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Statement & Conclusion

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medium importance~0-1 Q in Tier 1⚡ 4 shortcuts3 subtopics
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Statement and assumptions

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⏱ 5 min read🧩 7 question types🎯 14 practice Q
The idea in one minute

An assumption is an idea the speaker takes for granted before speaking. It is not written in the statement. Without it, the statement would make no sense. The negation test finds it.

01

What an assumption is

An assumption is an idea the speaker takes for granted before speaking. It is not written in the statement, but without it the statement makes no sense.

A mother says, "Take your umbrella, it will rain." She assumes you are going out, and that an umbrella will help. She never says so. She does not need to.

Watch: A conclusion comes after a statement. It is what follows from it. An assumption comes before a statement. It is what the speaker already believes.

02

The negation test

This one test solves almost every question.

  1. Take the assumption and put not into it.
  2. Read the statement again with the negated idea in mind.
  3. If the statement becomes pointless or self-defeating, the assumption is implicit.
  4. If the statement still makes sense, the assumption is not implicit.

Example: Notice: "Use the stairs on Tuesday. The lift will be under repair." Assumption: the building has usable stairs. Negate it: "There are no usable stairs." Now the notice is absurd. So the assumption is implicit.

03

Where assumptions come from

Type of statementWhat it usually assumes
Advice ("Do X")X is possible for the listener, and X will help
Appeal or requestThe listener can and may respond
NoticeReaders will read it and can follow it
AdvertisementSome buyers want what the advert offers
Decision or policyThe plan is possible and will do some good
04

Assumptions that are not implicit

  • Total effect. "CCTV will completely stop signal jumping." The authority only needs to expect some improvement. A full result is never needed.
  • Comparison with rivals. A purifier advert need not assume it is the cheapest or the best. It only assumes people want safe water.
  • Contradiction. An assumption that clashes with the statement cannot be implicit.
  • Extreme words. "Nobody can", "all people" and "only this method" are rarely needed.
  • Making the statement unnecessary. If all riders already wear helmets, a helmet poster is pointless. So the poster cannot assume that.
05

Worked examples

  1. Scheme: free cycles for Class IX girls to improve attendance.
    • I. Some girls find it hard to reach school. Negate it: none find it hard. Then the scheme is pointless. It is implicit.
    • II. Every girl will now attend daily. This is a total effect. It is not implicit.
    • Answer: only I.
  2. Notice: the railway will add two coaches to a train in the festival season.
    • I. More people are likely to travel then. Negate it: no more people. Then extra coaches are pointless. It is implicit.
    • II. The train can run with two extra coaches. Negate it: it cannot. Then the decision is impossible. It is implicit.
    • Answer: both.
06

Question types you will see

Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.

Type 1very common3 practice Q

Advice or request: the negation test

How to spot it:

The statement is advice such as 'Do X' or a poster or a request.

Method

  1. Write the assumption in a plain sentence.

  2. Negate it.

  3. Read the statement again. If it becomes pointless, the assumption is implicit.

Why it works:

Advice makes sense only if the action can help.

Try this

Statement: 'Wear a helmet while riding,' says a traffic poster. Assumption: A helmet can reduce head injuries.

Show solution

  1. Negate: helmets do not reduce injuries.

  2. Then the poster is pointless.

Answer

Implicit

Type 2very common3 practice Q

Advertisement or notice

How to spot it:

The statement is an advertisement, an announcement or a notice for a group of people.

Method

  1. Write each assumption.

  2. Negate each one.

  3. Keep only those whose negation makes the advert pointless.

  4. Reject extreme words like 'cannot' or 'nobody'.

Why it works:

An advert needs some buyers. It does not need every buyer.

Try this

Advertisement: 'Weekend yoga classes for busy office-goers.' Assumptions: I. Some office-goers are free on weekends. II. Office-goers cannot do yoga on weekdays.

Show solution

  1. Negate I: nobody is free on weekends. Then nobody could attend. So I is implicit.

  2. II says 'cannot'. The advert does not need it.

Answer

Only I is implicit

Type 3very common3 practice Q

Total-effect or extreme assumption

How to spot it:

The assumption says 'completely', 'all', 'nobody' or 'only'.

Method

  1. Find the strong word.

  2. Ask: does the speaker need a full result, or only some?

  3. A decision needs only some good effect.

Why it works:

A total effect is more than the statement needs.

