criminal who threatens their safety and security, however the principles of law dictates that a person is innocent until proven guilty. By abiding by this view, we can maintain the objectivity of the court and preserve the dignity of the accused.

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This was all about LNAT essay questions. We hope this blog has given you a brief Idea as to how to go about your essay. In case you need additional guidance in navigating various aptitude tests and exams, get in touch with our experts at Leverage Edu today! Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.

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LNAT Essay Questions

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LNAT Essay Examples 2024 – 2025 LNAT Essay Question Bank with Model Answers Sample Essays

• Revised LNAT 2024 Edition
• 30 Full-Length Practice Tests
• 360 LNAT-Style Passages
• 1,260 Multiple-Choice Questions
• All Answers Include Explanations
• 90 Essay Questions - with model answers
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• Random Shuffling of Answers for Repeat Practice Sessions
• Try the Free Full Length LNAT Practice Test

The Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) is an essential part of the application process for some of the top law schools in the United Kingdom. The essay section, in particular, holds significant weight, as it gauges an applicant’s ability to critically analyze, form logical arguments, and effectively communicate ideas. The essay is also an opportunity for students to display their language skills.

In this article, we will take a comprehensive look at LNAT essays, including some examples, structure, format, word limit, scoring, questions, mark scheme, and essay writing tips.

Also included below is a comprehensive LNAT Essay Question Bank, with 90 essay questions or prompts – each linked to model or sample essay for that question.

Types of Questions

LNAT essay questions typically cover a range of topics, including politics, law, ethics, and social issues. These questions require you to form a well-reasoned argument on a complex, open-ended subject. You must demonstrate your ability to analyze various perspectives, draw upon evidence, and communicate your thoughts effectively.

Remember, essay type questions are subjective in nature – i.e., the same essay when read by two different assessors, may be perceived in two different ways. Therefore, it becomes essential to keep the essay as balanced as possible; displaying equal consideration to both sides of an argument.

Choosing the Right Question

When selecting an essay question, consider your familiarity with the topic, your ability to formulate a strong argument, and the availability of supporting evidence. Choose a question that allows you to showcase your analytical skills, critical thinking, and writing prowess.

Do not choose a question on the basis of how strongly you feel about the topic; instead, choose on the basis of how much can you write about the topic.

A common factor among all the LNAT Essay Questions is that they do not have any particular ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer. They are just testing your ability to construct, convey and defend an argument.

LNAT Essay Question Examples

These are some examples of what the LNAT Essay questions or essay prompts look like.

LNAT Essay Example 1: “Should the death penalty be abolished worldwide?”

This essay can begin with a brief overview of the history of capital punishment and then proceed to discuss the moral, legal, and social implications of the death penalty. The essay can delve into the arguments for and against capital punishment, touching on issues such as deterrence, retribution, and human rights. The conclusion should summarize the arguments presented and offer a final viewpoint on the issue.

Click here to read a model / sample essay on the above topic.

LNAT Essay Example 2: “Does a strong welfare system promote laziness and dependence?”

This essay should explore the nature of welfare systems, their goals, and their potential drawbacks. The author can consider the arguments that support and oppose welfare systems, addressing concerns such as economic efficiency, social cohesion, and individual responsibility. The conclusion should weigh the pros and cons of strong welfare systems and provide a balanced, informed opinion on the matter.

LNAT Essay Example 3: “Should governments regulate social media to combat fake news?”

This sample essay can discuss the phenomenon of fake news, its impact on society, and the role of social media platforms in its propagation. The essay should examine the responsibilities of social media companies and the potential consequences of government intervention. By providing concrete examples and case studies, the author can present a well-reasoned argument on the issue.

LNAT Essay Example 4: “Do privacy concerns outweigh the benefits of mass surveillance in combating terrorism?”

In this sample essay, the author can discuss the balance between individual privacy and national security. The essay should explore the effectiveness of mass surveillance in preventing terrorist attacks and consider the potential dangers of government overreach. The conclusion should address whether the benefits of mass surveillance justify the erosion of privacy rights.

LNAT Essay Structure and Format

A well-structured essay is crucial to effectively communicating your ideas and ensuring a logical flow of arguments. A clear structure allows your reader to follow your line of reasoning easily, resulting in a more persuasive essay.

The hook is the opening sentence or two of an essay, designed to grab the reader’s attention and pique their interest. It often includes a thought-provoking statement, an interesting fact, a quote, or a question. The goal of the hook is to entice the reader to continue reading and become engaged with the essay’s subject matter.

Introduction

Following the hook, the introduction sets the stage for the essay by providing context and background information. It introduces the topic and provides an overview of what the essay will discuss. The introduction should be engaging and informative, giving the reader a sense of the essay’s purpose and direction.

The thesis statement is a crucial part of the essay, as it presents the main argument or point that the essay will address. It is typically included at the end of the introduction and serves as a roadmap for the rest of the essay. A strong thesis statement is clear, concise, and arguable, allowing the reader to understand the essay’s focus and what the author aims to prove or demonstrate.

Body paragraphs

Body paragraphs form the core of the essay, each one dedicated to a specific aspect of the thesis statement. They should be organized logically, with clear transitions between them, and each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that outlines its main point. This structure helps the reader follow the essay’s argument and ensures that each point is developed and supported effectively.

Evidence is the factual information, examples, and data that support the essay’s arguments. It is crucial for establishing the credibility of the essay and convincing the reader of the validity of the author’s claims. Each body paragraph should include relevant and well-researched evidence to back up its main point and demonstrate the truth of the thesis statement.

Arguments and Counterarguments

A well-rounded essay not only presents the author’s arguments but also addresses potential counterarguments or opposing viewpoints. This demonstrates the author’s understanding of the complexity of the topic and adds depth to the essay. By acknowledging and refuting counterarguments, the author strengthens their own argument and persuades the reader more effectively.

The conclusion is the final section of the essay, in which the author restates the thesis, summarizes the main points, and offers a closing thought or call to action. It should leave the reader with a sense of closure and a full understanding of the essay’s purpose and main arguments. The conclusion should not introduce new information but instead tie together the essay’s main points and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

LNAT Essay Word Limit

The ideal length of the LNAT essay is around 600 words. In any case, the LNAT essay screen has a built-in word limit of 750 words.

Given that you will have to write, edit and polish your essay within 40 minutes, the 600 word length is the most practical approach.

These days, many users prefer using their smart phones or tablets / iPads for daily tasks – so it is essential to get a good amount of practice using a regular keyboard.

LawMint LNAT Practice Test series includes 30 full length timed practice tests – with 90 essay questions. We strongly recommend that you should select a different essay question in each attempt, to practice writing on a wide range of topics.

Strategies for Staying within the Word Limit

To stay within the word limit,

• Take a couple of minutes to plan your essay before you start writing.
• Type in the main section headlines first – hook, introduction, thesis, body paragraphs, arguments / counter arguments, conclusion.
• Outline your main points and allocate a specific number of words to each section.
• Remember – A crisp and well articulated essay will fetch more marks than a long and verbose one.

As you write, keep track of your word count and adjust your arguments as necessary to ensure that you do not exceed the limit.

LNAT Essay Score

The LNAT essay is not marked automatically or assessed by Pearson VUE. The essay is sent ‘as is’ to the universities you have chosen while registering for the LNAT.

Universities will evaluate your essay as per their own criteria. Some may give it significant weightage and assess it formally. Others may read the essay only if required to differentiate between two or more candidates with similar LNAT MCQ scores and academic achievements.

General Assessment Criteria

Your LNAT essay will generally be assessed based on your ability to form a coherent argument, use evidence and examples to support your claims, and express your ideas clearly and concisely.

Your essay will also be evaluated on its overall structure, logical flow, and the quality of your writing, including grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Maximizing Your Essay Score: To maximize your LNAT essay score, ensure that you address the essay prompt directly and comprehensively. Develop a strong thesis statement, and build your essay around it, using appropriate evidence and examples. Be sure to maintain a balanced perspective by acknowledging counterarguments and providing thoughtful, well-reasoned responses.

Remember! – The LNAT Essay screen does not have automatic proofreading. Unlike in normal browser text fields, spelling errors will not be highlighted. Ensure that you proofread your essays carefully to eliminate any errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling.

LNAT Essay Tips

Plan and outline.

Before you begin writing, take the time to plan and outline your essay. Identify the main points you want to make, organize them logically, and allocate a specific word count to each section. This will help you stay within the word limit and ensure that your essay flows smoothly.

Balance Your Arguments

A strong LNAT essay should present a balanced view of the issue, acknowledging opposing perspectives and addressing counterarguments. This demonstrates your ability to think critically and consider multiple viewpoints, which is an essential skill for a successful law student.

Edit and Proofread

After completing your essay, set it aside for a short period before returning to it for editing and proofreading. This allows you to approach your work with fresh eyes and identify any errors or inconsistencies. Make sure your essay is free from grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors, and ensure that your arguments are clear and logically organized.

LNAT Essay Question Bank

This is a list of 90 LNAT Essay Questions that are included in LawMint LNAT Practice Tests. Practice writing a 600 word essay on each of these questions. Click on the links to see the sample essays that can provide you with some ideas and suggestions.

