Boldfaced Arguments

Understanding the *Structure* and *Function* of Arguments

A comprehensive guide to identifying the precise role each part of an argument plays.

Conclusion
Premise
Counter-Premise

What is Your Mission?

You are given an argument with one or two parts in bold text.

Your mission: Identify the specific role or *function* of the bolded statement(s) within the overall argument.

Analogy: The Argument Blueprint

Think of an argument as a house. Your job is to act as the architect and identify the *purpose* of the bolded parts on the blueprint.

Is it a Foundation?

(A **Premise** or piece of **Evidence**)

Is it a Support Beam?

(An **Intermediate Conclusion**)

Is it the Roof?

(The **Main Conclusion**)

Is it a Crack to be Fixed?

(A **Counter-Premise**)

Core Component 1: Main Conclusion (MC)

What it is: The single, primary point the author is trying to prove. It's the "roof" of the house. Everything else in the argument either supports this, or is a counter-point to it.

Example: "The city should *not* build the new stadium. It is a waste of money and will create a traffic nightmare. Therefore, the stadium proposal should be rejected."

Key: There is only *one* Main Conclusion. Your first step is *always* to find it.

Core Component 2: Premise (P)

What it is: A stated fact, statistic, or piece of evidence used to support another claim. It's the "foundation" or "brick".

Example: "The city's own study found that traffic would increase by 30%. Therefore, the stadium proposal should be rejected."

Key: A premise supports something, but is not supported *by* anything else in the argument. It's the starting point.

Core Component 3: Intermediate Conclusion (IC)

What it is: The *most important* component. It's a claim that is *supported by* a premise, but *also supports* the Main Conclusion. It's a "support beam".

Example: "(P) The new software crashes every 10 minutes. (IC) Therefore, the software is unreliable. (MC) For this reason, we should not buy it."

Key: "Unreliable" is a *conclusion* based on the crashing (P), but it's also a *premise* for the Main Conclusion (not buying it).

Core Component 4: Counter-Premise (CP)

What it is: A fact or claim that goes *against* the author's argument. The author includes it to show they've considered the other side, before dismissing it.

Example: "Admittedly, the new stadium would create 500 temporary jobs. However, the long-term debt outweighs this minor, short-term benefit. Therefore, the proposal should be rejected."

Key: Often signaled by words like "Admittedly," "While it's true," or "Some argue..."

Core Component 5: Opposing Position

What it is: The overall viewpoint that the author is trying to *disprove*. The Main Conclusion of the *other side*.

Example: "Many city council members believe the new stadium is a wise investment. But they are wrong. The city's own study shows traffic will increase by 30%. Therefore, the proposal should be rejected."

Key: The author's Main Conclusion ("reject the proposal") is in direct opposition to this claim.

Visualizing Argument Structure

Look for these two common flows.

Flow 1: The "Support" Chain

Premise (Fact)
Intermediate Conclusion
Main Conclusion

Flow 2: The "Rebuttal"

Counter-Premise (Concession)
Author's Premise ("But...")
Main Conclusion

The 4-Step Strategy to Victory

1

Read the Whole Argument. Find the author's *Main Conclusion* first. This is your anchor.

2

Analyze Boldface 1 (BF1). What is its job? Does it support the MC? Does it oppose it? Is it the MC itself? Is it an IC?

3

Analyze Boldface 2 (BF2). What is *its* job? How does it relate to the MC *and* to BF1?

4

Match Your Description. Find the *one* answer choice that correctly describes the roles of *both* statements.

Decoding the Question Stems

They are long, but all ask the same thing: "Describe the roles."

  • "In the argument, the first boldfaced statement plays what role?"
  • "What is the function of the two boldfaced portions in the argument?"
  • "The first boldfaced statement serves to... while the second boldfaced statement serves to..."

Pro-Tip: Hunt for Indicator Words

The non-bolded words *around* the bold parts tell you their function.

