The Loophole in LSAT Logical Reasoning: A Splendidly Comprehensive LSAT Study Guide to Master LSAT Self-Study

I've been studying for the LSAT for a while now. While I haven't gotten my dream score and I haven't finished studying, I feel that this book has been an invaluable aid in my LSAT journey. I started out with Mike Kim's LSAT Trainer, which was big and daunting (in fairness, you don't have to read the Logic Games sections anymore). I remember chugging through the book and feeling semi-dazed after completing it. I thought I would be ready to take the test after finishing his book, yet I still didn't feel confident when I approached the questions. While I will probably review his section on RC, I found his extensive categorization of different LR questions to be hard to remember and harder to implement. My next phase of studying was with 7Sage. I completed the Foundations course offered by J.Y., and it was certainly informative. I'm grateful for the level of depth that J.Y. went into in his videos. He covered loads of interesting and useful concepts on the test, and he's a really intelligent guy. The problem for me was that it just became a little too theory-heavy, and at some point, after watching hours and hours of his curriculum, my eyes would start to glaze over. It reminded me of watching Zoom lectures during COVID. Even after completing Foundations, I still (!) felt shaky with LR questions. I found myself misreading the stimulus, making simple mistakes, and failing to understand what I was reading. And that's where The Loophole comes in. After poking around on the LSAT subreddit (as one does), I saw Ellen's book recommended by a couple of folks. I was intrigued by the notion of focusing primarily on the stimulus rather than the question stem (the stimulus, after all, is where the majority of information in a given question is contained). As someone who studied English in college, this approach just felt more intuitive to me. I realized that a lot of the trouble that I've been having with LR questions is just understanding what in the world these dense little blocks of cryptic prose are saying, under time pressure! (I can read John Milton or James Joyce, but seriously, some of these LSAT stimuli are infuriating.) I'm currently practicing Translation + CLIR drills. For the uninitiated, this means putting the stimulus into your own words and breaking it down. Ellen describes the CLIR process in an approachable and thoughtful way. While I will transition to taking practice tests soon, these translation drills have been important for me in building confidence in reading and understanding (or at least, attempting to understand) these challenging stimuli. It is worth noting that, while the book does encourage you to write out your translations by hand, the Elemental team now encourages you to time yourself and record yourself speaking out loud. For the monstrous stimuli, I will still jot a few notes down on scratch paper. I found Ellen's book to be highly readable. She uses some funny examples in earlier sections and has (in my opinion) a good sense of humor. Other reviewers have noticed that the margins of the book are rather narrow, such that the text runs rather close to the binding. This can be easily remedied by purchasing and using a wooden book stand (I got mine from H&S on Amazon), which also makes reading more enjoyable in general. While working through The Trainer felt like a slog (a little like Murakami's 1Q84), I didn't feel that way while reading The Loophole. Perhaps it's because I had a foundation already, but it felt much smoother to read and work through. I think the book manages to be informative and clear as well as relatively fun to read, which is something I never thought an LSAT prep book could be. If you're just starting your LSAT journey, or if you've been studying for a while now but are feeling stuck with how to approach LR, you should consider trying The Loophole. I think it's worthwhile to hear Ellen's perspective, and the book is filled with plenty of valuable nuggets, like the CLIR or SW SCCER. Even her breakdown of sufficient-necessary was much easier to understand for me than 7Sage. Plus, there are funny jokes in the margins. Give it a shot.

This excellent book was my only resource for the LSAT’s Logical Reasoning sections, and I’m grateful and fortunate to have come across it early in my preparation. Its main virtue, among many, is its accessibility, a result of the author’s hard-won effort in every explanation to be direct, clear, and understood. This extends even to the presentation of the material, and that is no small thing, since well laid out books are the ones that actually get read and re-read. It is a mark of generous teaching on the part of the author that the student’s task of distilling and organizing information is already done for them. The Loophole provides an overview of Logical Reasoning from the ground up, complete with exercises along the way. Its approach is to build up your mastery of the questions in manageable increments. First comes understanding what you read, then knowing how to analyze it, and finally preparing for what will be asked of you. Every step toward acquiring these skills, starting from the very basics, is addressed and covered, and what might seem elementary, like working on reading and recall, actually creates necessary foundations and improves performance. (It was surprising to me, for example, to discover how many questions I was missing simply for failing to register or retain the content of the question prompts). With its examples and quizzes and suggested practice drills, the book also encourages participating actively throughout the process, and this of course requires considerable time and effort. But those who commit themselves to studying in this way, even if they start as beginners, are sure to be able to follow the concepts as they become more advanced. In addition to being step-by-step and systematic, The Loophole is thorough. It provides coverage of Logical Reasoning topics in all of their difficulty and complexity. Particularly helpful to me were the chapters on Conditional Reasoning and Parallel Questions, which in my own preparation caused me the most problems. Typical of the rest of the book, the treatment of these areas demonstrated how to break them down into approachable units, and then proposed logical and workable methods for handling them. I especially appreciated the emphasis here, as everywhere, on problem-solving skills rather than on theoretical knowledge for its own sake. Simplicity and practicality, made sufficient to meet even the hardest challenges of the LSAT, are what this book is all about, to the benefit of the reader. If there were a competition to determine the best model of the saying, “everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler,” I would nominate The Loophole.