• Are mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses an effective way to combat drug abuse?
• Are remote work policies effective in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
• Are safe spaces on college campuses beneficial for promoting open dialogue and inclusivity?
• Are universal background checks for gun purchases an effective way to reduce gun violence?
• Are whistleblowers morally justified in breaking the law to expose corruption?
• Are zero-tolerance policies in schools effective in promoting discipline and safety?
• Artificial Intelligence will not significantly transform the legal sector. Share your perspective.
• Can a policy of complete open borders be justified? Discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks.
• Can a universal basic income help to reduce poverty and income inequality?
• Can automation and artificial intelligence lead to greater social equality
• Can freedom of speech be limited in the interest of public safety?
• Can hate speech laws infringe on freedom of expression? Discuss the potential consequences.
• Can intrusive surveillance measures be justified in the name of national security?
• Can societies achieve gender equality without affirmative action policies?
• Can strict regulations on businesses lead to better corporate social responsibility?
• Can the use of alternative energy sources alone solve the global energy crisis? Discuss the challenges.
• Can the use of economic sanctions be justified as a non-violent means of conflict resolution?
• Can the widespread adoption of electric vehicles significantly reduce air pollution?
• Can there be valid reasons for withholding information from the public during a trial? If so, under what circumstances?
• Discuss the ethical implications of regulating potentially harmful activities, such as extreme sports or certain sexual practices.
• Discuss the ethical implications of using genetic screening for non-medical purposes, such as choosing a child’s physical traits.
• Discuss the ethics and potential risks of using gene editing technologies, such as CRISPR, in humans.
• Discuss the morality and effectiveness of implementing a universal basic income.
• How essential is the right to privacy in a democratic society? Can it ever be limited?
• Implementing a ‘Corporate Death Penalty’ could prevent businesses from violating the law. Agree or disagree?
• In cases of conflicting patient and doctor opinions, whose perspective should take precedence?
• In cases of online harassment or bullying, should platforms or individuals be held responsible?
• In sexual assault cases, the accused should bear the burden of proof.
• In the future, should parents have the option to genetically modify their children?
• Is a wealth tax an effective way to address income inequality? Discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks.
• Is censorship of media during times of crisis ever justified?
• Is implementing quotas the sole solution for achieving gender equality in the workplace? Provide your perspective.
• Is it ethical for companies to use unpaid internships as a form of labor? Discuss the implications for young professionals and the job market.
• Is it ethical for employers to monitor their employees’ online activity during work hours?
• Is it ethical for governments to use lotteries as a source of revenue? Discuss the potential consequences.
• Is it ethical for governments to use targeted killings as a counterterrorism measure?
• Is it ethical for researchers to use animals in scientific experiments? Discuss the scientific and ethical implications.
• Is the Right to be Forgotten essential for maintaining individual freedom?
• Laws should prioritize individual liberties over public safety. Do you agree or disagree?
• Mandatory retirement ages should be abolished. Do you agree or disagree?
• Organ donation after death should be made compulsory. Do you agree? Discuss the ethical implications.
• Should access to higher education be a universal right? Discuss the implications for society.
• Should corporal punishment be allowed as a form of discipline in schools?
• Should countries adopt a four-day work week to improve work-life balance?
• Should countries adopt a universal healthcare system?
• Should euthanasia be legalized for patients with terminal illnesses?
• Should governments focus on creating jobs or providing social safety nets?
• Should governments focus on long-term sustainability or immediate economic growth?
• Should governments prioritize environmental protection over economic growth?
• Should governments prioritize space exploration over addressing pressing issues on Earth?
• Should governments prioritize the well-being of their citizens over economic growth?
• Should internet access be considered a human right?
• Should legal measures be taken to prevent the ‘Uberization’ of industries?
• Should mandatory diversity training be implemented in the workplace?
• Should mandatory military service be implemented in all countries?
• Should medical professionals prioritize patient autonomy or medical ethics in treatment decisions?
• Should military intervention ever be justified on humanitarian grounds?
• Should nations prioritize investing in renewable energy over maintaining fossil fuel industries?
• Should parents have the right to opt their children out of sex education classes?
• Should political advertisements on social media be regulated?
• Should politicians prioritize long-term goals or short-term gains when making policy decisions?
• Should politicians with controversial views be allowed to run for office?
• Should public figures have the same privacy rights as ordinary citizens?
• Should religious institutions be exempt from certain laws, such as anti-discrimination legislation?
• Should restrictions be placed on strike rights rather than limiting CEO compensation?
• Should social media platforms be held accountable for the spread of fake news?
• Should social media platforms be responsible for moderating the content shared by their users?
• Should standardized testing be the primary factor in college admissions?
• Should the death penalty be abolished? Discuss the moral and practical arguments.
• Should the government fund and promote the arts?
• Should the government provide free internet access to all citizens?
• Should the government regulate the content of news media to combat misinformation?
• Should the legal age for marriage be raised to prevent child marriages?
• Should the legal age for purchasing cigarettes be raised to 21?
• Should the legal age to vote be lowered to 16?
• Should the sharing economy be more tightly regulated to protect workers’ rights?
• Should the use of animals for entertainment purposes, such as circuses and zoos, be prohibited?
• Should the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement be regulated?
• Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs be permitted in professional sports?
• Should there be a cap on campaign spending for political candidates?
• Should there be a maximum age limit for political candidates?
• Should vaccinations be mandatory for all citizens, with few exceptions?
• The legal age for consuming alcohol should be raised to 21. Do you agree or disagree?
• Under what circumstances is civil disobedience morally justifiable?
• Under what circumstances, if any, can the use of nuclear weapons be justified or excused?
• University admissions should be based solely on merit. Do you agree or disagree?
• When selecting judges, should diversity be a factor in the decision-making process?
• Which is more important, individual privacy or national security?
• Who should have the final say on human rights: elected officials or constitutional courts?
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Study Aids & Media

Essay Questions

Lnat questions – essay advice.

This page has free essay questions and advice for LNAT essays.

LNAT essays should be 500 words minimum to 700 words maximum.

This equals 2 to two and a half pages on the computer screen.

You will get 40 minutes to write your LNAT essay.

Essay Questions for the LNAT – Scoring

Your LNAT essay response will not be marked as such.

So, you won’t receive a score for your essay.

Different universities use the LNAT essay for different admissions purposes.

Essay Questions for the LNAT – Free Samples

LNAT essay questions will be in the form of either a question or a statement.

Here are some LNAT essay questions for you to practise:

Should public transport be compulsory in certain areas?

Being fair to the community is more important than being just to the individual. Discuss.

Make the best argument you can for full government funding of undergraduate education.

“Everyone would benefit from doing a stint of manual labour.” Do you agree?

Animal rights should be sacrificed when human life might be at stake. Discuss.

Should the government do more to encourage people into the teaching profession?

LNAT Practice Tests and Essay Writing Guide

LNAT Guides

LNAT Section B - Your Guide to the Second Section of the LNAT

Written by: Matt Amalfitano-Stroud

Section B of the LNAT is your chance to show off your essay writing skills. This could either be the easiest or the most challenging part of your application. Either way, let’s take an in-depth look at what to expect from Section B and how you can succeed. Carry on reading for LNAT facts, tips and practice questions!

BASICS OF THE LNAT

Before we get to essay writing, let’s go over the basics of the LNAT to make sure we understand what the exam is all about.

The Law National Aptitude Test  (LNAT) is a two paper exam used primarily to test a potential student’s abilities in various disciplines of reading and writing.  

You’ll be likely to encounter the test if you’re applying for a Law degree in the UK , starting from undergraduate level. While not every university will require you to sit the LNAT (such as Cambridge University), 9 UK universities and 2 international universities use the LNAT in their application process. These universities include Oxford , Cambridge ,   University College London and the London School of Economics,   which are some of the highest-rated Law universities in the UK .  

The LNAT lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes and is split between Section A and Section B, which will both ask different styles of questions to test your reading and writing skills.  

Section A consists of 42 multiple-choice questions based on a total of 12 argumentative passages . Each passage has three or four questions to answer and you will have 95 minutes to complete all of these.  

The passages you’ll find in the LNAT are based on a variety of topics . They typically aren’t focused on law-related issues but will instead cover anything from politics, science, history, technology and much, much more! But no need to fret, you won’t need to start revising for every possible question! Section A isn’t about your knowledge of a topic but instead your ability to decipher and explain meanings from non-fiction literature , including intentions behind specific words or phrasing and discussion of the writer’s viewpoint of the topic.  

In Section B, you’ll have a choice of three questions to write a single argumentative essay about. You will have 40 minutes in total to complete this essay and you have a maximum of 750 words.

Just like Section A, your essay will be answering a general question. Many questions that have previously been asked have related to ethical issues and current affairs such as “How should judges be appointed?” or “What is ‘political correctness and why does it matter?”. When choosing your question, you’ll want to make sure you have at least some level of interest and knowledge on your chosen topic, as you will need to be more informative in your answer than Section A. However, the primary focus of this Section is to test your comprehension, creativity and reasoning abilities , so don’t worry if you’re not an expert on the subject.

The LNAT is sat at any time between September 1st and January 20th (October 15th for Oxford and Cambridge applicants) and must be taken at an LNAT testing centre . You will have to register for a testing date on the LNAT website , which can be done from August 1st until September 15th for Oxford applicants and January 15th for applicants at other universities. Bear in mind that you’ll need to pay a fee of £75 for testing in the UK and £120 outside of the UK.

The LNAT scoring for Section A is very clear, giving you a mark out of 42 based on your correct answers . Section B however does not have an official or consistent marking scheme. Each university will mark your essay differently with some placing great importance on your performance in this section and others not considering it at all . We have a Definitive Guide to LNAT Scores if you would like to learn more about your results in the test.

Here’s a quick summary of the basic details we’ve learnt so far:

LNAT Exam Format

Want to learn more about the LNAT? Check out our Definitive LNAT Guide to learn more general information about what you can expect from the exam!  

Struggling with your LNAT preparation?  

With the LNAT Preparation Platform , you’ll be able to use an amazing collection of revision notes, strategy guides and expert tutorials to learn everything you’ll need to write the perfect essay!  

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE LNAT SECTION B

With the basics of the LNAT out the way, it’s time to go headfirst into Section B, or, “The Essay Section”.

The structure of Section B is very simple in theory! You’ll be given three unrelated questions and a couple of blank pages to craft a thought-provoking essay based on one of them in 40 minutes . Here’s an example of what your question page will look like:

As you can see, none of the questions are particularly lengthy and all cover very different topics . This variety should mean that you’ll have at least one question that you can confidently answer.  

Although the topics are very different, the structure of each question is fairly similar . Whether the question provides a quote or a general topic, each one will essentially be asking you to express your view on what has been presented to you. The purpose of this section is to determine your skills in argumentative writing , after all, so expressing your opinion understandably and convincingly will be the core of your essay.  

Of course, it’s no coincidence that Section B is structured this way, expressing convincing arguments is an essential skill in almost any profession within Law. Even if your chosen university doesn’t officially mark your essay, you should still put your all into this section as a way to practice and demonstrate your skills for your potential future profession.  

For some, this Section may be a breeze. Essay writing is a natural skill for some , while many others may feel overwhelmed with options when they first begin. Especially with a 40-minute time limit, many people may freeze up when either choosing a question or beginning to write their essay . Getting started is always the hardest part of writing but once you’ve overcome that roadblock, you should find yourself finishing the essay with time to re-read it ( which you will definitely need to do )!  

Exams.Ninja Tip

750 words are considered on average to take up three standard-sized pages , with 250 words per page. Remember though that 750 words is the maximum , not the minimum . While you should always aim to get as close to the word limit as possible, you will typically be given around 10% leeway (75 words) in either direction, so don’t worry if you’re a few words over or under.

As we mentioned, you’re going to want to save some time at the end to double-check your writing . Between five and ten minutes should be sufficient time to check everything, so try to wrap up your essay quickly if you’re still writing in the last minutes of the exam. The examiners aren’t expecting perfection from your essay here, as there’s only so much a person can do in 40 minutes without any additional preparation time! The time spent double-checking should be used to catch out any spelling or grammatical errors rather than trying to change your wording or arguments.  

As we’ve already discussed, marking for Section B is very loose and does not have a set standard between different universities. Unfortunately, many unis don’t provide much information on how they mark or use the essay in your application. We do know that the following universities do not consider Section B within your application:

Universities That Do Not Consider Section B of the LNAT

London School of Economics

University of  Glasgow

Kings College London

How Do Universities use Section B?

Universities that consider Section B may use it in a variety of ways. For example, they may compare it against your personal statement or r eference it in questions during your interview . When a university has two or more borderline applicants to choose between, the Section B essay will definitely come into play, which should reinforce the idea that you should put as much effort as you can into your essay.  

Oxford University is generally the most considerate of Section B , with a percentage scoring scheme used to determine an essay’s quality. A good essay will generally score 60% or above in this marking scheme, with points being awarded to displays of application, reasoning ability and good communication. You can see here the Section B results for successful applicants of Law at Oxford in the 2020-21 admissions cycle. Only 15 of the 238 applicants scored under 60% , with the most common score being 63% .  

