[This is a lesson excerpt from our online course, for which we invite you to enroll.]

LSAT Conditional Logic GROUP 2 is made up of the following terms:

• Only
• Only if
• Only when
• Only where
• Always
• Requires
• Must

All the words in this group follow this translation rule:

The ideas introduced by (i.e., immediately following) these words are the necessary conditions.

Let’s try it:

You may steal the Egyptian pyramids only if you achieve master ninja status.

Step 1 - Identify the logical operator

Here, it’s “only if.”

Step 2 - Identify the two main concepts (or groups, categories, events or ideas)

Here, it’s the two events “stealing the Egyptian pyramids” and “achieving master ninja status.”

Step 3 - Assign symbols to the two main concepts

Here, “SEP” for “stealing the Egyptian pyramids” and “AMNS” for “achieving master ninja status.”

Step 4 - Apply the translation rule

Here, the ideas introduced by these words are the necessary conditions.

SEP –> AMNS

Step 5 - Find the contrapositive

/AMNS –> /SEP

Step 6 - Translate back to English

If you do not achieve master ninja status, then you may not steal the Egyptian pyramids.

All done!