Communication
"PhiLSAT Communication? It's not just grammar - it's about clarity, precision, and rhetoric. Can you spot the ambiguity? Can you identify the error in a legal brief? Let's polish your language skills, Counsel!"
1. Grammar & Usage ✍️
Standard written English. Subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, and modifiers.
Common Legal Writing Errors:
- Dangling Modifiers: "Walking into the courtroom, the gavel banged." (Who walked?)
- Ambiguous Pronouns: "The client told the lawyer he was wrong." (Who was wrong?)
- Subject-Verb Disagreement: "The list of demands were long." (Subject is LIST, so "was")
- Parallelism: "He likes reading, writing, and to argue." (Should be "arguing")
2. Sentence Correction & Improvement 📝
Choose the best version of a sentence. Look for clarity, conciseness, and correctness.
Tips for Improvement:
- Be Concise: Remove unnecessary words ("The reason why is because" → "The reason is")
- Active Voice: "The judge signed the order" is better than "The order was signed by the judge."
- Precise Vocabulary: Use the exact word, not a vague one.
- Logical Flow: Ensure modifiers are placed correctly.
3. Essay Writing (The PhiLSAT Essay) 📄
You may be asked to write an essay. Structure and argument are key!
Structure of a Legal Argument:
- Introduction: Hook, Context, THESIS STATEMENT (Your clear stance).
- Body Paragraph 1: Strongest argument + Evidence.
- Body Paragraph 2: Second argument + Evidence.
- Body Paragraph 3: Counter-argument + Rebuttal (Show you considered the other side).
- Conclusion: Restate thesis, summarize points, final thought.
Test Your Knowledge! 🧠
Ready ka na ba? Take the practice quiz for Communication to reinforce what you just learned.
Start Practice Quiz 📝