Essay Scores for Successful Oxford Applicants (2020-21)

Remember, Section A is typically going to hold more value for your LNAT score, so be sure that you are equally prepared for it. You can check out our LNAT Section A Guide for more tips on how to get the best score that you can!

WHAT SKILLS DO I NEED FOR SECTION B?

What exactly are the examiners going to be looking for from your essay? Let’s find out!

Section B isn’t a test of your general knowledge on certain topics. Your efforts in the 40 minutes need to be focussed on writing a compelling and convincing argument based on the question you are asked. Let’s take a look at the different areas of essay writing that need to be considered for this section of the exam:  

Choosing a Question

Before you do anything, you’ll of course have to choose a question . Your process for doing this will depend heavily on the questions available, which you will have no hint towards before you start the section.  

Firstly, you’ll need to ensure you have properly read every question . We recommend taking about two minutes to go through every question properly, as you need to be certain that you know what the question is asking . This can be difficult with the number of different variations of question types you can get. For example, what is each of these questions asking?

1. Do you agree that there is art for the masses and elite culture? How do you feel about being “the mass”?

2. Birth controls shouldn’t be prescribed to teenagers without parental consent. What is your opinion?

3. Web   2.0   has brought about a different method of communicating over the Web through “online social networking” and this signals a shift in how people relate to the divide between private and public space. Discuss.

Question 1 has first asked you a simple yes or no question , whether you agree with the statement. While obviously, you will need to be i n-depth and argumentative in your answer, the style of question does limit your response to a certain degree as you will need to remain within the parameters of whether you agree with what they have told you.  

Question 2 meanwhile simply asks for an opinion on the topic , a much more open-ended method of asking your viewpoint. You will have more of a chance to explore different factors of the topic as you are not restricted to a yes or no question .  

Finally, Question 3 is the most open-ended of the three in terms of the structure, with only the instruction to discuss the statement provided . Your essay could go in several directions here, with any option falling under the instructions provided by the question , as long as it’s relevant to the topic of course!  

It’s natural to assume that the best question to pick would be the easiest , but this definitely isn’t always true . The amount of knowledge you have on a subject will matter when choosing a question, there’s no point in trying to answer something you have absolutely no knowledge of , but you’ll equally want to consider which topic you have the most interest in .

Which would make the better choice for an essay; a topic that you know lots of facts about but don’t have any strong feelings towards, or a topic that you don’t know quite as much about but have a strong opinion or interesting argument relating to it.  

Examiners are looking for the ability to make a strong case , not just the ability to state information, so the best option will always be the question that you feel you could write an interesting argument for .  

Planning your essay

Creating a plan may feel like a waste of your time given how little time you have , but it’s important to go into your writing with a clear idea so you don’t begin to ramble or go off-topic.  

Your plan should only take around 5 minutes and does not have to be extremely in-depth. The main purpose of your plan should be to pin down what your argument is and what points you are going to use to express it , as well as having a rough structure to keep the essay focused and organised.  

When creating your plan, the first step is always going to be to generate ideas , you won’t get far without them! You may have already developed some while reading the questions and making your decision, so be sure to write them all down . At this stage, no idea is a bad idea , so think of anything that may be relevant and put it in your collection of ideas.  

Once you think you have enough (or more than enough) talking points, it’s time to build the structure of the essay . Everything will need to be built around an effective introduction and conclusion , which will be the two tentpoles of your argument. However, all the points you are going to make in between need to be carefully placed to maintain a good flow throughout the essay. Paragraphs should connect with each other and points shouldn’t feel like a checklist. The discussion should feel natural, without any sudden shifts in topic or tone .  

Once you’re happy with your plan, it’ll be time to start writing . One major benefit to having a plan is that you will find yourself writing much faster when working from a plan. You won’t need to be worrying about structure or points you should make as all of that will have already been decided . You’ll be free to focus on the strength of your writing!  

Writing the Essay

The two most important sections will always be the introduction and conclusion . You’ll need to properly explain the argument you’re making to give the rest of the essay meaning and you will need to provide some form of definitive answer to the question once you’ve expressed all the points you had.

Everything in between the beginning and end needs to be relevant and well-thought-out or else your argument will fall flat! You’re going to need to use your deductive reasoning skills to ensure all your points need to be relevant and explained clearly so the reader can understand why you’re writing about it and what it means to the question you’re answering.  

Of course, the most basic thing that you will need to be careful about is your spelling and grammar . During the initial writing stage, it can be easy to overlook this , especially when under a strict time limit. The best way to prevent any problems here is to save time in the exam to go over your work . Speaking of which…

Double-checking your Work

You may feel confident that your work is perfect, but there is almost certainly going to be at least one error or aspect that can be corrected or improved . Giving yourself five or ten minutes before the end of the exam could be an absolute life-saver and save you from an embarrassing mistake .

Spelling, grammar and wording are all key things to look out for. This time shouldn’t be about changing up your argument or adding extra points, but ensuring the f undamentals of your essay are flawless . An examiner is much more likely to forgive a slightly clunky argument in your essay than a collection of blatant spelling errors.  

However, don’t rush the second half of your essay or skip over key points for the sake of having time at the end. It’s ok to cut things out that don’t necessarily fit the best, you do only have 750 words after all, but don’t do this at the cost of your essay’s overall quality . Correcting a couple of errors isn’t going to save your mark if the essay that you’ve written feels incomplete .

Exams.Ninja Tip 

What do LNAT examiners look for? The three major things to consider are as follows: 

• You need to offer a uniques perspective on the topic. Examiners don’t want to read 100 essays covering the same basic point, so provide an interesting angle to keep their interest. 
• You need to keep things as definitive and objective as possible. You’re going to have opinions on the topic, but you will need to avoid expressing them outright and focus on facts and evidence to explain your overall point. 
• Examiners take the word count very seriously. Aim for less than the 750-word limit, try to hit around 600 instead.  

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR SECTION B?

You’ll need to make sure you practise everything we’ve discussed so far, but what’s the best way of doing so? Here are a few tips that will help you out!

1. Develop a Preparation Plan

The LNAT is slightly different to some other exams, as your time revising won’t be spent remembering facts but instead practising your reasoning and critical thinking . It can be difficult to know where to start with this, so you should create a plan for how to tackle it, much like how you do with an essay.

You should devote time to the areas that you feel you need the most work . Ideally, you’ll have time to thoroughly cover everything but in reality, you’ll want to prioritise the areas that you aren’t as comfortable with .

Bear in mind that the LNAT is only one part of your application process. Your time should be split between other areas of application as well, including your interview and personal statement , as well as revising for your A-Levels or equivalent!

Not sure on the best way to tackle a plan? Check out our 6-Month Preparation Timeline for some inspiration!

2. Read and Write as much as you can

As you should know by now, reading and writing are the two most important skills that you will need to revise. These are both very general topics that have lots of areas to practice in, but in general, these are the two things you will need to know how to do well as you will be relying on these skills for both Sections of the exam.  

The most effective way to revise reading and writing is to just do it! There are countless ways to practice so try to find something that feels beneficial to you , while also being enjoyable. For your writing skills, you’ll want to take any opportunities to write about topics that interest you . Writing on a topic that requires little research is a great way of being able to focus on important parts, your cognitive and argumentative abilities .  

For something a bit more challenging, you may want to ask a friend or family member to give you a question that you can answer with a short essay. Let them catch you off guard with something you didn’t know they would ask, and then present them with your essay to see if they understand the argument you were trying to make or were at all convinced by your points . Of course, don’t always expect a review as in-depth as an LNAT examiner may give!

3. Answer Previous LNAT Questions

Creating your own questions or just writing about something you care about is great practice, but the best way to get a true understanding of what sitting the LNAT is like is to answer actual questions from past papers . These will be the best representative of what you can expect in the real thing because they are the real thing , just a bit older!  

To take your preparation to the next level, you answer the questions under exam conditions , complete with the time limit. This is always a great way to test your nerves and see how you perform under pressure , especially for an exam like the LNAT. You could either try Section B alone or sit the full test with both Sections in the 135-minute time limit (we recommend you do both!).  

How can you get a mark on your practice LNAT exam? With Exams.Ninja!

With the Exams.Ninja LNAT Preparation Platform you’ll be able to complete a selection of LNAT past papers under exam conditions . You’ll get an estimated mark at the end of the exam and you can go through worked solutions and practice essays to help improve your abilities.

EXAMPLE PRACTICE ESSAYS

It’s time to have a look at some examples of top-quality LNAT essays and some questions with suggested talking points so you can get an idea of what you’ll need to write to get a great score!

LNAT Example Essay 1

‘There is a time and place for censorship of the internet.’ Discuss with particular reference to the right of freedom of expression.  

In today’s day and age it is extremely easy for anyone to access explicit or dangerous content on the internet. There have been talks of censorship on the internet, but is it necessary? One would argue that the censorship of the internet is against our freedom of expression, which is why in this essay I will provide an answer in response to the statement ‘There is a time and place for censorship of the internet’.  

In our current education system there is a heavy emphasis put on the usage of the internet to aid our learning. However, once children learn how to use the internet, the whole world is just one click away. Children could be easily exposed to indecent images, which is why some say the Government should censor the internet for the safety of children. Possible solutions could be only allowing websites with adult material to be accessible at late-night, reducing the chances of indecent exposure to children. Accordingly, in this instance, censorship is justified.

Similarly, one could easily research the internet to find information about illegal activities such as drug or bomb making. This means that the internet could be used as a tool to threaten national security, hence why the internet should have tough censorship in order to prevent criminals from accessing dangerous material, for the benefit of everyone’s safety.

On the other hand, blocking certain websites strictly goes against our right of freedom of expression and instead of blocking certain dangerous websites, the Government should have a more efficient surveillance strategy in order to track people who are accessing such dangerous websites. This would ensure that our right of freedom of expression is not breached and at the same time, criminal activity would be prevented.  

Furthermore, with regards to the access of sexually explicit websites, more work should be some in order to educate children not to access such websites. Good parent is a better alternative to preventing children accessing such websites, rather than blocking sites which goes against our right of freedom of expression.  

In conclusion, there is no time and place for censorship as it goes against our right to freedom of expression. Other alternatives such as internet surveillance would be more effective as it ensures the safety of the general public and at the same time our freedom of expression is not breached.

Examiner’s comments:

Introduction: This is a very good introduction. It highlights the conflict between censorship and freedom of expression, which is a good place to point it out. In the final sentence, though, the student wastes time in saying ‘which is why in this essay I will come with an answer in response to the statement….’ – this is obvious and there is little point in saying it. It just wastes time and prevents one using the time for writing something more useful. Other than this, the introduction is very good and concise.

Main body: The student considers two main instances of censorship in the main body (indecent images and dangerous websites) and suggests that censorship could be used, but suggests alternatives would be more effective. This is quite a persuasive essay because the student has considered alternative points of view, which makes the essay balanced.  

Conclusion: The conclusion is very clear and brings the arguments advanced in the essay to a final judgement. The candidate directly addresses the question and refers to the whole part of the question by considering freedom of expression (unlike in Example Essay 2). On the whole, this is a very impressive essay.

