Section B of the LNAT asks you to write one essay in 40 minutes from a choice of three questions. It is not marked for a “right” answer, and it is sent, unmarked by the LNAT itself, straight to the universities you apply to. So the question most people really want answered is: what does a good one actually look like? Below are example questions and a worked structure, rather than a model essay to copy, because copying is exactly what admissions tutors can spot.
What does a good LNAT essay look like?
A good LNAT essay takes a clear position and defends it with structured reasoning. It is not about how much you know. Admissions tutors are reading for the skills a law degree demands: a clear line of argument, engagement with the strongest objection to your view, and a logical structure from introduction to conclusion. A confident, well-organised argument on a simple point beats a scattergun list of everything you can think of.
What are some example LNAT essay questions?
LNAT essay questions are broad and often provocative, designed so that anyone can argue either side. Examples in the style the test uses:
- “Should voting be compulsory in a democracy?”
- “Does a country’s history give it obligations to the present?”
- “Is it ever justified to break the law?”
- “Should the state have any role in how people live their private lives?”
Notice that none of these needs specialist knowledge. Each rewards a candidate who can take a side and reason carefully, which is the whole point.
How should you structure an LNAT essay?
A structure that reliably works, using “Is it ever justified to break the law?” as the worked example:
- Introduction. State your position in one sentence. For example: yes, breaking the law can be justified, but only under narrow conditions, which the essay will set out.
- Define the terms. Briefly say what you mean by “justified” here, for instance a moral rather than a legal justification.
- Argument. Give two or three developed reasons, each its own paragraph, with a concrete example such as civil disobedience against an unjust law.
- Counterargument. Address the strongest objection honestly, for example that permitting law-breaking undermines the rule of law, and show why your position survives it.
- Conclusion. Return to your one-sentence position, now earned by the argument.
The counterargument paragraph is what separates strong essays from average ones. A candidate who ignores the obvious objection looks like they have not thought hard; one who meets it head-on looks like a future lawyer.
How do you practise LNAT essays?
Write them under the real constraint: one question, 40 minutes, no notes. The pressure is the point, because that is the condition you will face. Afterwards, reread your essay and ask the two questions a tutor will: is my position clear, and did I deal with the best objection to it? For more on this, see our complete LNAT essay guide.
Section B sits alongside the 42 multiple-choice questions of Section A, and the two need different preparation. Our practice bundles include full papers with both sections, and worked answers for Section A, so you practise the whole test as it is really sat.