GLAT key terms

A conclusion drawn from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements; in reading comprehension, it is an unstated idea that logically follows from the passage.

The central point or controlling thought of a passage; it summarizes what the author wants the reader to understand about the topic.

The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through word choice, sentence structure, and emphasis; it may be formal, ironic, critical, or sympathetic.

An unstated belief or premise that must be true for an argument to work; identifying it helps evaluate whether the reasoning is sound.

An error in reasoning that makes an argument invalid or weak, such as attacking a person instead of the issue or assuming what one is trying to prove.

The use of matching grammatical structures in a sentence or list to create clarity and balance; faulty parallelism occurs when items are not in the same form.

The grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person; singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.

A word, phrase, or clause that describes or limits another element in a sentence; a dangling modifier lacks a clear word to modify.

A statement offered as evidence or support for a conclusion; in an argument, premises are the reasons given to persuade the audience.

The claim that an argument seeks to establish; it is the statement supported by the premises and is often signaled by words like therefore or thus.

A property of deductive arguments where the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; an argument can be valid even if its premises are false.

A property of deductive arguments that are both valid and have all true premises; soundness guarantees that the conclusion is true.

A circumstance without which an outcome cannot occur; if A is necessary for B, then B cannot happen unless A happens.

A circumstance that guarantees an outcome; if A is sufficient for B, then whenever A occurs, B must necessarily occur as a result.

The logical equivalent of a conditional statement formed by negating both the antecedent and consequent and reversing their order; 'if P then Q' becomes 'if not Q then not P.'

A form of deductive reasoning with two premises and a conclusion; for example, all humans are mortal, Socrates is human, therefore Socrates is mortal.

A previously decided court case that serves as a guide or rule for deciding later cases with similar facts; it promotes consistency in the law.

The legal principle that courts should follow established precedents and not disturb settled points of law; it provides stability and predictability.

The essential legal reasoning or principle on which a court's decision is based; it is the binding part of a judgment for future cases.

Remarks or observations in a judgment that are not essential to the decision; they are persuasive but not binding on later courts.

The authority of a court to hear and decide a case; it may be limited by territory, subject matter, or the amount in dispute.

The party who initiates a civil lawsuit by filing a complaint against another party; the plaintiff seeks a legal remedy such as damages or an injunction.

The party against whom a civil lawsuit or criminal charge is brought; the defendant responds to the allegations and may present a defense.

The obligation of a party to prove a disputed fact or claim to the required standard; in criminal cases, the prosecution usually bears this burden.

The mental element of a crime in criminal law, meaning the guilty mind or intention; it distinguishes intentional wrongdoing from accidental acts.

The physical element of a crime, meaning the guilty act or conduct; it must be a voluntary act or omission that the law prohibits.

Something of value exchanged by parties to a contract; it makes a promise enforceable and may be money, goods, services, or a promise.

A civil wrong that causes harm or loss to another person and leads to legal liability; common examples include negligence, trespass, and defamation.

A failure to exercise reasonable care that causes harm to another; it requires a duty of care, breach, causation, and damages.

A legal writ requiring a person detained to be brought before a court to determine whether the detention is lawful; it protects against unlawful imprisonment.

The principle that everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law; it opposes arbitrary power and requires laws to be clear and fairly applied.

The division of government authority among legislative, executive, and judicial branches; it prevents concentration of power and provides checks and balances.

The fundamental set of principles and rules by which a state is governed; it establishes institutions, distributes power, and protects rights.