Style: This candidate makes two typographical errors. First, ‘more work should be some’ should read ‘more work should be done’. Second, ‘Good parenting’ should be referenced, not ‘Good parent’. Proof read!

LNAT Example Essay 2

‘Developed countries have a greater obligation to tackle climate change than developing countries.’ Discuss the extent to which you agree with this statement.

Climate change is a global issue that affects all nations and its peoples, and in light of the newly released global sustainability goals, perhaps we should focus on what actions should be taken to effect a change rather arguing who should take responsibility. Hence, I disagree with this statement and will be presenting my argument in this essay.

Firstly, climate change is a global issue and all nations are obligated to combat it. We must abandon the attitude that developing nations are somehow inferior to developed nations simply because of their global position. With this approach in mind, all nations therefore must be taken as accountable for this global crisis that affects us all. Perhaps the view that combatting climate change is an ‘obligation’ should be abandoned. Improving the condition of our world and fixing our mistakes should be regarded not as a chore, but as a responsibility to future generations. After we have confronted these issues and changed our perceptions, will a global effort truly be effectively carried forward?

Secondly, while it is true that developed nations have a greater capacity financially and structurally to enact a change, efforts to improve the infrastructure of a country to make it more green can be done by developing countries. Rather than seeing sustainability as an expensive undertaking, requiring new carbon capturing machines, knowledge of other ways to lesson our carbon footprint should be made clear. These simple methods such as planting more trees than the number being cut down or effective garbage disposable and recycling to minimise burning of garbage. Such inexpensive methods could easily be undertaken by developing countries, eliminating the idea that climate change is a concern of the rich.

Thirdly, to separate countries into two spheres is damaging. This segregation lead to the belief that ‘developing nations’ are somehow able to ‘get away’ with releasing high amount of greenhouse gases or deforestation by simply claiming that they do not have the capacity to make such a change. It is not enough for the developed countries to take the initiative; developing nations are equally obligated to combat climate change.  

In conclusion, no country should be viewed as having a greater obligation towards alleviating climate change.

Introduction: The introduction is excellent. The candidate states her main view concisely and proceeds to continue with the main body. The candidate also adopts a unique take on the question, which is positive.

Main body: The second paragraph raises interesting points but it is not clear how it relates to the question. A running theme throughout the essay is that every country shares a responsibility to be sustainable and reduce climate change. However, counter-arguments are not readily considered, accordingly the essay is not as persuasive as it might be. You must consider the other side of the argument.

The other side of the argument could have been discussed out the very good point made about developing countries still being able to plant trees. For example:

Climate change affects every country and, thus, every country should be obliged to tackle climate change.

Despite this, some argue that richer countries have far more resources than developing countries to spend on developing non-renewable energy sources (e.g. solar panels).

Nonetheless, poorer countries can still do their part by planting trees and taking other inexpensive methods and should not consider themselves ‘off the hook’. Climate change affects everyone and, therefore, everyone should contribute.

One could also note that the money concern is a practical issue that can be addressed. An example of a policy to deal this could be that each country pays a certain percentage of its GDP to tackle climate change.

Conclusion: The candidate succinctly presents her final response to the question in the conclusion. This could have been elaborated on a little more but is still fine nonetheless.  

LNAT Practice Question 1

The general trend towards the liberalisation of marriage undermines its religious basis.’ Discuss this comment with reference to the idea of abolishing marriage as a legal concept.

• Marriage from a religious perspective is between a man and a woman and the liberalisation of this the rise of divorce and the legalisation of same sex marriage does undermine its religious basis.
• This is not, however, necessarily a bad thing – one idea would be to abolish marriage as a legal concept – making a joint union for the purposes of taxation that would be between whoever wants to create that union. Marriage then would be left as a separate union in the eyes of god alone and not in the eyes of the law. Whatever happens, the legal union will be separated from the religious one.
• Religion and the law should be separated, especially given our aim to be a multi-cultural and multi-religious society.  
• It is to be unfairly preferential to one group of people to integrate one religion with the law above all others.

For – Challenges

• Why do we support relationships in the first place – partially mutual support that a long term commitment gives to someone, but also procreation, which is lost by extending it beyond heterosexual couples.
• This may be the case if we were creating the law now, but Christianity is inherently connected to the English legal system by virtue of its history and fused past.
• Religious basis is changing – lots of Christians believe that the concept of marriage should be extended to fit in one with modern perceptions

Against – Challenges

• But this is only as a response to the law changing what the understanding of marriage is.  
• Marriage is traditionally a religious concept and its being integrated with the law means that the religious community has lost control of what marriage is.

LNAT Practice Question 2

Should tuition fees be reduced?

• Tuition fees should be reduced as high tuition fees are hindering low-income students from considering higher education, resulting in a lack of social mobility and a denial of the right to education based on income-levels.  
• Tuition fees have become increasingly unaffordable in recent years, and this has become a huge deterrent for students who are not from well-to-do families from pursuing higher education, even though they may be academically-capable of doing so.  
• Tuition fees should be reduced as universities already have the benefit of huge donations and grants being given by alumni and research organisations in order for them to survive and provide quality education, it is unfair to charge students exorbitant tuition fees and create a high barrier to entry based on financial means.  
• The argument that tuition fees are needed to sustain a university is weak in this day and age when the bulk of a university’s revenue comes from research grants and legacy donations.

For – Challenges  

• Tuition fees should not be reduced as tuition fees are needed for universities to remain competitive and hire the best professors and have the best resources for students in order to ensure quality teaching.  
• If tuition fees were reduced, even if more students will be enticed to enrol in university as a result, it will mean that all students will end up receiving sub-standard education with the lack of resources and   financial-backing needed.  
• Tuition fees should not be reduced as not all universities have the benefit of large grants and legacy donations.  
• Only the top-ranked universities and the most prestigious universities will be able to attract sufficient funding and donations from successful alumni and be able to survive even without charging high rates of universities.  
• Many other universities will struggle to survive without charging sufficiently high tuition fees, and reducing tuition fees might be counter-intuitive and result in less university places being available.
• Tuition fees should not be reduced as there is already the student loan scheme in place which ensures that students only need to start re-paying their loan upon graduation if they earn a certain amount of income.  
• This helps to ensure that low-income students will still have easy access to universities, and they will only need to pay off the loans if they manage to secure a job that pays enough for them to repay the loan.  
• Tuition fees should not be reduced as too many students are going to university for the sake of it and do not take their degree seriously.  
• It is well-known that many students in less rigorous courses and universities only treat university as an extra 3-4 years of socialising and partying.  
• Taxpayers should not have to subsidise these students when they are not doing something of value and tuition fees should remain as it is in order to act as a deterrent for students who are not naturally inclined for university education in the first place.
• Tuition fees should be reduced as the high level of tuition fees being charged causes many students to be heavily-indebted upon graduation, causing an immense financial burden to them and provides a disincentive for many students to consider university in the first place, even if they qualified for university academically.  
• Tuition fees should be reduced as university not only provides academic teaching, it also provides important soft-skills and allows students to figure out what they are good at and what they want to do in life.  
• Studies have shown that university education is highly beneficial in terms of a person’s success later on in life as well as their earning capacity.  
• Hence, we should not deny this opportunity to many students who might otherwise be put off by the high tuition fees.

Want even more practice questions? With the Exams.Ninja Preparation Platform , you’ll have access to 50 unique Section B questions to answer, each with a fully worked solution to tweak your method and write the best essay possible!  

So now you’ve read our guide to Section B, it’s time to start writing an LNAT masterpiece! Section B may be the easiest or most difficult part of your whole application, but with the knowledge you now have of how it works, you shouldn’t have any problems writing an essay that will impress any examiner who reads it!

LNAT Deductive Reasoning: Deducing Arguments in the LNAT

Lnat preparation: your 6-month lnat preparation timeline, lnat section a: your guide to assumptions in questions, lnat section b: your guide to the second section of the lnat, lnat section a: your guide to the first section of the lnat, lnat results 2023 – the definitive guide to your lnat score.

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Training Temple – check out fantastic tips and revision notes , along with a selection of tutorials created by experts!

Practice Dojo – Test your LNAT skills with over 350 practice questions from Section A and Section B of the test. Each answer comes with a fully worked solution to guide you when you don’t understand.

Exams Arena – Take a realistic mock exam with our LNAT past papers . You’ll get an estimated result every time to help you track your progress for the real thing! Best of all, you can retry them as many times as you like !

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LNAT Practice Test

Practicing the same type of questions which will appear in an actual LNAT test is vitally important to scoring highly. Unfortunately the number of actual official LNAT practice tests or past LNAT papers is very low.

Only two past papers are available on the official LNAT website . You should of course obtain these but you'll definitely want more to practice on.

In our online LNAT course you can get immediate access to over 200+ realistic LNAT practice questions all with fully worked solutions, just click the button below for full details.

Practice tests can offer several key benefits:

• Familiarity with Test Format: The LNAT has a unique format, including a multiple-choice reading comprehension section and an essay section. By doing practice tests, you become familiar with this format, which can help reduce anxiety on test day.
• Timing Practice: The LNAT is a timed test. Practice tests can help you get a sense of how quickly you need to work to complete the test in the given time. This is particularly important for the multiple-choice section, where time management is crucial.
• Identifying Weaknesses: Practice tests can help you identify areas where you struggle, whether that's certain types of reading comprehension questions, essay writing, or time management. Once you've identified these areas, you can focus your preparation efforts on improving them.
• Tracking Progress: If you do multiple practice tests over the course of your preparation, you can track your scores to see how you're improving. This can help you gauge whether your preparation methods are effective.
• Confidence Building: The more practice tests you do, the more confident you'll likely feel about your ability to do well on the actual test.

However, remember that while doing practice tests is important, they're just one part of a balanced preparation strategy. It's also important to read widely, work on your critical thinking skills, and practice your essay writing.

Keep in mind that the LNAT is not about rote learning or memorization, but about demonstrating skills like comprehension, interpretation, analysis, and argumentation. So, using practice tests as an opportunity to hone these skills can be a good approach.

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Mar 05, 2024

Written By Billy Sexton

Sample LNAT questions

So you’re flying the nest and leaving home to study law at university. It’s the first step on a long road to becoming a lawyer but even after you’ve sent off that lovely law personal statement and selected your five university choices, but now you have to sit the LNAT.

Of course, by now you know what the LNAT is and you’ve been preparing well, but what about practising for the LNAT and having some sample questions to check out? Don’t fear, LNAT student, AllAboutLaw is here to provide. (Don’t mention it…).

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LNAT multiple choice questions

The first part of the LNAT test is made up of 42 multiple-choice questions lasting 95 minutes. There are three or four questions for 12 argumentative passages that test your reasoning skills.

There’s no way to revise as such, as you don’t know what the passage will contain, but there are example questions you can try your hand at. Such as this one (which we borrowed from the lovely folks at The Guardian ):

Example LNAT questions

Consider the following argument:

There are numerous mentally ill offenders in our prisons. This is shameful. The only point of punishment is deterrence. But to be deterred one needs to be a rational person, and a rational person is a person who understands the likely consequences of his or her actions. Mentally ill offenders are, by definition, less than fully rational. So they cannot be deterred, and should not be in prison.

