A Syllogisms known as Syllogistic Reasoning is a logical argument where a specific form (the conclusion) is inferred from two or more specific statements (the premises).

A Syllogisms called valid if the conclusion follows logically from the premises (statements), wherever we take the real predicates and objects to be: if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true. The Syllogisms is invalid otherwise. Thus, in simple language, based on the given statements, you have to find out the authenticity of the conclusions. The “Venn diagrams” is the widely used approach to solve these types of questions.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS ASKED IN SYLLOGISMS:

Here we have discussed the general types which are most likely to be asked in the SSC & Railways examinations.

All P are Q - here in these types of questions, the first element is the subset of the second element. Below is the Venn diagram is shown:

No P is Q – here in these types of questions, the first element is not at all associated with the second element. Below is the Venn diagram is shown:

Following are some Universal rules that you must know to solve Syllogisms based problems:

Definite cases: (For questions containing only two items)

Case of Possibility

Some P are Q – here in these types of questions, the first element is having some part in common with the second element and the remaining is uncertain whether is a part of each other or not. The conclusions we may get from the above pattern are based on possibility and only one or a few out of them will be following the statement(s). Below is the Venn diagram is shown:

Some P are not Q – here in these types of questions, the first element is having some part that is not common with the second element and it is uncertain whether the remaining portion of P touches Q or not. The conclusions we may get from the above pattern are based on possibility and only one or a few out of them will be following the statement(s). Below is the Venn diagram is shown:

The most important is the POSSIBILITY CASES and you will need the below rules to attempt such types of questions:

If All P are Q then Some Q are Not P is a Possibility.

• If Some Q are Not P then All P are Q is a
• If Some P are Q then All P are Q is a Possibility & All Q are P is a

“Either or” & “Neither nor” are complementary pairs.

NO – SOME

SOME – SOME NOT ALL – SOME NOT 

Some other concepts on which questions are asked in examinations are:

1. Only a few – means only “SOME” not “ALL”.
2. Few – is the same as “SOME”.
3. Only – ‘only M is N’ implies that ‘all N are M’.
4. Often – implies ‘SOME’.
5. Each – implies ‘ALL’.
6. Every – implies ‘ALL’.
7. Any – implies ‘ALL’.
8. Almost – implies ‘SOME’.
9. At least – implies ‘SOME’.
10. Not Every – Not every P is Q means Some P are not Q.

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