Learning to Generate Formally Verifiable Step-by-Step Logic Reasoning via Structured Formal Intermediaries

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Chen, Luoxin, Zhou, Yichi, Zhang, Huishuai
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Chen, Luoxin
Zhou, Yichi
Zhang, Huishuai
author_facet Chen, Luoxin
Zhou, Yichi
Zhang, Huishuai
contents Large language models (LLMs) have recently demonstrated impressive performance on complex, multi-step reasoning tasks, especially when post-trained with outcome-rewarded reinforcement learning Guo et al. 2025. However, it has been observed that outcome rewards often overlook flawed intermediate steps, leading to unreliable reasoning steps even when final answers are correct. To address this unreliable reasoning, we propose PRoSFI (Process Reward over Structured Formal Intermediates), a novel reward method that enhances reasoning reliability without compromising accuracy. Instead of generating formal proofs directly, which is rarely accomplishable for a modest-sized (7B) model, the model outputs structured intermediate steps aligned with its natural language reasoning. Each step is then verified by a formal prover. Only fully validated reasoning chains receive high rewards. The integration of formal verification guides the model towards generating step-by-step machine-checkable proofs, thereby yielding more credible final answers. PRoSFI offers a simple and effective approach to training trustworthy reasoning models.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_29500
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Learning to Generate Formally Verifiable Step-by-Step Logic Reasoning via Structured Formal Intermediaries
Chen, Luoxin
Zhou, Yichi
Zhang, Huishuai
Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
Large language models (LLMs) have recently demonstrated impressive performance on complex, multi-step reasoning tasks, especially when post-trained with outcome-rewarded reinforcement learning Guo et al. 2025. However, it has been observed that outcome rewards often overlook flawed intermediate steps, leading to unreliable reasoning steps even when final answers are correct. To address this unreliable reasoning, we propose PRoSFI (Process Reward over Structured Formal Intermediates), a novel reward method that enhances reasoning reliability without compromising accuracy. Instead of generating formal proofs directly, which is rarely accomplishable for a modest-sized (7B) model, the model outputs structured intermediate steps aligned with its natural language reasoning. Each step is then verified by a formal prover. Only fully validated reasoning chains receive high rewards. The integration of formal verification guides the model towards generating step-by-step machine-checkable proofs, thereby yielding more credible final answers. PRoSFI offers a simple and effective approach to training trustworthy reasoning models.
title Learning to Generate Formally Verifiable Step-by-Step Logic Reasoning via Structured Formal Intermediaries
topic Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.29500