1. Which of the following is an unarticulated assumption of the argument?

(a) There are numerous mentally ill offenders in our prisons

(b) Imprisoning the mentally ill is shameful

(c) Imprisonment is a form of punishment

(d) Rational people understand the likely consequences of their actions

(e) Those who cannot be deterred should not be in prison.

2. Which of the following is a flaw in the argument?

(a) It does not tell us anything about the definition of mental illness that it is using

(b) It starts from the assumption that we should be ashamed of our prisons

(c) It suggests that we have to embark on a very troublesome review of the way that imprisonment is used as a punishment

(d) It does not allow for the possibility that some people who were not mentally ill when they offended might become mentally ill in prison

(e) It relies on statistics.

3. Which of the following can we most reliably infer that the author of the argument believes?

(a) People should not be sent to prison except as a last resort

(b) Mentally ill people should be treated in hospital for their illnesses

(c) Offenders who are not mentally ill should always be punished by imprisonment

(d) All offences have consequences

(e) The point of punishment is not rehabilitation.

LNAT stress that there is only one correct answer to these questions and they don’t include trick questions. You just have to think critically!

LNAT essay questions

The second part of the LNAT lasts for 40 minutes and is an essay based question. To prepare for this, check out our tips . One sample question, which is actually provided by LNAT themselves, is as follows: ‘In Western society, arranged marriages should no longer be tolerated.’

There are a range of arguments you could follow for this, one being the idea that in Western society, the majority of people are liberal and free to choose what they do with their own lives.

The counter-argument would be that western society prides itself on being tolerant of other cultures and traditions, therefore to intervene in such matters would be going against western principles.

More sample question advice and practice tests can be found on LNAT’s website .

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FAQs about the LNAT

Read this page to find out the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the LNAT and see where you can find resources to aid your preparation.

• Find out which universities use the LNAT
• See how to register and book the exam
• Discover what the LNAT entails and how it is scored
• Learn about resit policies for the LNAT

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Embarking on your journey through law school involves several significant steps, one of which is successfully navigating the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT). Below, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help guide you through the process for the 2023-2024 cycle. This page was updated in October 2023, and the information contained refers to the 2023/2024 LNAT testing cycle.

When To Take The LNAT

When should i take the lnat in 2023.

It’s important to schedule your test for a date within the official LNAT cycle, which is between 1 September 2023 and 31 July 2024.

Does it matter if I take the LNAT 2023 before or after submitting my UCAS application?

No, the timing of your LNAT relative to your UCAS application submission doesn’t affect your eligibility. The crucial factor is that you take the LNAT within the same application cycle. Please remember, you won’t receive your LNAT results until after your university application is submitted.

Will my LNAT score from last year be valid for this year’s application?

Unfortunately, no. LNAT scores are not carried over from one year to the next. If you are reapplying through UCAS, you need to retake the LNAT in the same year as your new application.

What if I miss the deadline for the LNAT exam?

Missing the deadline to sit the LNAT will unfortunately result in your application being rejected. You would need to wait to apply for the next academic cycle and ensure that you take the LNAT within the appropriate timeframe.

I’m planning to travel or work overseas during the LNAT period. What should I do?

No need to worry! The LNAT is accessible globally, with over 500 test centres around the world. You can take the exam in any of these centres, even if you are abroad. Just ensure you book your test within the specified dates.

When does the registration for the LNAT begin?

For the 2023-2024 cycle, both UCAS and LNAT registrations open on 1 August 2023. Early registration is advised to secure your preferred test date.

Are there specific deadlines for Oxbridge, KCL, LSE, UCL, or other universities?

Yes, various universities have specific deadlines. For instance, Oxbridge candidates must sit the LNAT by 16 October 2023. Candidates for KCL, LSE, and UCL have until 31 December 2023. Other universities have different deadlines, often in early to late January 2024. Always check with your chosen university to avoid missing out.

Can I apply late for the LNAT?

International applicants may have a provision for late application, but it’s subject to specific university policies. The general late application deadline requires booking the LNAT by 25 July 2024 and sitting it by 31 July 2024. However, it’s crucial to verify with your chosen universities.

Important Tips:

• Be strategic in your application and aim to adhere to the January deadlines.
• Ensure synchronisation between your LNAT profile and UCAS application.
• Prepare for test fee payment methods in advance.
• You are allowed only one LNAT attempt per cycle.
• LNAT scores are not reusable in subsequent academic years.

Why do universities require the LNAT for law programs?

The LNAT helps universities differentiate between candidates with similar academic qualifications, assessing their suitability and preparedness for the rigorous legal studies ahead. It’s an additional measure to grade-based evaluations, designed to test a candidate’s analytical abilities and aptitude in law.

Does taking the LNAT mean I have automatically applied to the universities of my choice?

No, the LNAT is a separate process. Candidates need to apply for their chosen law programs in the usual manner through the universities’ application processes. Taking the LNAT is an additional step required by certain universities to assess your capabilities further.

Which UK universities currently require the LNAT for law courses?

There are 11 LNAT universities; 9 are based in the UK and two are overseas. 8 of the 9 UK-based LNAT universities are Russell Group Unis (SOAS is the exception), and 4 of them (King’s, LSE, SOAS and UCL) are in London.

• UK LNAT Universities:
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• Durham University
• University of Glasgow
• King’s College, London (KCL)
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• University of Oxford
• University College London (UCL)
• SOAS University of London

Note that the University of Nottingham appears to have dropped their LNAT requirement for the 2024 academic year entry.

Are there any international universities that accept or require the LNAT?

Yes, the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and IE University in Spain also use the LNAT in their admissions process. It’s important to check directly with these universities to understand the specific conditions under which they require or accept the LNAT.

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LNAT Registration 

How do i register for the lnat.

The LNAT testing system is operated by Pearson VUE. You will need to complete a two-step registration process using the Pearson VUE online registration system. You will need to:

• Set up an online account and register your contact information 
• Book and pay for your test – once you have completed your registration and created a profile. You will then be sent an email notifying you to book and pay for your test.

When Should I Register For The LNAT?

As soon as you can. Each university requiring the test specifies a deadline for sitting the test. If you miss the deadlines, your university application is likely to be rejected. You can register up to 12 noon, two days prior to taking your test. For 2023/24 UCAS applications, the LNAT registration will begin on 1 August 2023.

Are There Any Exceptions To Online Registration?

No. You will need to register for your test online and obtain an identification number. If you have special Examination Access Requirements, do not book the test online – only standard tests can be booked this way.  If you book an online test before specific exam access arrangements are made, the test will have to be cancelled and a test incorporating your special requirements will need to be booked instead. You should note that cancelling and rebooking conditions will apply.

LNAT Booking

When can i book my lnat.

As soon as you have registered your LNAT account on the Pearson VUE website, you can immediately book and pay for your LNAT exam. You should book as early as possible to avoid missing any deadlines.

Can I Reschedule My LNAT?

 Candidates can reschedule their LNAT free of charge until 12 noon (UK time) two working days before their test, excluding English Bank Holidays. Failure to reschedule within this period will necessitate a new booking and payment, as fees are non-refundable if you choose not to sit the test or miss the rescheduling deadline. This policy applies even if you’ve used a voucher or bursary for payment.

How Much Is The LNAT?

As of 2023, the LNAT costs £75 to take it in the UK or an EU country. Outside the UK or EU, the fee is £120.

I Can’t Afford The Fee, Is There An LNAT Bursary?

Yes, there is a bursary available if you can’t afford the exam fee. LNAT does not want the cost to be a barrier to taking the exam. Your test fee will be waived if you are a UK or EU student receiving certain state benefits. However, you must apply for a bursary before booking your exam. 

It can take up to a week to process an LNAT bursary application, so allow extra time when making your test booking.

The LNAT Exam

How should i prepare for the test.

Preparing for the test doesn’t involve memorising facts. Instead, it’s advisable to utilise relevant preparation materials to engage and train the relevant cognitive processes and become acquainted with the test’s structure. Follow our guide on how to prepare for the LNAT.

How Hard Is The LNAT?

The test is challenging, as it’s used by some of the world’s best universities for students trying to get into their top law schools. It features 42 multiple-choice questions and three essay questions – of which you must answer one.

How long is the LNAT?

The LNAT is a 2¼ hour test in two sections. Section A consists of 42 multiple choice questions. The questions are based on 12 argumentative passages, with 3 or 4 multiple choice questions on each. You are given 95 minutes to answer all of the questions.

For Section B, you have 40 minutes to answer one of three essay questions on a range of subjects.

What Are The LNAT Multiple-Choice Questions?

Section A of the LNAT is computer-based, comprising 12 argumentative passages, each followed by three or four multiple-choice questions. These questions, spanning various topics from politics to technology, assess your comprehension and analytical skills, not your knowledge of the subjects discussed.

What Is The LNAT Essay?

The essay question or Section B gives you three options to choose from and the questions will cover a variety of general topics that are usually relevant to current issues. Types of essay questions could include:

• To what extent should freedom of speech be absolute? Consider the implications of where the law should draw the line.
• With reference to a recent environmental crisis, discuss whether international law is equipped to tackle global environmental challenges

LNAT Scoring

How is the lnat scored.

The multiple-choice section counts toward your final test score, but the essay question does not. It is provided to the universities to which you have applied, along with your score.

What Is The LNAT Pass Score?

The test is scored out of 42. There is no pass or fail mark, but there are average scores that candidates typically achieve to successfully receive an offer from LNAT universities. For example, a good LNAT score for University of Oxford (which saw candidates secure a place) was 28.5 in 2023. 

When are LNAT results released?

LNAT results day 2023 is the same as each year. LNAT results day is twice annually: candidates who tested by 26 January receive results in mid-February, and those tested after, in mid-August

When are LNAT scores released to universities?

From 21 October, universities start receiving LNAT scores from tests taken between 1 September and 20 October, and post that, scores are available to them within 24 hours of a candidate completing the test.

How long is my LNAT score valid for?

It is only valid for the year you took it, if you are reapplying through UCAS this year, you must also take the test again this year. Results are not carried over from one year to the next.

LNAT Resits

Can you retake the lnat.

No, you can only take the LNAT once per cycle (1 September to 31 July), with unauthorised re-sittings deemed invalid. If you want to try it again, you will have to wait until next year to reapply.

Can I get extra time for the LNAT?

Yes – register as normal online via Pearson Vue, but do not book your test online. You will need to complete an Examination Access Requirements form through the website and send it to them, along with documentary evidence.

Navigating the LNAT successfully is crucial for your law school journey. Stay ahead by understanding the key dates, including when LNAT results are released, and optimise your preparation in 2023.

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LNAT Advice and Guidance

Find out more about the LNAT and how to prepare for the test

Book your LNAT test here.

Don't forget - All applicants to UCL Laws Undergraduate Programmes must take the LNAT  alongside their UCAS application.

All applicants to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL Laws must take the LNAT alongside the UCAS application. You must take the test  no later than  31 December 2023 (some universities have earlier deadlines).

