न्याय-निगमन के मूल और कथनों के प्रकार
Syllogism Basics and Types of Statements
Syllogism is one of the most predictable scoring blocks in SBI Clerk Reasoning, usually worth 3 to 5 marks in a single set. You are given two or more statements assumed true, and you must decide which conclusions follow. Because the logic repeats set after set, mastering four statement types and one drawing method lets you clear the whole block in under three minutes with near-certain accuracy.
The Four Standard Statement Types
Every syllogism statement is one of four forms. 'All Pens are Rings' is a universal positive (A). 'No Pens are Rings' is a universal negative (E). 'Some Pens are Rings' is a particular positive (I). 'Some Pens are not Rings' is a particular negative (O). These four cover every statement the exam can print, so training your eye to label each one instantly as A, E, I or O is the first step. Once labelled, each form behaves in a fixed, learnable way when you draw it.
Subject, Predicate and What Gets Distributed
In 'All Pens are Rings', Pens is the subject and Rings is the predicate. A term is 'distributed' when the statement talks about the whole of it. 'All' distributes its subject; 'No' distributes both terms; 'Some' distributes neither; 'Some-not' distributes only its predicate. You do not need this vocabulary to solve by diagram, but it explains why conversions behave as they do, and it stops you from over-reading a 'Some' statement as if it named the entire group when it names only a part.
| Statement | Type | Valid Conversion | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| All A are B | A (univ. +) | Some B are A | Never 'All B are A' |
| No A are B | E (univ. −) | No B are A | Also gives 'Some A are not B' |
| Some A are B | I (part. +) | Some B are A | Fully reversible |
| Some A are not B | O (part. −) | No valid conversion | Cannot be reversed |
Conversion: Turning a Statement Around
Conversion is restating a statement with subject and predicate swapped, and only some forms allow it. 'All Pens are Rings' converts only to 'Some Rings are Pens', never to 'All Rings are Pens'. 'No Pens are Rings' converts fully to 'No Rings are Pens'. 'Some Pens are Rings' converts to 'Some Rings are Pens'. 'Some Pens are not Rings' has no valid conversion at all. These conversions are the hidden conclusions the exam loves to test, so learn them cold from the table above.
All → Some (reverse only) | No → No (both ways) and Some-not | Some → Some (both ways) | Some-not → nothing
Solved Examples
Example: Statement 'All Morks are Zephyrs'. Does 'Some Zephyrs are Morks' follow? Yes — it is the valid conversion of an 'All' statement. Does 'All Zephyrs are Morks' follow? No — 'All' never reverses to 'All'. So of the two, only Some Zephyrs are Morks is a definite conclusion.
✗ Reading 'All Pens are Rings' as also meaning 'All Rings are Pens' | ✓ Converting it only to 'Some Rings are Pens'
Why the Answer-First Habit Wins
Weak candidates read the conclusions first and try to argue each one true, which invites bias and wastes time. The reliable method is the opposite: read only the statements, draw the one arrangement they force, and then test each conclusion against that picture without any prior expectation. Treat every statement as true even when it sounds absurd, because syllogism tests logic, not real-world fact — 'All cats are birds' must be accepted inside the question. This answer-first, draw-then-check discipline removes guesswork and is the single biggest reason some candidates finish a syllogism set in ninety seconds while others stall on the very first question, re-reading the same conclusion again and again.
हर कथन चार में से एक प्रकार का होता है — All (A), No (E), Some (I), Some-not (O)। पहले कथन पढ़ें और सत्य मानें, फिर चित्र बनाकर निष्कर्ष जाँचें।
Exam Pointer — SBI Clerk sets one syllogism set of 3 to 5 questions, among the easiest marks in Reasoning. Statements are always assumed true even if unreal. Most questions test the conversion rules directly, so a candidate who knows the four types and their valid conversions can answer half the set on sight, in well under a minute.
60-Second Recap
- Four types: All (A), No (E), Some (I), Some-not (O).
- All reverses only to Some; No reverses fully; Some-not never converts.
- Always assume statements true, even if unreal.
- 3–5 easy marks in one set — know the conversions cold.