Statements: Assumptions, Conclusions and Courses of Action
CSAT · Logical Reasoning
Introduction
This family of critical-reasoning questions gives a short statement and two possible assumptions, conclusions or courses of action. The skill is to judge what is necessarily implied or practically sensible – using only the statement and common sense, not your opinions.
Key concepts
Assumptions
An assumption is something the speaker takes for granted when making the statement. Ask: 'Would the statement make sense if this were false?'
- Notices, advertisements and appeals assume that people will respond.
- Decisions assume they will achieve their purpose.
- Extreme words ('all', 'only', 'never') usually make an assumption invalid.
Conclusions
A conclusion must follow definitely from the statement. Treat the statement as true and add nothing from outside. Predictions about the future, judgements and generalisations usually do not follow.
Courses of action
A course of action follows if it is practical, addresses the problem and is not extreme. A good course either removes the cause or reduces the harm.
| Follows | Does not follow |
|---|---|
| Inspect, repair, train, provide, regulate | Ban everything, abolish, shut down, punish everyone |
| Proportionate and feasible | Impractical or out of proportion |
Answer format
Only I follows / Only II follows / Both follow / Neither follows. (Some papers also use 'Either I or II' when the two are complementary.)
- Assumption = implicit premise
- Conclusion = must follow from the statement
- Course of action = practical + addresses the cause
Solved examples
Example 1
Statement: The municipal corporation has announced a 10% rebate on property tax paid before 30 June.
Assumptions: I. Some property owners will pay early to get the rebate. II. All property owners can afford to pay early.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- A rebate is offered on the belief that it will induce some early payment (I). It does not assume that everyone can afford it (II is too broad).
Answer: (a) Only I follows
Example 2
Statement: "Use our new toothpaste for whiter teeth in two weeks" – an advertisement.
Assumptions: I. People want whiter teeth. II. Advertisements influence buying decisions.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- An advertiser promising whiter teeth assumes people want them (I) and that advertising affects purchases (II) – otherwise the advertisement would be pointless.
Answer: (c) Both I and II follow
Example 3
Statement: The state government has decided to open more fair-price shops in remote villages.
Assumptions: I. People in remote villages currently find it difficult to reach fair-price shops. II. Private shops in villages will close down.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- The decision presupposes an access problem (I). Nothing implies private shops will close (II).
Answer: (a) Only I follows
Example 4
Statement: All the candidates who cleared the written test were called for an interview. Rina was not called for the interview.
Conclusions: I. Rina did not clear the written test. II. Rina did not appear in the written test.
Which of the conclusions follow(s) from the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- If Rina had cleared the test she would have been called, so she did not clear it (I follows). She may have appeared and failed, so II does not follow definitely.
Answer: (a) Only I follows
Example 5
Statement: Over 70% of the students in the school live within 2 km of it.
Conclusions: I. Fewer than 30% of the students live more than 2 km away. II. The school does not admit students from far away.
Which of the conclusions follow(s) from the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- If over 70% live within 2 km, under 30% live farther (I). The data says nothing about an admission rule (II).
Answer: (a) Only I follows
Example 6
Statement: Several cases of dengue have been reported from a residential colony.
Courses of action: I. The municipal body should carry out anti-larval spraying and remove stagnant water in the colony. II. All residents of the colony should be shifted elsewhere.
Which of the courses of action follow(s)?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- Spraying and removing breeding sites address the cause (I). Relocating everyone is impractical and excessive (II).
Answer: (a) Only I follows
Example 7
Statement: Many students in a district are failing in mathematics in Class X.
Courses of action: I. Remedial classes in mathematics should be arranged for weak students. II. Mathematics should be removed from the Class X syllabus.
Which of the courses of action follow(s)?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- Remedial teaching tackles the problem (I). Removing the subject is not a practical solution (II).
Answer: (a) Only I follows
Example 8
Statement: A bridge on a busy highway has developed cracks, according to an inspection report.
Courses of action: I. Heavy vehicles should be stopped from using the bridge until it is repaired. II. The bridge should be inspected by structural engineers and repaired urgently.