This is the best LSAT book I found BY FAR. Get it!!! I'm so grateful to have found it. I studied for 3-4 months using other materials and found that the more I studied, the worse my score got?? This was confusing and demoralizing, and I was considering canceling my scheduled test. Then, I stumbled upon this book in my last month of studying. It helped me realize I needed to focus less on memorizing question types ("is it a must be true?") and more on reading the passage accurately (and retaining it) on the first try. This shift in attitude helped me break through my plateau. The book has a few excellent reading & retention drills (which I've never seen in any other test prep material) that wildly improved my ability to keep the passage accurately in mind after one read. Ellen also offers a very useful strategy for *predicting* the answer to the LR questions before looking at the answer choices. This strategy worked super well for me. During my practice tests, I counted how often this "prediction" was actually literally the correct answer (or close to it) - it ended up being correct for around 20/25 questions in each section. That's huge and saved me so much time (and stress) looking at answer choices. I ended up taking the April test and got a 175! I felt confident in my LR sections during the test and attribute this largely to Ellen! More about the book: - It helps you improve your reading (and retention)!!!! This was the game changer for me. I'd always thought of myself as a fast and accurate reader, but skimming to save time was causing me to waste time in the answer choices. I'd often end up stuck between two answer choices, because of slight misreads in the passage. Ellen offers two drills to help you read passages accurately and retain them on the first try. I dropped all other studying for two weeks to just do those drills and single-handedly raised my score by 5 points. Her reading drills also helped me finish sections on time! When I took the test, I ended up having extra time on the LR sections (which was a big jump up from previously not finishing sections on time at all). - The book gives you a strategy for decoding the horribly written sentences on the LSAT. I used this to great effect when I hit passages that felt like the passage could have been read two different ways and so I couldn't initially answer the questions. - The book has useful high-level categories for common questions. I found these categories more accurate and less confusing than the categories that 7-Sage or The LSAT Trainer offered. - It helps you recognize common *trap* answer choices. Most other test prep materials I used didn't talk much about answer choices. Having Ellen lay out common incorrect answers helped me feel more confident eliminating. - It helps you find flaws with arguments and guess answers in advance. This saves a lot of time in the answer choices. Other test prep materials also emphasize this, but Ellen's CLIR framework goes one level further in teaching you how to predict answers/find flaws for each of the 4-main types of LR questions. As one simple example: previously, I was trying to find flaws in arguments where I should have been making inferences / diagramming (and I hesitated to make inferences, because I was worried I'd waste time). Learning when to make inferences right off the bat instead of try to figure out what's wrong with the argument saved me time. - I really appreciated Ellen's dedication to understanding the test and test-taker failure modes. I found her tone inspiring and her advice fit me like a glove. It's clear she studies her students to figure out where they need help, then develops generalizable frameworks and strategies. I sometimes felt like other test prep materials were brushing off my lack of understanding - essentially just saying "well the answer is this, okay" or providing explanations that felt like cop outs. When I was stuck, this was frustrating and not helpful. By trying hard to understand the mentality of the student, I felt like Ellen's book was the thing that offered me a concrete and actionable path to a higher score. Thanks, Ellen, for your book, your thoughtfulness about the test, and your all around love of the LSAT!!

I have read several LSAT prep books including The LSAT Trainer, the Power Score Bibles to name a few and taken in person prep courses. I was stuck forever improving little above my first diagnostic test. However NOTHING has improved my score more than The Loophole. Ellen's writing style is an enjoyable read, framing the LSAT as fun and exciting challenge rather than a daunting exam. Her translation drills have improved my score an additional 10 points after I had read and gone through full prep courses for the exam. I loved reading her book. It changed my entire approach and made me enjoy studying for the LSAT - something I never thought could be possible. Additionally, her team has also the same level of dedication as she does to helping readers improve. I emailed [email protected] to see if I could gain access to reading comp translation drills (not mentioned in her book but discussed by some of Ellen's students who received tutoring from her) and within a few short hours I received an extensive email describing the drills along with additional helpful literature to help improve my skills. They also provided helpful advice to approaching the drills and methods to apply when utilizing the tools written within The Loophole. Absolutely amazed by this book, the Elemental Prep team, and Ellen Cassidy's dedication to the LSAT and also the needs of readers. If you're considering any LSAT material, The Loophole is your best bet.

