Statement and Conclusion, Statement and Assumption
Statement and Conclusion, Statement and Assumption
Statement-based questions test careful reading, not general knowledge. A conclusion follows only if the statement forces it; an assumption is implicit if the speaker must take it for granted for the statement to make sense. Words like "only", "all", "always", "never" and "best" usually make a conclusion too strong.
1. Rules Box
| Question type | Accept when | Reject when |
|---|---|---|
| Conclusion | It follows directly from the statement, with no outside facts | It adds new information, generalises, or uses extreme words not in the statement |
| Assumption | The statement would not make sense without it | It is merely possible, or is stated outright |
Extreme words in a conclusion (only, all, always, never, definitely) are usually a red flag unless the statement uses them
An advertisement or appeal assumes it will have an effect on people; a suggestion assumes the action is possible
A conclusion may restate the statement in other words; that still follows
| Answer options (two items) |
|---|
| Only I follows / Only II follows / Either I or II follows / Neither follows / Both follow |
✗ The statement praises yoga, so "yoga is the only way to stay healthy" follows | ✓ "Only" adds a claim the statement never made
✗ An assumption must be stated somewhere | ✓ An assumption is unstated; it is what the speaker takes for granted
हिंदी नोट: कथन-निष्कर्ष में केवल वही निष्कर्ष सही है जो कथन से सीधे निकले; "केवल", "हमेशा", "सभी" जैसे शब्द प्रायः निष्कर्ष को गलत बना देते हैं। पूर्वधारणा वह है जो कथन के पीछे बिना कहे मान ली गई हो।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC patterns: statement with two conclusions (two January and February 2021 CBT-1 shifts) and statement with implicit assumptions (January 2021 CBT-1). Extreme-word and "best way" assumption questions had no separate verified shift and are tagged syllabus-based.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Which conclusion follows
[PYQ: NTPC CBT-1 19-Jan-2021 Shift-1 | NTPC CBT-1 11-Feb-2021 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Statement: Regular reading improves a child's vocabulary. Conclusions: I. Children who read regularly tend to know more words. II. Children who do not read have no vocabulary.
I restates the statement. II is an extreme claim: not reading may mean a smaller vocabulary, not none.
Answer: Only I follows
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Statement: The new metro line has reduced travel time between the two ends of the city by half. Conclusions: I. Some people now reach work faster than before. II. The metro is the only cause of reduced traffic in the city.
Halving travel time on a line means at least its users travel faster, so I follows. The statement says nothing about traffic or other causes, and "only cause" is an extreme addition, so II does not follow.
Answer: Only I follows
Pattern 2: Conclusions with extreme or new claims
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Statement: Many students in the town prefer online classes. Conclusions: I. All students in the town have internet access. II. No student in the town attends offline classes.
"Many" is not "all", so I adds a claim. II is a new, extreme claim: preferring online classes does not mean that no student attends offline classes.
Answer: Neither follows
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Statement: The railway has announced extra trains on the route during the festival week. Conclusions: I. The railway expects more passengers on the route during the festival week. II. Passengers will definitely face no crowding during the festival week.
Extra trains are added because more travel is expected, so I follows. "Definitely no crowding" is an extreme promise the statement does not make.
Answer: Only I follows
Pattern 3: Implicit assumptions
[PYQ: NTPC CBT-1 11-Jan-2021 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Statement: "Use this sunscreen daily to protect your skin," says an advertisement. Assumptions: I. People want to protect their skin. II. Sunscreen is costly.
An appeal to protect the skin only makes sense if people care about that, so I is implicit. Cost is not needed for the statement.
Answer: Only I is implicit
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Statement: The principal said, "Students should submit their projects online this year to save paper." Assumptions: I. Most students can submit projects online. II. Submitting online uses less paper than submitting printed projects.
The instruction assumes students are able to submit online (I), and the stated reason, saving paper, assumes online submission uses less paper (II).
Answer: Both I and II are implicit
Pattern 4: Assumptions behind "best" or "only" claims
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Statement: "Join our coaching centre for the best results in the railway exam." Assumptions: I. People want good results in the railway exam. II. No student can pass without coaching.
The appeal assumes people want good results (I). It does not say others cannot pass, so II is too strong.
Answer: Only I is implicit
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Statement: The city has decided to plant one lakh trees along its roads to reduce air pollution. Assumptions: I. Trees can help reduce air pollution. II. Planting trees is the only way to reduce air pollution. III. The city has space along its roads to plant the trees.
The decision makes sense only if trees help (I) and there is room to plant them (III). It does not assume trees are the only way (II).
Answer: I and III are implicit
60-Second Revision
- A conclusion must follow from the statement alone.
- Extreme words (only, all, always, never, definitely) usually fail.
- An assumption is the unstated belief behind the statement.
- Appeals and advertisements assume people will respond.