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Opinion pieces and editorials are the most common passage type in LNAT Section A. They are drawn from newspaper comment pages, magazine columns, and online opinion platforms. Because they are designed to persuade a general audience, they tend to be the most accessible passages — but they also contain subtle traps that reward careful, critical reading.
An opinion piece is a published article in which the author advocates for a particular position on a debatable issue. Unlike a news report, which aims for objectivity, an opinion piece is explicitly subjective — the author wants you to agree with them.
| Feature | News Report | Opinion Piece |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To inform | To persuade |
| Tone | Neutral, detached | Engaged, committed |
| Structure | Who/what/when/where/why | Thesis → argument → conclusion |
| Language | Factual, measured | Evaluative, sometimes emotive |
| Author's view | Suppressed or balanced | Clearly stated |
Key Point for the LNAT: Every opinion piece has a discernible conclusion — the position the author is arguing for. Finding that conclusion is your first task with any passage.
In editorial passages, the author's stance is usually explicit. But it can be expressed with varying degrees of directness:
"I believe that the voting age should be lowered to sixteen."
The author states their position in first person. There is no ambiguity.
"Is it not time we extended the franchise to those who will live longest with the consequences of political decisions?"
The rhetorical question implies the answer "yes". The author's stance is clear, but stated indirectly.
"While opponents of lowering the voting age raise concerns about maturity, they consistently ignore the fact that sixteen-year-olds can work, pay tax, and join the armed forces."
The author does not say "I believe the voting age should be lowered", but the framing — dismissing opponents and highlighting inconsistencies — makes their position unmistakable.
"The arguments on both sides have merit. However, when one considers the declining turnout among young voters and the growing disconnect between political decisions and those they affect most, the case for enfranchising sixteen-year-olds becomes compelling."
The author appears balanced at first, but the word "however" marks the turn towards their actual position.
A critical skill when reading editorials is separating what the author claims from what they support with evidence. LNAT questions frequently test this distinction.
Evidence consists of verifiable facts, data, research findings, or documented events that the author uses to support their argument.
"According to the Electoral Commission, turnout among 18–24-year-olds fell to 36% in the 2019 general election."
This is evidence — it can be checked and verified.
Opinion consists of the author's interpretation, evaluation, or judgement — claims that others could reasonably disagree with.
"This decline in turnout represents a democratic crisis that demands urgent action."
This is opinion — whether a 36% turnout constitutes a "crisis" or demands "urgent action" is a matter of judgement.
Many statements in editorial passages blend fact and opinion:
"The UK's first-past-the-post system is widely regarded as a barrier to proportional representation."
"Widely regarded" makes this a factual claim about what people think — but the implication that first-past-the-post is a problem is evaluative. LNAT questions may ask you to identify which element of such a statement is factual and which is evaluative.
| Statement Type | Test | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fact | Can it be verified independently? | "Turnout was 36%." |
| Opinion | Could a reasonable person disagree? | "This is a democratic crisis." |
| Informed opinion | Based on evidence but still evaluative? | "The system is widely regarded as flawed." |
Every editorial is biased — that is the nature of opinion writing. But recognising the type and degree of bias helps you answer questions about the author's perspective, reliability, and reasoning.
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