Please note that applicants who register for the LNAT just before the registration deadline may experience difficulties obtaining an available test slot by 31 December 2023 due to high demand. We recommend registering and booking the test as early as possible to avoid this problem.

If you do not take the LNAT by the 31 December 2023 deadline, your application will be regarded as a late application, and therefore we will not be able to consider you for a place on one of our LLB degree programmes in the relevant admissions cycle, even if your original application was submitted by the UCAS deadline of 31 January 2024.

Test Centres

You can register to take the LNAT at a test centre near you: the LNAT has 500 test centres in 165 countries around the world.

If you are unable to take the LNAT because there are no test centres in your home country, or your local test centres are closed due to an enforced lockdown relating to COVID-19, please contact [email protected] before 31 December 2023 and include your UCAS ID number so we can make appropriate checks. We will be able to provide an alternative test if you are unable to book a test at an official test centre.

LNAT bursaries

LNAT have a bursary system under which they waive the test fee altogether for those in receipt of certain state benefits in their country of residence. This applies to UK and EU applicants only, sitting at UK and EU test centres only.

For more information please visit the LNAT bursaries website .

Reasonable adjustments

If you require special arrangements for the LNAT please follow the instructions on the LNAT website well in advance of the deadline. If you are struggling to get a test arranged, please get in touch with us ahead of the LNAT deadline.

Extenuating circumstances

Before the test If you feel unwell (mental or physical) before your test, we suggest that you reschedule your test rather than sitting your LNAT examination. If you decide to take the test when you are unwell, we will have no way of knowing how you would have done if you had not been unwell and will therefore not be able to take into consideration your circumstances.

To confirm, if you attend the exam you are declaring you are fit to do so and the mark you achieve will stand. You will not be permitted to receive any additional consideration from UCL Laws relating to that assessment unless you fall into the category below.

During the test If there is an incident while you are sitting the test (e.g. a fire alarm or you suddenly fall ill), the test centre will do what it can to minimise the disruption (and to let you finish your test if you are well). The incident will be logged and you will be given an incident number by the test centre staff. Once you have your incident number you need to contact the LNAT Consortium at once so that the incident can be investigated and, where appropriate, a resit test offered (please request a resit if your test was negatively affected).

If you were unable to continue with your test due to a sudden illness, you will need to request an approved resit from LNAT. We will then disregard your first attempt and use your resit score, even if your original score is higher than your resit.

More information on test day problems can be found on the LNAT website .

About the LNAT

The LNAT measures the reasoning skills at the heart of legal education, including:

• comprehension
• interpretation

The LNAT is a two-part test. The first part includes multiple-choice questions based on passages of text, and the second part requires you to answer one of three essay questions. The LNAT is a computer-based test and lasts for two hours and 15 minutes.

When you have completed the test, your scores from the multiple-choice section are checked by computer, and a mark out of 42 is created. This mark is known as the LNAT score. Your LNAT score and your essay will be sent to participating universities, including UCL. Your results from the LNAT are then used to supplement your university application and demonstrate your aptitude for studying undergraduate law.

You are advised to familiarise yourself with the style and the format of the test before you take it. The LNAT website provides lots of resources and information to help you prepare for the test and what to expect.

• Find out more about how to register and book a test on the LNAT website .

LNAT Guidance from UCL Laws 

Our top tips for preparing for the LNAT

1)  The test is designed to provide an assessment of a candidate’s potential for studying law. You should read the information available on the LNAT website , including the ‘ Guide to Preparing for the LNAT ’.

2) Practise, practise, practise.

• The best way to improve at anything is to practise, and the LNAT is no different. You are only allowed one attempt at the LNAT, so the more practise you do now the better prepared you will be. Start with small steps now.

3) The LNAT must be completed at a test centre, and this will be an unfamiliar place, using unfamiliar software. One of the best things you can do to familiarise yourself beforehand in order that you’re able to perform as your best without being unsettled by the environment is to use the official LNAT test simulator . This will familiarise you with the real LNAT as it will appear on screen during your LNAT test. You’ll be able to practise navigating the screens, ensuring you:

1) Don’t make any mistakes in navigation (such as ending the test too early!),

2) That you’re comfortable using the navigation so that you don’t need to spend time and your precious mental energy figuring it out on the day, and

3) Feel familiar with the environment and are therefore able to relax, as it’s something you’ve seen before.

That way you will be able to perform well in the test itself.

• As well as practising to learn about the test structure itself, you can also benefit from practising the individual components of the test, namely the multiple choice question section (95 minutes) and the essay component (40 minutes).
• The multiple choice section is divided into 12 sub sections; each sub section has between 3 and 4 questions giving 42 questions in total. Each question has only one correct answer.
• Improve your ability to read and comprehend complicated passages of text, at test speed..
• Get an understanding of how much time you need to allocate to answer the questions within the time limit.
• Be able to pace yourself and your reading time appropriately so that you don’t run out of time at the end.
• It’s better to have time to consider and answer all of the questions, than taking too long at the start and not having the time to properly consider the later questions.
• Don’t forget that if you are really struggling on a question, that it is OK to leave it and return at the end if you have time. Don’t let getting stuck on one question deflect your concentration from answering the others or dent your confidence. You are not expected to get full marks in this test.
• Don’t overanalyse the questions – they are not there to trick you. Do think carefully about every word in the question. What are you being asked? The answer is in the text.  

4) The LNAT essay provides a choice of three essay questions, you must select and answer one.

• The LNAT as a whole is designed to assess your verbal reasoning skills. Skills which are essential to the successful study of law.
• Verbal reasoning skills include comprehension, interpretation, analysis, synthesis, and deduction.
• The LNAT questions are based on short passages of text that you are given during the test.
• There is no subject-specific revision you can do for the LNAT questions. However, the passages of text will fall into these seven general categories: law, philosophy, politics, media, science, ethics, and education.In fact, relying too much on your own prior knowledge can be a false friend in this kind of assessment. Do not rely on what you know from other sources in answering the multiple-choice questions. The questions are always only about the passage itself. If there is something in the passage you disagree with or know to be incorrect, that does not matter, treat the passage as true for the purposes of the test.
• Once again, there is no prior knowledge of these areas that is required to be able to do well in the test, but a general awareness of current affairs is recommended, both by UCL and by the LNAT itself.

LNAT Essay Guidance

• Comprehensiveness and accuracy;
• Clarity of argument and expression;
• Integration of a range of arguments;
• Insight into the theoretical issues.
• ‘Read ahead – The more you know about current affairs, the greater the chance you will have of getting essay questions you understand and have some prior knowledge and familiarity with.
• Read a broadsheet newspaper. The advice provided on the LNAT website is worth repeating:

As you read -

• Think about the issues being raised;
• What assumptions are being made?
• What information is being relied on to draw which conclusion?
• How would you frame a counterargument?

Reading a quality daily newspaper will help you to be aware of the world around you. The LNAT essay topics will not be specifically about current affairs, and you will not be judged by what facts you know. But knowing how the world ticks, in general terms, will help you to write intelligently about a host of different topics.

• We have listed some newspapers below worth considering. You can read the online versions (usually freely available, although registration may be required). If you do read the online versions, remember to read the comment pieces as well as the news. (One question you might ask yourself: What exactly is the difference between news and comment? Is the contrast really apparent in practice?)
• The Economist
• The Financial Times
• The Guardian
• The Independent
• The Irish Times
• The New York Times
• The Scotsman
• The Sydney Morning Herald
• The Daily Telegraph
• The Washington Post

Pick the right question – Identify which question you have lots of knowledge about, not necessarily the one that you feel most strongly about. You will need to argue different points of view so make sure you have enough information to make a balanced discussion. Make sure you fully understand the question; if you don’t, pick another question.

• Plan the structure of your essay – You will only have 40 minutes, so before you start writing, think about what points you want to make and how you will create a concise, balanced argument on your chosen topic. Make sure the structure of your essay is logical and progresses in a structured way.
• Plan your time – A common mistake is for students to spend too much time on writing their introduction or making a single point. Allocate time to planning the essay structure, writing the introduction, middle, conclusion and to checking your work.
• Make your essay stand out – Consider what supporting evidence your argument has and how it can be used to best effect. Try not to be obvious and give ‘middle of the road’ bland answers. Instead, try to ‘think outside the box’ and demonstrate creativity in your arguments. Could the question itself be flawed?
• Evaluate any flaws or potential implications in the points you make. Don’t just give opinions – Without having an in-depth knowledge of a subject, it is easy to fall into the trap of using opinion to argue, rather than giving evidence. The essay is not looking for your assertions, but how you can build a case using the evidence you have available.’
• Practise writing essays under timed conditions on a computer, prior to sitting the test. Ask your teachers to set questions for you!

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• LNAT Preparation: The Complete Guide

Last Updated: 27th May 2022

Author: Chloe Hewitt

• Admissions Test

Table of Contents

If you are applying for Law at Oxford, Cambridge, or other top universities, one of the biggest hurdles you will be faced with is the LNAT.

Unlike any test you have ever done before, ensuring you have effectively prepared for the LNAT will make all the difference when it comes to scoring highly.

But how can you prepare for the LNAT? This guide runs through each of the two sections of the LNAT, explaining the skills that will be required to succeed and the ways you can develop your understanding and improve your technique. Before we dive into Section A, let’s review the basics of the LNAT. 

What is the LNAT?

If you aren’t familiar with the LNAT, check out our LNAT Basics Guide before continuing, as you’re going to need to know how the LNAT is structured, how it is marked and why it is used. If you know about the LNAT already, here is a very quick recap.

The Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) is an entrance exam used by a consortium of UK universities to assess prospective undergraduate law students. The LNAT is used to supplement other selection procedures — your A-level results, personal statement, and admissions interview — not to test your knowledge of the law. Instead, the computer-based exam assesses critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.

What is the structure of the LNAT?

The LNAT has a time limit of two hours and 15 minutes and is divided into two parts: Section A, a set of multiple-choice questions, and Section B, an essay writing task. These tasks are separated and each has a set time to complete, with 95 minutes to complete Section A and 40 minutes to complete Section B.

Effective LNAT preparation is crucial to achieving an offer, so let UniAdmissions guide you through it. 

The LNAT is a major part of your Law application, so make sure you’re ready for it with guidance from experts. Our LNAT Tuition Programme supports you through every aspect of the test through One-to-One Tuition, Live Courses, Comprehensive Materials and much more . 

Discover our LNAT Tuition Programme by booking a free consultation session by clicking the button below to enrol and triple your chances of success .

LNAT Section A Preparation

In Section A, you will have 95 minutes to answer 42 multiple-choice questions based on 12 passages of text provided. This means that you’ll need to complete three to four questions per passage. There will be five possible answers to each question, but only one will be correct.

You do not need to have any particular knowledge to complete Section A. However, you must spend time preparing for LNAT Section A to know what to expect during the test. As part of your LNAT Section A preparation, it is also a good idea to practice the skills the admissions tutors are looking for applicants to demonstrate. It would be worth brushing up on these skills so you are confident when it comes to the test.

What does LNAT Section A test?