Conclusion Indicators: "Therefore," "Thus," "Hence," "So," "Clearly," "It follows that..."

Premise Indicators: "Because," "Since," "For example," "The reason is..."

Counter-Premise Indicators: "However," "But," "Although," "Admittedly," "While some argue..."

Common Boldface Patterns

Learn to spot these 7 common structures.

Pattern 1: Premise -> Main Conclusion

BF1: A Premise (Evidence).
BF2: The Main Conclusion.

"The study showed 20% rainfall. Therefore, the new policy is working."

Pattern 2: Premise -> Intermediate Conclusion

BF1: A Premise.
BF2: An Intermediate Conclusion (which supports a non-bolded MC).

"The CEO sold his stock. This suggests the company is in trouble. Therefore, we should sell our stock."

Pattern 3: IC -> Main Conclusion

BF1: An Intermediate Conclusion.
BF2: The Main Conclusion.

"The study showed 20% rainfall, so the drought is easing. Therefore, the new policy is working."

Pattern 4: Counter-Premise -> Main Conclusion

BF1: A fact the author acknowledges but will argue against.
BF2: The Main Conclusion that opposes BF1.

"Some argue the new law is effective. But this is wrong. The law must be repealed."

Pattern 5: Premise -> Opposing Conclusion

BF1: A premise the author uses.
BF2: A conclusion the author is *arguing against*.

"Because the new law costs money, many claim it should be repealed. However, the author disagrees..."

Pattern 6: Two Premises

BF1: A Premise.
BF2: Another Premise.

"The study showed 20% rainfall. Furthermore, the rivers are full. Therefore, the drought is over."

Pattern 7: Two Conclusions (IC -> MC)

BF1: The Main Conclusion.
BF2: An Intermediate Conclusion that supports BF1.

"The new policy is working. We know this because the drought is easing, which is a direct result of the 20% rainfall."

Practice Set 1 (4 Options)

Passage 1: "Our company's profits have increased 50% this year. This is due to our new marketing campaign, which has dramatically increased sales. Therefore, we should double our investment in marketing next year."

In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

Explanation:
MC: "we should double our investment..." (The author's final recommendation).
BF1: "profits have increased 50%..." This is a fact used to support the conclusion. It's a Premise.
BF2: "we should double our investment..." This is the Main Conclusion.
(C) Correct. The first is a premise, and the second is the main conclusion.

Passage 2: "It is often argued that high-sugar diets are harmless. This, however, is incorrect. Dozens of studies show that high sugar intake is linked to diabetes. Thus, these diets pose a significant health risk."

What is the function of the two boldfaced statements?

Explanation:
MC: "these diets pose a significant health risk."
BF1: "It is often argued that..." This is an Opposing Position (Component 5). The author *disagrees* with it ("This... is incorrect").
BF2: "these diets pose a significant health risk." This is the Main Conclusion, signaled by "Thus".
(B) Correct. This matches our analysis perfectly.

Practice Set 2 (5 Options)

Passage 3: "The new law requiring helmets for cyclists is a failure. After all, the number of cyclist injuries has not decreased since the law's introduction. This shows that the law has not made cycling any safer. Therefore, the law should be repealed."

In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

Explanation:
MC: "the law should be repealed." (The final "Therefore...").
BF1: "the number of injuries has not decreased..." This is a fact (Premise) used as support.
BF2: "the law has not made cycling any safer." This is a *conclusion* based on BF1, but it's also a *premise* for the Main Conclusion. This is a classic Intermediate Conclusion.
(D) Correct. The first is a premise, and the second is an intermediate conclusion.

Passage 4: "The economy has entered a recession. This is clear from the fact that unemployment has risen for three consecutive quarters. Because a recession is underway, we can expect consumer spending to fall sharply."

What role do the two boldfaced statements play in the argument?

