Building a "Mental Bank" of Examples

The difference between a competent LNAT essay and an outstanding one often comes down to examples. Vague, generalised arguments are easy to write but unconvincing. Specific, well-chosen examples transform an abstract argument into a concrete, persuasive case. This lesson shows you how to build a bank of versatile examples that you can deploy across multiple essay topics.

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Why Examples Matter

The Problem with Vague Arguments

Consider these two versions of the same argument:

Vague: "Surveillance can be misused by governments."

Specific: "The Snowden revelations of 2013 demonstrated that the NSA and GCHQ conducted mass surveillance on their own citizens, far exceeding what most people believed was legally or morally acceptable — and crucially, this was done in secret, without meaningful democratic oversight."

The specific version is more persuasive because it:

• Grounds the abstract claim in a real event
• Provides verifiable detail
• Demonstrates the writer's knowledge and engagement with current affairs
• Makes the argument harder to dismiss

How Many Examples Do You Need?