Section A is all about your comprehension and reasoning skills. The admissions tutors want to know that you can understand, analyse and interpret information. In the test, you will need to work out what the question is asking, pinpoint which part of the text is relevant, and choose the best answer from the multiple-choice answers provided. This will need to be done using the following:

• Comprehension
• Interpretation

The LNAT is also used to identify if students can understand different parts of a passage. An integral point to understand is what constitutes a good argument. These are:

Evidence : arguments based on opinions and value judgements are weaker than those based on facts and evidence.

Logic : arguments should flow and the constituent parts should fit well into an overriding view or belief.

Balance : a good argument should concede that there are other views and beliefs (counter-arguments). Creating a strong argument involves dismantling these ideas and explaining why they are wrong.

What do you need to know for LNAT Section A?

Here are a few key ideas that you will need to revise and prepare for before sitting Section A of the LNAT:

ARGUMENTS vs ASSERTIONS vs EXPLANATIONS

ARGUMENTS vs ASSERTIONS

 vs EXPLANATIONS

The following clip is from a UniAdmissions LNAT Live Course, in which our expert tutor explains how you can determine the differences between these three types of discussion within a passage:

PREMISE vs CONCLUSION

• A conclusion is a summary of the arguments being made and is usually explicitly stated or heavily implied.
• A premise is a statement from which another statement can be inferred or follows as a conclusion.

Hence, a conclusion is shown/implied/proven by a premise. Similarly, a premise shows/indicates/establishes a conclusion.

FACT vs OPINION

Sometimes you will be required to distinguish between a fact and an opinion.

• Fact is something that can be tested to be true or false.
• Opinion cannot be tested to be true or false.

CORRELATION vs CAUSATION

Just because two incidents or events have occurred does not mean that one has caused the other. For example:  “French people are known for having a glass of wine with dinner and they have a larger life expectancy than we do. Therefore, we should consume wine to be healthier.”

This argument is flawed. There are 2 events: (i) French people known for having wine and (ii) French people having a larger life expectancy. There is no suggestion in the extract that (i) wine is causally related to (ii) or that having wine actually leads to a longer life. Accordingly, in itself, the premises do not adequately support the conclusion – there could be other reasons such as diet or exercise.

How should I prepare for LNAT Section A?

1. Read a wide range of texts

As Section A assesses your ability to comprehend and analyse texts, it is important to improve your reading comprehension. You can do this by studying a variety of quality texts, such as news articles, academic journals, and literature, and then summarising the main points. Be sure to identify the tone and analyse the author’s argument.

2. Practice thinking critically

As you read these texts, you should check your understanding by asking yourself questions on their meaning, such as:

• Is the statement one of fact or opinion?
• Have you focused on the detail or jumped to a conclusion?
• Have you made a logical deduction about the information?
• Is there something in the statement that has been left unsaid?
• Is the statement supported by evidence?
• What is the writer’s attitude? For example, are they being serious or making a joke?
• Is the statement relevant or irrelevant to the question?

If there are ambiguities, they are assessing how well you cope with ambiguities. However, the solution is always in the passage somewhere. 

3. Practice your Time Management

Time management skills are crucial for the LNAT. With 95 minutes to answer 42 questions, that gives you roughly two and a quarter minutes to answer each question. In fact, many students find the most difficult part of the test is not answering all of the questions correctly, but doing so under its timed conditions and working at a steady pace.

Decide how long you want to spend on each passage of text and the multiple-choice questions. You have 95 minutes to complete Section A, therefore you could decide to spend 7 minutes reading each passage of text and then answer the connected questions. The remaining 11 minutes could then be used to go back over any questions you found difficult.

4. Understand the format of the test

It is essential to familiarise yourself with the format of the LNAT, including the types of questions that may appear in Section A. To do so, you should definitely take advantage of the official practice tests available, which will help develop your understanding of the test structure and the types of questions you may encounter on the day.

Extra LNAT Section A Tips

• Read the question carefully and make sure you understand what is being asked.
• Look for any keywords in the question and answer options before reading the passage of text.
• When you then go on to read the passage of text, look out for those keywords.
• Consider the questions listed above when deciding what a statement means and selecting your answer.
• Use a process of elimination to find the correct answer. By discounting the incorrect answer options, it helps to narrow down the answers until you are left with one.
• If you are unable to narrow the options down to just one, then go with your gut feeling when selecting an answer and come back to it later.
• No points will be deducted for an incorrect answer, so make sure you answer every question even if you are unsure.

One of the hallmarks of a good multiple-choice question is the inclusion of one or more answer options that are wrong but almost right. Questions like this are not tricks. They are there to test whether your powers of discrimination are fine-grained or coarse-grained. Work hard to find and eliminate them.

Boost your LNAT Score with expert support from UniAdmissions.

With our LNAT Tuition Programme, you will have complete guidance for both Sections of the LNAT, with regular tuition from an expert tutor and a whole suite of revision and practice resources to get yourself ready. 

LNAT Section B Preparation

In this section, you will be presented with a choice of three essay questions, and you will be required to answer one of them in a well-structured, persuasive manner under a time limit of 40 minutes.

What does LNAT Section B test?

To answer Section B of the LNAT, you will need to have strong critical thinking and analytical skills, good writing skills and a strong command of written English. You need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and coherently, structure your essay effectively, and present your arguments in a logical and persuasive manner.

Having a good knowledge of current affairs will also work in your favour. The admissions tutors really like to see interesting and creative arguments which are backed up by evidence rather than opinions. Focus on these skills in your LNAT Section B preparation.

1.Choosing your question

As mentioned, you have three options for your essay. We have a video snippet from our Law Programme in which our tutor Amy Gregg goes through the explanation of selecting the right question.

We’d recommend you take two minutes to read all the questions! While one essay might seem easy, you may find you run out of points and arguments. Using your time wisely will enable you to gauge how comfortable you are with a topic from your background knowledge.

2. Remember to Plan your essay

There are many reasons why you should plan your essay before you begin writing. These include:

• You don’t have much space so you need to make it count!
• It allows you to get your thoughts down on paper before writing
• You’ll write faster once you have a plan
• You run the risk of missing the point if you don’t plan

There’s no set period of time that should be dedicated to planning. This differs for everyone because everyone is different! You should spend as long as you want planning, provided you have enough time to legibly write your essay. As a rough guide, we’d recommend 5-10 minutes.

3. Learn how to structure your essay

It is important that your essay has a clear framework and logical progression, such as the following structure:

• Introduction: introduce the topic and give a brief outline of what you will discuss.
• Main argument: discuss the facts in favour of your position.
• Counter-argument: present arguments to the contrary.
• Conclusion: state what you believe and why.

You can then begin to structure your essay, including the way that points will be linked. At this stage, it is worth considering the balance of your argument and confirming that you have considered arguments from both sides of the debate. Once this general structure has been established, it is useful to consider any examples or real-world information that may help to support your arguments.

Finally, you can begin to assess the plan as a whole and establish what your conclusion will be based on your arguments. You can use a variety of methods to actually put your ideas down, whether this is a mind map, bullet points or PROs and CONs, use what is best for you.

4. Practise timed essay writing

Section B of the LNAT requires you to write a 500-750 word essay in 40 minutes, so it’s important to get used to writing under strict time constraints. To get started, we recommend working with the sample essay topics , focusing on building a compelling argument with a logical structure. It may be beneficial to begin writing without time constraints before gradually picking up the pace.

Never avoid writing about topics you do not know much about. This can be dangerous for your LNAT score in the exam if only topics you are uncomfortable with come up. If you need someone to look over some practice essay answers for the LNAT and provide any guidance, then ask our LNAT tutors to mark your essay .

5. Review top-scoring essays

The LNAT website not only lists sample topics, but provides top-scoring answers to certain questions, such as “Does it matter if some animal and plant species die out?”. It is strongly recommended to read through these, to gauge how you should present your argument and get an idea of what the examiners are looking for.

Writing an LNAT Essay

To give you an idea of what you should be trying to achieve with your LNAT Section B essay, we’ll do a brief worked example together. Consider the question: “Abortion should only be permitted in certain circumstances.” Discuss.

Introduction

Present a brief outline of what you will discuss. In this case, you should clearly define “Abortion” (e.g. the termination of a pregnancy). If you wish, you can highlight the key themes that will run through the essay, but keep it short!

You should have a bunch of points written down that you can call on for this section. Here are some points considering arguing for abortion we came up with during the planning stage:

In the event of a medical issue

Disability of the child

Sexual assault

The mother wants to give up the foetus

The mother is too young

You now have a choice of several points you can use, but you can’t go into detail for all of them! You should focus on the  quality  not  quantity  of points made. Choose the points from which you can make the most original contribution.

Once you have chosen your points, you should create a structure:

Paragraph 1: Disability of the child

Paragraph 2: Sexual assault

Paragraph 3: In the event of a medical issue

You should then write PROs and CONs of each point for each paragraph. Ensure you have a balanced essay that considers all points of view fairly. Thinking about all elements of an argument is important; thinking of alternative views can strengthen your argument for or against something.

Here you will bring together the points from the main body. You shouldn’t bring any new points into the conclusion, focus just on what you have previously spoken about. If you have summarised each point in the main body, then a shorter conclusion will suffice, and vice versa.

Extra LNAT Section B Tips

• The ideal LNAT essay is 500-600 words long. If you write less than this your essay will be too short to be evaluated properly and you are unlikely to do well.
• You should try and remove repetition, surplus words, and digressions. This kind of discipline will be rewarded.
• Do not sit on the fence or say that each side of the argument has a point unless you go on to say which point each side has. This is different from considering both sides and will come off as indecisive. 
• Your opinions do not matter, all the Admissions Tutors are interested in seeing is your ability to defend a position which may or may not be your own personal opinion.
• Do not try and impress with fancy words or elaborate style that have no substance. Be straightforward in your writing and your argument.

Practical Preparation for the LNAT

Preparing for the LNAT isn’t all about practising for the questions, however. There are some practical considerations to keep in mind, away from the content of the Admissions Test itself. You will need to ensure you are ready to attend the actual test, or else you may face complications before you even see the paper. 

Make sure to check the deadlines for the universities you are applying to and remember that test places get booked up quickly. Do not leave it until the last minute. It should go without saying, but you must ensure that your chosen universities actually require the LNAT first. Doing some research into how these unis use the LNAT will also help you set your expectations for the minimum you should achieve. 

If you are applying for Oxford or Cambridge, you will need to have sat the LNAT on or before 15 th October. If you are not applying to Oxbridge, you have until 25 th January.

Make sure to take photo identification and a printout of your confirmation email to the test centre with you. Arrive 20 minutes early, as if you are late, you may not be allowed to sit the test.

Ultimately, passing the LNAT test is a challenging but achievable goal, but by following these steps for your LNAT preparation, you can improve your chances of doing so and pave the way towards a rewarding future in Law.

What you have got to remember that the LNAT is your opportunity to demonstrate to the Admissions Tutors that you are capable of succeeding at an academically demanding subject. As long as you use your skills of deduction for the multiple-choice questions and argue coherently in your essay you are sure to do well. 

Remember, the LNAT is not designed to trip you up. Its purpose is to allow you to demonstrate the skills that are necessary for a career in Law. Following these tips and effectively preparing for the test will improve your chances of getting a good LNAT Score .

Looking to effectively boost your LNAT score?

