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NSW SelectiveYear 7 entry

Judging arguments in Selective Thinking Skills

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Judging an argument means checking whether its reason really supports its conclusion. In Selective Thinking Skills, your child finds the conclusion and the reason, then picks the option that strengthens or breaks the link between them.

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The full lesson is in the SelectiveReady app. A free account opens How and Why Authors Write; this lesson needs a paid plan.

Updated 16 October 2026 · Facts checked 12 October 2026

Judging Arguments (lesson preview)
A short preview from the SelectiveReady lesson “Judging Arguments”, on judging arguments for the NSW Selective test.
Published: 15 October 2026

Judging Arguments is a full lesson in the SelectiveReady app. A free account opens one lesson, How and Why Authors Write; the other lessons need a paid plan^{1SelectiveReady · 13 October 2026 · Published}. The preview plays on this page with English and Chinese captions.

2

What will your child learn in this lesson?

Your child learns to think like a judge in a courtroom: personal opinions off, evidence on. They'll be able to name an argument's conclusion and its reason, test the link between them, and find the option that weakens or strengthens it.

The clip finishes a question about free school breakfasts and shows why one option weakens the case. The full lesson adds the parts of an argument, a strength checklist and three traps.

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How do argument questions show up in Selective Thinking Skills?

Your child reads a short claim, such as a letter or a speech, then judges its reasoning. The Department says Thinking Skills checks critical thinking and problem solving, with no previous knowledge needed^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}.

The Thinking Skills test	What it means for arguments
40^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} questions in 40^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} minutes	About a minute each, so read carefully, once
4^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published} options per question	Test each option against the link, not your own views
a range of question types, shown in the practice tests^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}	Arguments are one kind among several
The practice papers say there are no marks lost for incorrect answers^{3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}	A reasoned choice always beats a blank

The Department doesn't publish a fixed list of types. Judging arguments is how our lessons group these questions.

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What does judging an argument mean?

An argument is a claim backed by a reason. Judging it means asking whether the reason is good enough to accept the claim, not whether you like the claim.

Every argument has two parts and a bridge. Here is the lesson's example.

Part	What it is	The breakfast example
Conclusion	The main point: what the speaker wants you to accept	Schools should provide free breakfast.
Premise	The reason or evidence given for it	Students who eat breakfast score higher on tests.
Link	The bridge from the premise to the conclusion	The evidence must support this exact point.

A strong argument rests on relevant evidence with a clear link. A weak one leans on facts that don't matter, feelings instead of facts, or plain opinion.

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What is the method for argument questions?

Find the two parts, find the gap between them, then test each option against that gap. The gap is what must also be true for the reason to prove the conclusion.

Is the link strong? A bridge runs from the premise, the reason, to the conclusion. Strengthening closes the gap; weakening opens it.

Read the job first
Most strengthens, most weakens or shows the mistake? Each asks for something different.
Find the conclusion
What does the speaker want you to accept? Words like so, should and therefore often mark it.
Find the reason and the gap
Name the evidence, then ask what else must be true for it to prove the conclusion.
Test each option against the gap
A strengthener closes the gap. A weakener opens it. An option that doesn't touch the gap is crossed out.

The lesson's clip shows a classic gap. The evidence came from one school, but the conclusion is about every school. Small evidence and a big claim don't match.

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What does a worked argument question look like?

We wrote this argument and question to show the method.

Our practice argument
Sam says: "Our school should stop selling juice and sell only water. Hillview School made that change last year, and its students had fewer days off sick."

Question: Which statement, if true, most weakens Sam's argument?

Option	Statement
A	Many students at our school like the taste of water.
B	Hillview also started a daily fitness program last year.
C	Juice at our canteen costs more than water.
D	Sam drinks only water at lunch.

Step	What your child does
Job	Most weakens: look for the option that opens the gap
Conclusion	Our school should sell only water
Reason	Hillview made the change and had fewer sick days
Gap	The change of drinks must be what caused the fewer sick days
Test	B gives another cause, the fitness program, so the gap opens. Answer B.

A is about the topic but not the link. C is a real worry for a canteen, but price says nothing about sick days. D is about Sam, not his evidence.

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What mistake do children make with arguments?

The most common mistake is judging the claim instead of the reasoning. Your child picks the side they already agree with, not the option that changes the link.

Trap	What it looks like	The fix
Picking your own side	Choosing the option you agree with	Put on the judge's robe: only the evidence counts
True but beside the point	A real fact on the topic, like cost, that doesn't touch the link	Ask whether it changes how well the reason supports the conclusion
Missing the conclusion	Testing options against the wrong point	Say the conclusion in your own words before reading the options

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Can my child try one on their own?

Here is a question from our free Thinking Skills set. This one asks for the option that strengthens the argument, so your child looks for the one that closes the gap.

Practice question · SEL-TS-TST-01

Mira wrote to her principal:

"Our school library should open at 8 am instead of 8:30 am. Lots of students arrive at school before 8:30 am and have nowhere quiet to go. If the library opened earlier, these students could spend that time reading."

Which one of these statements, if true, most strengthens Mira's argument?

A
Some students who arrive early like to play handball before the bell rings.
B
The school office already opens at 8 am to take phone calls from parents.
C
Most early arrivers said in a survey that they would use the library at 8 am.
D
The library bought forty new books for Year 5 and Year 6 readers this year.

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C

Answer: C

Mira concludes that opening the library earlier would let early arrivers spend that time reading.
Her argument only works if those students would really come to the library.
A survey showing that most early arrivers would use the library fills exactly that gap, so it strengthens her argument the most.

Why the other options are wrong

A: This points the other way: if early arrivers would rather play, Mira's argument becomes slightly weaker.
B: When the office opens says nothing about whether students would use the library early.
D: New books are welcome, but they do not show that early arrivers would come to the library before 8:30 am.

Conclusion
Opening the library earlier would let early arrivers spend that time reading.
Reason
Lots of students arrive early and have nowhere quiet to go.
Gap
The early arrivers would actually come to the library.
Test
C. A survey says most early arrivers would use the library, which closes the gap. A points the other way, and B and D don't touch the gap.

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How can my child practise judging arguments at home?

Use the arguments your family already meets: adverts, school notes and dinner-table debates.

Put an advert on trial

What does it want you to believe? What reason does it give? Is the reason good enough?

Ask what else could explain it

When someone says one thing caused another, look for a different cause together.

Judge the side you disagree with

Your child finds the best reason for a view they don't hold. It trains the judge's robe.

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Questions parents ask about judging arguments

Is judging arguments the same as critical thinking?

It's a big part of it. Weighing a reason against a claim is the critical thinking the section checks. ^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}

Does my child need to know about the topic?

No. The Department says there's no new or special knowledge needed^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}. Everything your child needs is in the argument itself.

Does this help with persuasive writing?

Yes. A child who spots weak links writes stronger reasons.

Is the full lesson free?

A free account opens one lesson, How and Why Authors Write; the other lessons need a paid plan^{1SelectiveReady · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Next questions

Sources and checks

SelectiveReady
SelectiveReady · Checked 13 October 2026
Selective high school practice tests
NSW Department of Education · Checked 12 October 2026 · Practice materials: personal or non-commercial use only; CC BY 4.0 does not apply (page notice). Page text: CC BY 4.0.
Selective High School Placement Test, Thinking Skills Question Paper, Practice Test 1 (2026 entry practice tests, PDF)
NSW Department of Education · Checked 13 October 2026 · Practice materials: personal or non-commercial use only; CC BY 4.0 does not apply (page notice). Quoted briefly with credit. Saved text: the cover-page instructions only; the question pages are not stored (W§3.22).

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