The ‘Therefore Test’
1. Put the word ‘therefore’ in front of a statement to see if it works as a
conclusion.
2. Insert the word ‘because’ in front of other statements to check the
conclusion follows from them as premises.
3. If it makes sense, you have correctly identified the different parts of the
argument.
4. This is a useful test for when there are misleading indicators, or none at all.
PASSAGE 1
“History isn’t an appropriate subject for schools because History lessons are affected by
the preconceptions of those who set and teach the syllabus. The lessons will be biased
since, even if there aren’t any obvious distortions of fact, historical events that support
current social ideals will be highlighted and therefore other historical events will be
neglected. It is dangerous to expose children to such tainted information.”
PASSAGE 2
“Too much money is spent on space exploration, especially since countries suffering from
famine and disease could do so much good with that money. A world free from disease, a
world where no-one lives in hunger, would be a truly great achievement. Deciding that
Pluto is not a planet after all is nowhere near as impressive. Therefore, instead of
spending a lot of money, time and effort on vain projects such as the space programme,
we should address problems we face on Earth.”
a.) Find all the argument indicators used in the passages.
b.) Use the ‘therefore test’ to find the conclusions.
c.) Are there any words that do not indicate a conclusion in this passage, even though they can
be used as a conclusion indicator?
d.) Identify the argument indicator words in the following passage. State whether they indicate
a premise or a conclusion:
PASSAGE 3
“We should all try to recycle more of our kitchen waste, since this would reduce the amount
of waste taken to landfill sites, and also because kitchen waste can be turned into useful
compost.”
e.) Arguments 1-3 below do not include argument indicators. Rewrite them with the words
“because” or “therefore” in the right place to show premises and conclusion.
1. Trains are a better way to travel than a car. You can read during the journey and you do not
need to worry about breakdowns or traffic jams.
2. Football is not as exciting as commentators suggest. Many games end 0-0 and results only
matter for teams at the top and bottom of the table.
3. The most popular meal in the UK is now chicken tikka masala. Spaghetti bolognaise has
replaced sausages and mash as a staple family meal. We should rethink our view of what
constitutes classic British food .