The "No" Statement

Posted on Aug 5, 2015

Today, my dear LSAT prep friends, I'd like to go over another one of the many types of Sufficient & Necessary statements, which I'm sure you have seen while answering LSAT practice questions. Today let's review the "no" statement. This statement has the following pattern: "No A is B." The "no" in the statement introduces the sufficient condition and the rest of the statement should first be negated and then will constitute the necessary condition.

For example: "No A is B."

Rewrite: If A, then not B

Diagram: A ==> not B

                   B ==> not A

Now let's look at a real "no" statement.

Example #1: No baby elephant weighs more than their mother.

Sufficient condition: baby elephant

Necessary condition: does not weigh more than mother

Rewrite: If a baby elephant, then does not weigh more than its mother.

Diagram: BE ==> not WMM

                   WMM ==> not BE

Simple, right? Ultimately, it's like your placing the negation of the "no" onto the necessary condition. So, the sufficient condition is not negated, while the necessary condition is. Let's try again.

Example #2: No baby elephant is afraid of a flock of ducklings.

Sufficient condition: baby elephant

Necessary condition: is not afraid of a flock of ducklings

Rewrite: If baby elephant, then it is not afraid of a flock of ducklings.

Diagram: BE ==> not AFD

                   AFD ==> not BE

Now go forth and practice the "no" statement on your own by answering a Sufficient & Necessary LSAT practice question! It's good to go over a different Sufficient & Necessary statement everyday so that come test day, you will know them all like the back of your hand!

Happy Studying!