Try this short Contracts prompt
A contractor and an owner agree on a fixed price. After work begins, the contractor discovers unexpected soil conditions and asks for more money. The owner agrees because stopping the project would delay a scheduled opening. Later, the owner disputes the added payment. What questions would you need to answer before reaching a conclusion?
A four-pass method
Mark the change
Identify what changed after the original agreement. Here, the later request for more money is a separate event from formation of the initial contract.
Mark pressure and alternatives
The opening deadline may matter. Ask what options each party realistically had and which facts would change that assessment.
Mark competing explanations
Consider whether the new circumstances, the parties’ conduct, and the owner’s agreement support different legal characterizations under the rules taught in your course.
Mark the remedy question
Do not stop at whether the new promise is enforceable. Ask what each party seeks and what facts affect the available result.
Turn your list into an answer plan
Write each candidate issue as a question. Beside it, note the fact that triggered it, the rule source from your outline, and at least one fact on each side of the application. Then rank the issues by importance and time. If a question has no meaningful supporting fact, it may not deserve a full paragraph.
Retest the skill
Change one fact—for example, the owner has another contractor available without delay—and repeat the four passes. Notice which questions become stronger or weaker. That comparison is more revealing than rereading the same explanation.