VERY in depth on the theory behind the lsat, main downside for me is that i do not mesh well with diagramming and this book pushes it heavily. without that, the loophole and translation methods work well for me.

This LSAT study guide is a game-changer for anyone looking to strengthen their Logical Reasoning skills. The explanations are clear, detailed, and easy to follow, even for tricky questions that normally leave me stumped. I love how the guide breaks down complex concepts into manageable pieces and provides plenty of examples to really solidify understanding. What sets this book apart is its comprehensive approach—it covers a wide range of question types, common traps, and strategies to tackle each problem efficiently. I also appreciate the practical tips for timing and test-taking that feel directly applicable to the exam. After working through it, I feel much more confident in my logical reasoning abilities. Overall, it’s a thoughtfully written, well-organized, and highly effective resource for anyone serious about improving their LSAT score.

I bought this book 12 weeks ago. Thirteen weeks ago, I knew nothing about the LSAT or logical reasoning. Now, after completing this book and walking through the drills, I am scoring competently on my practice tests. Ellen's powerful/provable diagnostic tool has been especially helpful as it allows me to quickly determine what type of answer I am looking for and rapidly eliminate other answer choices. I highly recommend this book for anyone who may be intimidated by the LSAT and is looking to get a solid understanding of the test. It was so enjoyable to read that I am hoping she releases a reading comprehension sequel. If this book were made into a movie, I'd watch.

Per the headline, my LSAT journey has, until 2 weeks ago, sucked. I started with the full, in-class Blueprint course and, at the end of that, was nowhere near my target score (we're talking 20 points away from it in the 150s). After that, I bought the LSAT Trainer, which was better than the course but I still wasn't really improving as much as I wanted to be. THEN I started using 7Sage which was about as good as the LSAT Trainer. AND THEN I signed up for private tutoring sessions with Powerscore which made me feel less prepared than ever for the LSAT as a whole. Still in the 150s, thinking "wow maybe I'm just not cut out to go to law school," I had a friend, Ellen Cassidy's former tutoring student, who referred me to this book. I am only on Chapter 8 out of 12 and I have already seen a huge improvement in my LR score. I was missing 12-15 before reading it and I'm already down to a -6 (keep in mind, I was missing 12-15 after ALL of the resources listed above). AND I HAVEN'T EVEN READ THE QUESTION TYPES YET!!! Her systems of translation and the CLIR have REALLY helped me understand what it is I'm reading (shout out translation drills) and how to critique the stimuli (shotout the CLIR). Again, this is all even before I've started studying the question types, which has made up almost the entirety of all of the resources I used before Cassidy's book. Now, I realize that the answer isn't actually in the question/answer choices (which is what I've been told by every single LSAT instructor/tutor/resource before), it's actually in the stimulus (hard to believe, I know). All these systems of how to think/approach LR questions are backed by examples that lift you up instead of tearing you down (AKA no weird, misogynistic comments or uncomfortable inuendos like you'd see in Blueprint). Who wouldn't want to read about pumpkin pie and other various desserts and koala's in government as opposed to making uncomfortable examples that covertly insult certain groups of people. Also, this book just LOOKS better. It has these little teal accents everywhere -- it's like drinking mint lemonade on a hot, summer day. With the other resources, I would open a page and just feel super anxious from the start. Nothing about them felt warm, friendly. But if there's any book that is, it's "The Loophole in LR." I know that this review seems super extra but it's not an understatement, anything that helps me improve THIS MUCH on the LSAT deserves this kind of praise. If you're struggling with LR, READ. THIS. BOOK. Looking forward to posting an update once I finish the entire book. Happy studying, LSAT fiends!!! UPDATE: A very long overdue update! After months of studying, I just took the June LSAT this week!!!! Before starting my CLIR and translation drills, I was a minus 12-15 per LR section. Obviously, this made me panic because I know that I can't afford to lose that many points if I want to get 170+. In the last review, I talked about how about a month into "The Loophole in LR" I started to miss -6 consistently on both LR sections. I could feel myself kind of slipping on my CLIR and translations at this point in time so I REALLY made an effort to be sure I was CLIR-ing EVERY. SINGLE. LR. STIMULUS (seriously, I didn't move on to the next question until I formed a CLIR). After about 3 days of CONSISTENT (and I mean CONSISTENT) CLIR drills, I was down to anywhere between -0 to -3 (max, upon review of the 2/3 I always realized that either my CLIR was weak or I really didn't have a good grasp on the translation of the stimulus). Correlation may not equal causation (shout out Causal Reasoning chapter) but I know that there is no way I would've ever hit a -2/-3 on LR without this book (let alone -0). I was able to tackle "this argument is flawed because..." questions super easily because of the countless examples per flaw in the book (these were one of the scariest question types for me at first). I used back-up plans both for prep as well as on actual test day (basically, identifying the back-up plan for each question type/asking the corresponding back-up plan question for every single answer choice) which REALLY helped me understand what the question was asking of me AND what exactly I needed to be looking for in the correct answer (this proved super helpful on all questions types but particularly helpful on Sufficient Assumption and Necessary Assumption questions). About 3 weeks before the June test date, after being super consistent on CLIR, I FINALLY started to hit scores around my ultimate goal score (highest PT score being a 178) -- these. are. the. reasons. why. For future test takers out there, USE THE CLIR AND USE TRANSLATION! Both of these processes will really help you understand how to poke holes in the stimulus regardless of what kind of question stem comes after. Do this repeatedly until you do it almost unconsciously during timed sections (trust me, you WILL get there). And if you're having trouble understanding how to attack question stems, rely on the back-up plans. I am not joking when I say that every most strongly supported question I have ever seen on ANY test has been followed by "does this pretty much have to be true? No. Does this pretty much have to be true? YES." It gets me to the correct answer every time, as long as I do it correctly and consistently. Lastly, know the flaws. Make flashcards using the examples in the book. They are everywhere on the LSAT and, out of all the prep material I've ever used (which is a ton), the descriptions in this book really help them stick. I went in on test day with a much more mellow, calm mindset than before and it was only because I felt like I finally knew all the information that I needed to know to get 170+. It wasn't panic or "FREAK OUT THIS IS SCARY." CLIR-ing, navigating different question stems, and asking the corresponding back-up plans came so naturally and so easily (and 9/10 times my CLIR was in the answer choices which is the best feeling). That change in mindset is seriously the difference between a 150 and a 170+. Best of luck to everyone continuing to study -- keep pushing forward!!! TL;DR -- Want to raise your LSAT score? This. Is. The. Book.

