Syllogism
🔒 Log in to trackSyllogism questions hand you 2-3 statements (All / No / Some / Some-not / Only-a-few) as true and ask which conclusions follow. The reliable method is minimal-diagram plus counter-example hunting: draw the least-committal picture, then try to break each conclusion — a conclusion follows only if no valid diagram breaks it. Modern twists (possibility conclusions, either-or complementary pairs, 'only a few') all reduce to the same discipline with one twist: possibility needs just one supporting diagram, and either-or needs the two conclusions to be exact negations.
One page per subtopic: detailed notes, every question type, formulas, tricks and practice sets.
Every formula on one printable page, grouped by subtopic.
4 exam-level questions worked step by step.
50 questions — untimed practice or a timed test with analysis.
Track record in the exam
Questions per shift in recent SSC CGL papers.
Test difficulty mix (50 questions)
Question patterns exams keep repeating
Taken from previous-year papers. If a pattern is marked "very common", expect to see it in your exam.
Two statements, two conclusions
very commonTwo statements like "All A are B" and "Some B are C", then conclusions.
Draw the smallest picture that fits the statements.
A conclusion follows only if it is true in every possible picture.
Statements: Some dogs are cats. All cats are rats. I. Some dogs are rats. II. All rats are dogs.
The dogs that are cats are also rats, so I follows
Rats can be outside the dogs, so II does not follow
Answer: only I
Three statements in a chain
commonThree statements (All, Some or No) and conclusions that need the whole chain.
Join the "All" links first.
Follow the "Some" part through each statement.
Statements: All keys are locks. Some locks are doors. No door is a window. I. Some keys are doors. II. Some locks are not windows.
The locks that are doors may not be keys, so I does not follow
Those locks are doors, and no door is a window, so II follows
Answer: only II
"Is a possibility" conclusion
very commonThe conclusion ends with "is a possibility".
Try to draw one picture where the conclusion is true and all statements still hold.
If you can, it follows.
Statements: All roads are streets. Some streets are lanes. Conclusion: All lanes being roads is a possibility.
Draw lanes inside roads, and roads inside streets
Some streets are lanes, so that still holds
The picture works, so it follows
Either-or conclusions
very commonNeither conclusion follows, but they are opposites of each other (like All and Some not).
Check each conclusion alone first.
Use "Either I or II" only if they are exact opposites and neither follows alone.
Statements: Some flowers are red. No flower is blue. I. All flowers are red. II. Some flowers are not red.
I does not follow alone, and II does not follow alone
They are exact opposites, so one of them must be true
Answer: Either I or II follows
"Only a few" statements
common"Only a few A are B".
Read it as: some A are B, and some A are not B.
Use only the A that are B when you chain it forward.
Statements: Only a few cups are plates. All plates are bowls. I. Some cups are not plates. II. No cup is a bowl.
"Only a few" means some cups are not plates, so I follows
The cups that are plates are also bowls, so II is false
Answer: only I
Turn a statement around
occasionalThe conclusion is a reversed form of a statement.
All A are B gives Some B are A.
Some A are B gives Some B are A; No A is B gives No B is A.
Statement: All roses are flowers. Conclusion: Some flowers are roses.
Every rose is a flower
So at least some flowers are roses
This always holds, so it follows
Try to break the conclusion
commonA conclusion that looks natural but needs a picture you chose.
Move a part of the picture while the statements stay true.
If the conclusion breaks, it does not follow.
Statement: Some spoons are forks. Conclusion: Some spoons are not forks.
Draw all spoons as forks
The statement still holds
But the conclusion fails, so it does not follow
Possibility blocked by a "No"
commonA possibility conclusion, and a "No" statement is close to it.
Find the members that must exist.
If the possibility would put them in a banned group, it fails.
Statements: Some phones are cameras. No camera is a charger. Conclusion: All phones being chargers is a possibility.
Some phones are cameras, and these phones must exist
No camera is a charger
So not all phones can be chargers: does not follow