Logical Fallacies — Practice · Grade 10 English

Chapter: Argument, Rhetoric & Tragic Choices

What this practice covers

By the end of Logical Fallacies you should be able to:

11 questions, multiple choice and written answer, each with a worked explanation.

Vocabulary used: ad hominem, straw man, false dilemma, slippery slope, hasty generalization.

Problem 1

'Don't listen to his argument about the school budget — he doesn't even have kids in this district.' This is an example of…
  1. an ad hominem (attacking the person, not the argument)
  2. a hasty generalization
  3. valid reasoning
  4. a false dilemma
Answer and explanation

an ad hominem (attacking the person, not the argument)

The argument is dismissed by attacking an irrelevant personal trait rather than engaging its reasoning — an ad hominem.

Problem 2

'If we let students use calculators on this one quiz, soon they'll forget how to do any math at all and become helpless adults.' This reasoning is a…
  1. straw man
  2. slippery slope
  3. ad hominem
  4. false dilemma
Answer and explanation

slippery slope

It claims one small step (a calculator on one quiz) triggers an unstoppable chain toward disaster, with no evidence the chain actually follows — a slippery slope.

Problem 3

A student argues for a longer lunch. A classmate responds, 'So you think we should just cancel classes and hang out all day?' What fallacy has the classmate committed?
  1. Valid reasoning with sufficient evidence
  2. An appeal to credibility (ethos)
  3. A straw man — distorting the argument into an extreme version nobody actually made
  4. A hasty generalization
Answer and explanation

A straw man — distorting the argument into an extreme version nobody actually made

The classmate replaces the real, modest claim (a somewhat longer lunch) with an absurd version (cancel all classes) that is easy to reject — a straw man.

Problem 4

Explain the difference between a legitimate warning that one action could lead to a bad outcome and a SLIPPERY SLOPE fallacy. What has to be present for it NOT to be a fallacy?
Answer and explanation

A slippery slope becomes a fallacy when the chain of consequences is simply asserted, with no evidence that each step actually leads to the next. A legitimate warning provides evidence or a plausible mechanism showing why the chain is likely — for example, past cases where the same step did lead to the outcome. The presence of real support for the links, rather than just fear of the endpoint, is what separates a sound warning from the fallacy.

Problem 5

Write one sentence that commits a HASTY GENERALIZATION, then explain in one sentence why the reasoning is flawed.
Answer and explanation

Answers vary; look for a broad conclusion drawn from too few examples, plus an explanation — for example: 'The first two sci-fi movies I saw were boring, so the whole genre must be boring' is a hasty generalization because two films are far too small a sample to judge an entire genre.

Problem 6

Identify the reasoning gap and improve the conclusion. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

The sequence shows association, not established causation. Absence may change with season or illness. A qualified conclusion would report the change and call for comparison with other factors.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 7

A learner writes: “The author is wrong because I prefer shorter hours.” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

A preference does not test the evidence. Evaluate who was surveyed, how the count was collected, and whether the conclusion exceeds the finding.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 8

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

Separate a claim, reasons, evidence, and the assumption connecting them. A count can support a narrow observation without establishing a broad conclusion. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. The sequence shows association, not established causation. Absence may change with season or illness. A qualified conclusion would report the change and call for comparison with other factors.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 9

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying logical fallacies. Aim for 220–320 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

The count supports demand among most responding club members. It cannot represent all students without broader sampling. A survey including nonusers and a staffed pilot could test general demand. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 10

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains separate a claim, reasons, evidence, and the assumption connecting them. a count can support a narrow observation without establishing a broad conclusion. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “The author is wrong because I prefer shorter hours.”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 11

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The report documents litter removal, the resident distinguishes water contamination, and the memo separates funding purposes. The event can be successful within its stated scope while water quality remains unresolved. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

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