The Loophole helped me a lot with my understanding of LR in general. Translation and CLIR drills made me realize that I need to predict an answer before attempting the answer choices. And now I’m planning to use the method for RC. Thank you!

Awesome and straight forward book for the LSAT. Easy to follow and understand the content of each chapter.

Before I started my lsat journey, I did a ton of research about what book I should buy to really understand logical reasoning because I STRUGGLED! And everything pointed towards this book and I bought it and WOW I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! This book is literally priceless!! Every single chapter of this book has helped me tremendously with logical reasoning (and you can use a lot of the things that you learn in here and apply them to reading comprehension as well). Just make sure to read all the chapters and take your time with them if you struggle and DO NOT skip anything in between! This book has also made me look towards studying everyday because of how entertaining Ellen has made the book to be which has made learning fun rather than boring! When reading the book, I felt like Ellen was sitting right beside me tutoring me! And I feel connected to her through her book as her student! :’) I legit can’t stop talking about this book to everyone around me, and how much it has helped me, so do yourself a favor and get this amazing book NOW!!

I cannot say enough good things about this book. First of all, the way Ellen explains concepts is incredible, informative, and easy to follow along and understand. The methods used are truly life changing, in terms of LSAT logical reasoning. The concepts can be used beyond LR and can be translated over to reading comprehension. With this book, you learn to truly understand the stimulus and how to go about answering the questions. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who feels like they have reached a plateau or wants to improve their score. Super fun yet effective read!

I have read many books in my pursuit to master LR and I am glad I came across Ellen's after a while! This book is all you need to master LR (Forget everything else - including PowerScore etc., these books need major overhaul). Here's how to get best out of this book and put an end to LR for once and for all, these are in particularly useful for non-native test takers: 1. Read page to page (DO NOT SKIP) 2. Do all exercises 3. Highlight, take notes and 4. Most importantly - Read this book a second time (over a weekend), you will be surprised to see how many more thing you pick up on second/third phase of reading! Continue to keep an error log of every question you do, I personally made an Excel where I categorize each question type, time etc. that way I can analyze my weak areas and track my progress in terms of accuracy. Do not roam around and try multiple method, end of the day you only need one, trust the process, read the book - once, twice and if required if third time, incorporate the strategy mentioned in the book, eventually after you do over 500 or so Questions, your muscle memory will pick up and you will run in auto pilot mode. Again, Be patient, trust yourself and trust the process, best of luck!