Which of the courses of action follow(s)?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
- Restricting heavy loads reduces immediate risk (I), and expert repair solves the problem (II). Both are practical and follow.
Answer: (c) Both I and II follow
- Reject options with extreme words unless the statement itself is extreme.
- For courses of action, ask: would a sensible administrator do this?
- Two options can both be valid – do not assume only one is right.
- Using personal opinion or outside facts.
- Treating 'some' as 'all'.
- Accepting drastic actions as 'effective'.
Practice set
Attempt all 10 questions (about 90 seconds each), then check the worked solutions below.
Q1. Statement: The railway has introduced more trains on the Delhi–Lucknow route during the festival season.
Assumptions: I. Demand for travel on this route rises during the festival season. II. Road travel on this route will stop.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q2. Statement: "Please switch off the lights when you leave the room" – a notice in an office.
Assumptions: I. Employees sometimes leave lights on unnecessarily. II. Electricity is very cheap.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q3. Statement: The company decided to train all its staff in data security.
Assumptions: I. Training can improve staff behaviour regarding data security. II. The company has never faced any data threat.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q4. Statement: A newspaper editorial urged the government to increase spending on primary health centres.
Assumptions: I. More spending can improve primary health services. II. Primary health centres are currently adequately funded.
Which of the assumptions is/are implicit in the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q5. Statement: All engineers in the firm know coding. Some managers in the firm are engineers.
Conclusions: I. Some managers in the firm know coding. II. All managers in the firm know coding.
Which of the conclusions follow(s) from the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q6. Statement: The price of onions in the city has doubled in a month after heavy rain damaged crops in the main growing districts.
Conclusions: I. The supply of onions to the city has fallen. II. Onion prices will remain high for the next five years.
Which of the conclusions follow(s) from the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q7. Statement: No student who skipped the practical classes passed the chemistry exam. Arun passed the chemistry exam.
Conclusions: I. Arun attended the practical classes. II. Arun is the best chemistry student.
Which of the conclusions follow(s) from the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q8. Statement: Most visitors to the national park come between October and March.
Conclusions: I. The park is closed from April to September. II. Visitor numbers are lower from April to September.
Which of the conclusions follow(s) from the statement?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q9. Statement: A large number of road accidents in the city occur at night on poorly lit roads.
Courses of action: I. Street lighting should be improved on accident-prone roads. II. All vehicles should be banned at night.
Which of the courses of action follow(s)?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q10. Statement: Farmers in a district complain that they do not get fair prices because they must sell immediately after harvest.
Courses of action: I. Warehousing facilities with loans against stored produce should be provided. II. Farmers should be told to stop growing crops.
Which of the courses of action follow(s)?
(a) Only I follows (b) Only II follows (c) Both I and II follow (d) Neither I nor II follows
Q1 – (a) Only I follows. Extra trains presuppose higher demand (I). Nothing suggests road travel will stop (II).
Q2 – (a) Only I follows. The notice assumes the behaviour it seeks to change (I). It if anything implies electricity costs matter, not that it is cheap (II).
Q3 – (a) Only I follows. Training is chosen because it is expected to help (I). No assumption about past threats is needed (II).
Q4 – (a) Only I follows. The appeal presupposes that spending can help (I); II contradicts the editorial.
Q5 – (a) Only I follows. The managers who are engineers know coding (I). Other managers may not (II).
Q6 – (a) Only I follows. Crop damage reducing supply explains the price rise (I). Nothing supports a five-year prediction (II).
Q7 – (a) Only I follows. If he had skipped the practicals he could not have passed; he passed, so he attended (I). Being the best is unsupported (II).
Q8 – (b) Only II follows. "Most visitors" in October–March implies fewer at other times (II). It does not mean the park is closed (I).
Q9 – (a) Only I follows. Better lighting addresses the cause (I). A total night ban is impractical (II).
Q10 – (a) Only I follows. Storage with credit lets farmers wait for better prices (I). II is absurd.
- Assumption: does the statement need it?
- Conclusion: must be true
- Action: practical, proportionate
- Extreme words → usually wrong