Explanation:
MC: "we can expect consumer spending to fall sharply." This is the final prediction.
BF1: "The economy has entered a recession." This is a *conclusion* based on the unemployment data. It is then used as a *premise* for the main conclusion. This is an Intermediate Conclusion.
BF2: "we can expect consumer spending to fall sharply." This is the Main Conclusion.
(A) Correct. This is a classic IC -> MC structure (Pattern 3).

Practice Set 3 (5 Options)

Passage 5: "The new regulations on factory emissions are clearly working. This is because, in the year since they were enacted, air quality in the nation's most polluted cities has improved by 15%. This improvement is a direct result of the regulations."

In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

Explanation:
MC: "The new regulations... are clearly working." (The first statement is the overall claim).
Premise (non-bolded): "...air quality... has improved by 15%."
BF2: "This improvement is a direct result..." This is a *conclusion* based on the timing (it's an IC), which then supports the Main Conclusion.
(C) Correct. This is Pattern 7. The first is the Main Conclusion, and the second is an Intermediate Conclusion that supports it.

Passage 6: "Our new CEO has an MBA from a top university. Furthermore, she has 15 years of experience in our industry. For these reasons, she is clearly qualified to lead this company to success."

What role do the two boldfaced statements play in the argument?

Explanation:
MC: "...she is clearly qualified..." (The non-bolded final sentence).
BF1: "...has an MBA..." This is a fact (Premise) supporting the MC.
BF2: "...has 15 years of experience..." This is another fact (Premise) supporting the MC.
(E) Correct. This is Pattern 6. Both are premises used to support the final conclusion.

The Hall of Shame: Common Traps

Don't fall for these tricky wrong answers.

1. Misidentifying the MC

If you get the Main Conclusion wrong, all your other analysis will be wrong. It's the #1 trap. Always find it first.

2. Confusing IC and P

The answer calls something a "premise" when it's actually an "intermediate conclusion." Remember: If it's *supported by* another fact, it's a *conclusion* of some kind.

3. The "Half-Right" Answer

The description of BF1 is perfectly correct, but the description of BF2 is wrong. This is the most common trap for two-part questions. *Both* parts must be correct.

4. The "Judgment" Trap

The answer *judges* the argument (e.g., "The first is a *flawed* claim..."). Your job is not to find the flaw, just to identify the *role*. Don't mix up question types!

Final Interactive Quiz

Test your mastery. Identify the roles.

1. (4 options) Argument: "The new marketing campaign has failed to increase brand awareness. This is surprising, given that our competitor's similar campaign was a huge success."

In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

2. (5 options) Argument: "Because the planet is warming, ice caps are melting. Because the ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising. Therefore, we must invest in coastal defenses."

The first boldfaced statement is... and the second boldfaced statement is...

3. (4 options) Argument: "The proposal to build a new highway is flawed. While it might reduce commute times, the environmental damage would be catastrophic. The long-term harm to our air and water quality far outweighs any short-term convenience."

In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

4. (5 options) Argument: "The new 'Apex' running shoe is our best-selling shoe this quarter. This clearly shows it is our most popular model. Based on this, we should increase production of the 'Apex' shoe."

What role do the two boldfaced statements play in the argument?

Summary & Next Steps

Key Takeaways

  • Find the Main Conclusion FIRST. This is your anchor. Everything is relative to it.
  • Master the Intermediate Conclusion (IC). It's a claim supported by evidence, and it supports the MC.
  • Pay attention to indicator words ("Therefore," "But," "Since"). They tell you the role.
  • Your job is to *describe*, not to *judge*. Don't fall for "Flaw" or "Weaken" traps.

Practice Plan

  • Bracket and Label: Take practice CR passages, print them, and use brackets to label every single part [P], [IC], [MC], [CP].
  • Pre-think the Roles: Cover the answer choices. Read the passage and say, "BF1 is a premise, BF2 is the main conclusion" *before* you look.
  • Focus on "Half-Right" Traps: When you get one wrong, see if it was a "half-right" answer. Train yourself to check *both* descriptions.