Premise and Conclusion Recognition Mini-Drill

Each of the following problems contains a short argument. For each argument,
identify the conclusion and the premise(s). Answers on the next page.
1. “Given that the price of steel is rising, we will no longer be able to
offer discounts on our car parts.”
2. “The political situation in Somalia is unstable owing to the ability of
individual warlords to maintain powerful armed forces.”
3. “Since we need to have many different interests to sustain us, the
scientists’ belief must be incorrect.”
4. “So, as indicated by the newly released data, we should push forward
with our efforts to recolonize the forest with snowy tree crickets.”
5. “Television has a harmful effect on society. This can be seen from the
poor school performance of children who watch significant amounts of
television and from the fact that children who watch more than six
hours of television a day tend to read less than non-television watching
children.”
6. “The rapid diminishment of the ecosystem of the Amazon threatens the
entire planet. Consequently, we must take immediate steps to convince
the Brazilian government that planned development projects need to be
curtailed for the simple reason that these development projects will
greatly accelerate the loss of currently protected land.”

Premise and Conclusion Recognition Mini-Drill Answer Key

1. Features the premise indicator “given that.”
Premise: “Given that the price of steel is rising,”
Conclusion: “we will no longer be able to offer discounts on our car
parts.”
2. Features the premise indicator “owing to.”
Premise: “owing to the ability of individual warlords to maintain
powerful armed forces.”
Conclusion: “The political situation in Somalia is unstable”
3. Features the premise indicator “since.”
Premise: “Since we need to have many different interests to sustain
us,”
Conclusion: “the scientists’ belief must be incorrect.”
4. Features the conclusion/premise form indicator “So, as indicated by.”
Premise: “as indicated by the newly released data”
Conclusion: “we should push forward with our efforts to recolonize the
forest with snowy tree crickets.”
5. Features the premise indicator “this can be seen from.” The second sentence
contains two premises.
Premise 1: “This can be seen from the poor school performance of
children who watch significant amounts of television”
Premise 2: “and from fact that children who watch more than six hours
of television a day tend to read less than non-television
watching children.”
Conclusion: “Television has a harmful effect on society.” Note how this
sentence does not contain a conclusion indicator. Yet, we can
determine that this is the conclusion because the other sentence
contains two premises.
6. Features the conclusion indicator “consequently” and the premise indicator
“for the simple reason that.” There are also two premises present.
Premise 1: “The rapid diminishment of the ecosystem of the Amazon
threatens the entire planet.”
Premise 2: “for the simple reason that these development projects will
greatly accelerate the loss of currently protected land.”
Conclusion: “we must take immediate steps to convince the Brazilian
government that planned development projects need to be
curtailed”