Try this

Statement: CCTV cameras will be installed at junctions to reduce signal jumping. Assumption: CCTV will completely stop signal jumping.

Show solution

  1. The aim is to reduce signal jumping.

  2. A full stop is not needed for the decision to make sense.

Answer

Not implicit

Type 4common2 practice Q

Decision or policy: possible and purposeful

How to spot it:

The statement announces a decision, a plan or a scheme.

Method

  1. Ask what the plan needs: a reason and a way.

  2. Write each as an assumption.

  3. Negate each. If the plan becomes pointless or impossible, it is implicit.

Why it works:

A plan needs a purpose and a way to carry it out.

Try this

Statement: A company will open a branch in Pune to serve its growing customers there. Assumption: The company has customers in Pune.

Show solution

  1. Negate: the company has no customers in Pune.

  2. Then the branch has no purpose.

Answer

Implicit

Type 5common

Appeal or request

How to spot it:

The statement asks people to do something, like 'Please do X'.

Method

  1. Ask: can the people do it?

  2. Ask: will it help?

  3. Do not assume that everyone will obey.

Why it works:

A request assumes the listener can respond. It cannot assume every listener will.

Try this

Statement: 'Please switch off the fans and lights when you leave the classroom,' says a school notice. Assumptions: I. Students can switch off the fans and lights. II. Every student will obey the notice.

Show solution

  1. Negate I: students cannot switch them off. Then the notice is pointless. So I is implicit.

  2. II is a total effect. So it is not implicit.

Answer

Only I is implicit

Type 6common

Comparison with rivals

How to spot it:

An advert or claim praises one product, and an assumption says it is better than others.

Method

  1. Find the comparison, like 'better than' or 'the best'.

  2. Ask if the advert needs it.

  3. An advert only needs some people to want the product.

Why it works:

An advert does not need to beat every rival to make sense.

Try this

Advertisement: 'Use Sparkle toothpaste for stronger teeth.' Assumptions: I. Some people want stronger teeth. II. Sparkle is better than every other toothpaste.

Show solution

  1. Negate I: nobody wants stronger teeth. Then the advert is pointless. So I is implicit.

  2. II compares with all rivals. The advert does not need it.

Answer

Only I is implicit

Type 7occasional

An assumption that makes the statement unnecessary

How to spot it:

An assumption says the problem is already solved, so the statement would not be needed.

Method

  1. Imagine the assumption is true.

  2. Ask if the statement is still needed.

  3. If it is not, the assumption is not implicit.

Why it works:

A speaker who gives advice believes the advice is needed.

Try this

Notice: 'Use the new app to book your ration slot.' Assumptions: I. Some card holders have phones and can use the app. II. All card holders already book slots by app.

Show solution

  1. Negate I: no card holder can use the app. Then the notice is pointless. So I is implicit.

  2. If II were true, the notice would be needless. So II is not implicit.

Answer

Only I is implicit

07

Shortcuts that save time

⚡ The negation test

Put 'not' into the assumption. Does the speaker still have a reason to speak? If not, the assumption is implicit.

Example

Notice: Use the stairs during the lift repair on Tuesday. Assumption: The building has stairs that residents can use. Is it implicit?

Show solution

  1. Negate: the building has no usable stairs.

  2. Then the notice is absurd.

  3. So the assumption is implicit.

Answer

Implicit

08

Mistakes to avoid

Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.

Mistake 01

Confusing an assumption with a conclusion.

An assumption is what the speaker believes before speaking. A conclusion follows after.

Mistake 02

Accepting a total effect such as 'all accidents will stop'.

The speaker needs only some good effect. A total result is not implicit.

Mistake 03

Accepting a comparison with rivals in an advert.

An advert need not claim to be the best. It only needs some buyers.

Mistake 04

Accepting a strong assumption because it sounds true.

Use the negation test. If the statement still makes sense, it is not implicit.

Mistake 05

Accepting something that makes the statement pointless.

If the assumption would make the statement unnecessary, it is not implicit.

09

Quick revision

Read this the night before the exam.

  • An assumption is what the speaker believes before speaking.

  • Negation test: negate it. If the statement collapses, it is implicit.

  • Advice and decisions assume the action is possible and will do some good.

  • Reject total effects, rival comparisons, contradictions and extreme words.

  • An assumption that makes the statement unnecessary is not implicit.

10

Practice: 14 questions

Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.

Topic test · 10 questions

Suggested time 8 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.

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