Identifying What the Passage Does NOT Say

Some of the trickiest LNAT questions test your ability to identify what a passage does not say, imply, or support. These questions reward precise, disciplined reading — the ability to distinguish between what is in the text and what your brain wants to add.

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Why These Questions Are Difficult

Human beings are natural meaning-makers. When we read a passage about a topic, we automatically draw on our background knowledge, make associations, and fill in gaps. This is useful in everyday life but dangerous on the LNAT.

LNAT questions of this type exploit three cognitive tendencies:

Tendency	Description	How it leads to errors
Gap-filling	Your brain adds information to make a passage "complete"	You may think the passage said something it did not
Prior knowledge intrusion	You know something is true, so you assume the passage says it	The passage may not contain the information at all
Plausibility bias	An answer option seems reasonable, so you accept it	"Reasonable" is not the same as "stated in the passage"

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Types of "Does Not Say" Questions

Type 1: "Which of the following is NOT stated or implied by the passage?"

You need to find the option that goes beyond the text. Three options will be supported; one will not.

Type 2: "The author does NOT claim that..."

You need to identify a claim that is absent from the passage, even if it seems like something the author would say.

Type 3: "Which of the following would the author be LEAST likely to agree with?"

This requires careful inference — you need to understand the author's position well enough to identify what falls outside it.

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A Systematic Approach

Step 1: Read the passage carefully, noting exactly what IS said

Before looking at the options, build a mental summary of the passage's key claims.

Step 2: For each answer option, locate supporting evidence in the passage

Can you point to specific words or sentences that support the option? If not, it may not be stated.

Step 3: Distinguish between "not stated" and "contradicted"

• Not stated: The passage simply does not address this point
• Contradicted: The passage says the opposite

Both can be correct answers, depending on the question. But "not stated" is the more common trap.

Step 4: Watch for subtle differences

An answer option may be almost what the passage says but with a crucial change in scope, certainty, or specificity.

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Worked Example 1

Passage:

"The UK government has pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. To meet this target, the government has announced plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 and to invest £12 billion in green industries. Critics argue that the timeline is unrealistic and that the investment is insufficient. The government maintains that the private sector will provide the majority of the funding required for the transition."

Question: Which of the following is NOT stated or implied by the passage?

A. The government believes private sector investment will play a larger role than public investment in achieving net zero. B. The ban on new petrol and diesel cars will take effect before the 2050 net zero target date. C. Environmental groups support the government's net zero strategy. D. Some people believe the government's plans are inadequate.

Analysis:

• A: Stated — the government says the private sector will provide "the majority of the funding", which means more than public investment. Supported.
• B: Implied — the car ban is from 2035, which is before 2050. Supported.
• C: Not stated — the passage mentions "critics" but says nothing about environmental groups or their position. NOT SUPPORTED.
• D: Stated — critics argue the timeline is unrealistic and investment insufficient. Supported.