Solving “Must Be True” Questions

On a Must Be True question you’re asked to identify which statement or conclusion is definitively proven by the information in the passage.

There are two ways to do this: either by directly restating information from the passage or by combining facts to draw a new, indisputable inference.

"Must Be True" Questions

Here are some examples of how a Must Be True question can be phrased:

• If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?

• Which one of the following conclusions follows logically from the statements above?

• Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage above?

• Which one of the following statements can be properly concluded from the mayor’s statements?

• The above statements logically commit the office manager to which one of the following conclusions?

Sometimes there are several things that are proven by the passage. You might identify one or two without noticing others. That’s okay. As you read each answer choice, the only question you need to ask yourself is: “Does this answer have to be true?” 

Making a Prediction

Making strong predictions on Must Be True questions requires a thorough understanding of the passage.

1. Treat every statement in the passage as evidence. There are no conclusions in Must Be True passages, so we have to accept all the information provided in the passage as true. Our job is not to challenge the evidence, but to understand each piece and draw connections between them.

2. Use that evidence to predict what else must be true. Analyze the relationships between the statements in the passage. Look for opportunities to combine facts to make a new connection. For example, if the passage states that "some cats love ice cream" and "ice cream is a carcinogen," you can conclude that "some cats love a carcinogen." That’s an indisputable inference. This is an example of the kind of prediction you should be making on Must Be True questions.

Working through the Answer Choices

Once you’ve made your prediction, you’re ready to work through the answers. Remember that 80% of the answers are wrong, so your first instinct should be to look for reasons to eliminate each answer.

If you can think of any reason that an answer could be wrong given what the passage says, eliminate it.

If you can’t think of a reason to eliminate an answer but aren’t sure that it’s proven, go back to the specific part of the passage the answer references and see if you can find a reason to doubt it. If you can, eliminate it. If it’s airtight, then you’ve found the answer.

If you have to go back to check every answer against the passage, that’s a strong indication that you didn’t read carefully enough. It’s crucial that you have a strong grasp of every part of the passage before moving to the question, otherwise you’ll waste time weighing wrong answers.

Bottom Line

Must Be True questions test your ability to make inferences that are 100% proven by the passage. Your task is not to choose the most reasonable, likely, or persuasive answer; it is to find the answer that is guaranteed by the evidence.

As you evaluate the answer choices, focus on a single standard: Does this absolutely have to be true? If there is any possibility that an answer could be false, it cannot be correct. By relying strictly on the evidence and avoiding assumptions, you can confidently identify the conclusion that must follow from what was stated in the passage.