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Sample LNAT Essay and Advice

Introduction.

The Essay forms an important part of the LNAT. Students often underestimate it, yet certain Universities place quite a considerable emphasis on the Essay in the admissions process. Head over to our Guide about LNAT Universities & Required Scores to find out more (we recommend paying attention to the official LNAT Essay mark scheme as released by University of Oxford).

Having said that, performing well in your Essay will be of great advantage to your application. The tutors are looking for candidates who possess a high level of written skill, since the study of Law revolves around delivering exceptional written arguments. Furthermore, law exams are famously known for consisting of hours dedicated to writing essays in a summative format.

To write a great essay, you need to practise under timed conditions, be well-versed on various topics, and continually analyse your performance. In particular, you should consider the following suggestions:

Be concise and succinct

Be persuasive, sample lnat essay, question: should people accused of a criminal offence retain anonymity.

“The Criminal Justice System is predicated on the supposition of innocence until guilt is proven in a court of law. This principle applies whether the defendant is known to the public and hence subject to public prejudices, or wholly anonymous prior to the alleged offence. I believe and shall argue that, wherever possible, the anonymity of the accused ought to be persevered. My reasons for thinking so are several; that the legal process must be as free from bias as is feasible; that the public interest is not served by the publishing of the accused’s identity and that the right of the individual to privacy would be breached in the publication.

First, one must consider what is the nature of the legal process; it is a dialectic process in which the prosecutor must prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt; the defence must either cast doubt on the case of the prosecution or prove the defendant’s innocence outright. This will require the gathering of many articles of evidence and an extensive familiarity with the facts pertinent to the case, as well as the stipulations of the law and the precedents set by previous cases. It would be antithetical to the very nature of the legal process to allow public prejudice to colour the legal proceedings, as it potentially would in the case that the defendant’s anonymity was compromised. A beloved darling of the people would excite a general clamour in his or her defence; a public pariah would arouse the most damning of execration.

A public bias is no less heinous than any other sort of bias and it could be argued that in magnitude it far outweighs the others. Thus, the objectivity of the court, which must be assumed a priori, can only be degraded by the general knowledge of the accused’s identity and can never be served by it. The accused ought only to be tried by a court and never by mob or media.

Second, any action by a public body, such as the police or the judiciary, ought to be in service of the public interest. It is in the public interest to seek the perpetrator of a crime, as it is to punish those found guilty and to publish their names so that they may be known as criminals to the public whom they have offended. It is hard to see how the publication of an accused person’s identity can serve the public good. In the event that they are innocent, the accused will be forever the subject of suspicion in certain quarters and may suffer reprisals from members of the public who are not satisfied by the outcome of the trial. In the event that the accused is guilty, then their guilt will be published and the public will thereby learn all of the relevant details. This is not to suggest that criminal cases ought to be tried in secret courts; persons with an intimate connection either to the accused or the victim ought to be entitled to observe the proceedings, in which case the preservation of anonymity becomes a matter of individual conscience.

Third, the individual who has been accused must be afforded the general right to privacy. Legally speaking man acquitted a hundred times is as innocent as a man acquitted but once or never prosecuted at all, but the public rarely considers criminal matters from a legal perspective; if it were so, then courts would hardly be necessary. It is precisely because certain elements of the public are quick to judge and often liable to punish unjustly that a legal system is required in order to provide due process and to prevent the miscarriage of justice. The circumstances of a crime may excite unease and discontentment in many and a person may never escape the taint of having once been accused of a crime of which they were never guilty. In some cases, suspects have been killed prior to their trials; most notably, perhaps is Lee Harvey Oswald, thanks to whose death we may never know the true circumstances of the terrible crime of which he stood accused.

In conclusion, I reaffirm the importance of anonymity in the case of a criminal accusation. For whilst the public is entitled to know the identity of criminals who threaten their security and against whom the state has levied punishment, it is imperative that we presume the defendant to be innocent until guilt is confessed or proved. Upon this principle we may hope to preserve the objectivity of the court and the dignity of the accused.”

There is no exhaustive list that will allow you to write amazing essays. It is truly the case of ‘practice makes perfect’ (and being widely read!). So maybe you are tempted to write an answer to this sample LNAT Essay Question?

Well, Arbitio allows you to do just that: we have developed an Essay Writing Simulator that accurately recreates the LNAT exam environment and provided you with 20+ Questions on a variety of topics reflective of the LNAT curriculum. The Model Answers to each Essay Question will help you see what good essay writing is all about, with some salient points you may wish to adopt into your argumentative arsenal. The subscription includes Essay Marking Service, where one of our tutors will deliver detailed feedback on an essay of your choice.

LNAT Free Past Papers, Worked Solutions and Answers

Free lnat questions & mark schemes for all lnat past papers.

Welcome to our LNAT past paper page, designed to support Oxbridge Law applicants! Below you will find LNAT questions and answers for all LNAT past papers . We recommend using these questions and LNAT past papers to self-assess your own abilities. You can revisit these in a few weeks to gain an understanding of how you're progressing with your LNAT prep. Alongside these LNAT questions, you can maximise your chance of gaining an Oxbridge Law offer with our other preparation resources such as LNAT preparation books or our specialist LNAT 1-1 programmes . Call us on 020 3305 9593 to find out more.

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NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

David Folkenflik

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust.

NPR's top news executive defended its journalism and its commitment to reflecting a diverse array of views on Tuesday after a senior NPR editor wrote a broad critique of how the network has covered some of the most important stories of the age.

"An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America," writes Uri Berliner.

A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR's former CEO, John Lansing, has fed "the absence of viewpoint diversity," Berliner writes.

NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner's assessment.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she wrote. "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

She added, "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

A spokesperson for NPR said Chapin, who also serves as the network's chief content officer, would have no further comment.

Praised by NPR's critics

Berliner is a senior editor on NPR's Business Desk. (Disclosure: I, too, am part of the Business Desk, and Berliner has edited many of my past stories. He did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Berliner's essay , titled "I've Been at NPR for 25 years. Here's How We Lost America's Trust," was published by The Free Press, a website that has welcomed journalists who have concluded that mainstream news outlets have become reflexively liberal.

Berliner writes that as a Subaru-driving, Sarah Lawrence College graduate who "was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother ," he fits the mold of a loyal NPR fan.

Yet Berliner says NPR's news coverage has fallen short on some of the most controversial stories of recent years, from the question of whether former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, to the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19, to the significance and provenance of emails leaked from a laptop owned by Hunter Biden weeks before the 2020 election. In addition, he blasted NPR's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On each of these stories, Berliner asserts, NPR has suffered from groupthink due to too little diversity of viewpoints in the newsroom.

The essay ricocheted Tuesday around conservative media , with some labeling Berliner a whistleblower . Others picked it up on social media, including Elon Musk, who has lambasted NPR for leaving his social media site, X. (Musk emailed another NPR reporter a link to Berliner's article with a gibe that the reporter was a "quisling" — a World War II reference to someone who collaborates with the enemy.)

When asked for further comment late Tuesday, Berliner declined, saying the essay spoke for itself.

The arguments he raises — and counters — have percolated across U.S. newsrooms in recent years. The #MeToo sexual harassment scandals of 2016 and 2017 forced newsrooms to listen to and heed more junior colleagues. The social justice movement prompted by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 inspired a reckoning in many places. Newsroom leaders often appeared to stand on shaky ground.

Leaders at many newsrooms, including top editors at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times , lost their jobs. Legendary Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron wrote in his memoir that he feared his bonds with the staff were "frayed beyond repair," especially over the degree of self-expression his journalists expected to exert on social media, before he decided to step down in early 2021.

Since then, Baron and others — including leaders of some of these newsrooms — have suggested that the pendulum has swung too far.

Author Interviews

Legendary editor marty baron describes his 'collision of power' with trump and bezos.

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned last year against journalists embracing a stance of what he calls "one-side-ism": "where journalists are demonstrating that they're on the side of the righteous."

"I really think that that can create blind spots and echo chambers," he said.

Internal arguments at The Times over the strength of its reporting on accusations that Hamas engaged in sexual assaults as part of a strategy for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel erupted publicly . The paper conducted an investigation to determine the source of a leak over a planned episode of the paper's podcast The Daily on the subject, which months later has not been released. The newsroom guild accused the paper of "targeted interrogation" of journalists of Middle Eastern descent.

Heated pushback in NPR's newsroom

Given Berliner's account of private conversations, several NPR journalists question whether they can now trust him with unguarded assessments about stories in real time. Others express frustration that he had not sought out comment in advance of publication. Berliner acknowledged to me that for this story, he did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he give the network advance notice.

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues are responding heatedly. Fernando Alfonso, a senior supervising editor for digital news, wrote that he wholeheartedly rejected Berliner's critique of the coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, for which NPR's journalists, like their peers, periodically put themselves at risk.

Alfonso also took issue with Berliner's concern over the focus on diversity at NPR.

"As a person of color who has often worked in newsrooms with little to no people who look like me, the efforts NPR has made to diversify its workforce and its sources are unique and appropriate given the news industry's long-standing lack of diversity," Alfonso says. "These efforts should be celebrated and not denigrated as Uri has done."

After this story was first published, Berliner contested Alfonso's characterization, saying his criticism of NPR is about the lack of diversity of viewpoints, not its diversity itself.

"I never criticized NPR's priority of achieving a more diverse workforce in terms of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. I have not 'denigrated' NPR's newsroom diversity goals," Berliner said. "That's wrong."

Questions of diversity

Under former CEO John Lansing, NPR made increasing diversity, both of its staff and its audience, its "North Star" mission. Berliner says in the essay that NPR failed to consider broader diversity of viewpoint, noting, "In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner cited audience estimates that suggested a concurrent falloff in listening by Republicans. (The number of people listening to NPR broadcasts and terrestrial radio broadly has declined since the start of the pandemic.)

Former NPR vice president for news and ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin tweeted , "I know Uri. He's not wrong."

Others questioned Berliner's logic. "This probably gets causality somewhat backward," tweeted Semafor Washington editor Jordan Weissmann . "I'd guess that a lot of NPR listeners who voted for [Mitt] Romney have changed how they identify politically."

Similarly, Nieman Lab founder Joshua Benton suggested the rise of Trump alienated many NPR-appreciating Republicans from the GOP.

In recent years, NPR has greatly enhanced the percentage of people of color in its workforce and its executive ranks. Four out of 10 staffers are people of color; nearly half of NPR's leadership team identifies as Black, Asian or Latino.

"The philosophy is: Do you want to serve all of America and make sure it sounds like all of America, or not?" Lansing, who stepped down last month, says in response to Berliner's piece. "I'd welcome the argument against that."

"On radio, we were really lagging in our representation of an audience that makes us look like what America looks like today," Lansing says. The U.S. looks and sounds a lot different than it did in 1971, when NPR's first show was broadcast, Lansing says.

A network spokesperson says new NPR CEO Katherine Maher supports Chapin and her response to Berliner's critique.

The spokesperson says that Maher "believes that it's a healthy thing for a public service newsroom to engage in rigorous consideration of the needs of our audiences, including where we serve our mission well and where we can serve it better."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.