# Statements, Assumptions and Conclusions — Critical Reasoning Made Simple

Source: https://skills101.in/learn/reasoning/statements-assumptions-conclusions — Skills101 free tutorial (Logical Reasoning). Updated 2026-11-09.

These questions give a short statement (an advert, a notice, a news line) and ask what is **assumed**, what **follows**, or what **action** makes sense. You must use only the statement and common sense — not extra knowledge.

![A statement "Use our app to book tickets in 10 seconds" leads to an assumption (people want to book fast) and a conclusion (the app can book tickets). Extreme or new information is rejected](https://skills101.in/learn-img/reasoning/argument-types.svg)

## 1. Assumptions (what is taken for granted)

An **assumption** is something the speaker must believe for the statement to make sense — but did not say.

> **Test:** negate it. If the statement now makes no sense, it was an assumption.

### Example 1
*Statement: "Join our weekend coding classes to get placed in a top company."*
*I. People want to get placed in top companies.*
*II. Weekend classes are the only way to get placed.*

- I: if nobody wanted good placements, the advert would be pointless → **implicit** ✓
- II: "only" is extreme; the advert doesn't claim that → **not implicit** ✗
- Answer: **Only I** is implicit.

## 2. Conclusions (what follows)

A **conclusion** must follow **directly** from the statement. No new information.

### Example 2
*Statement: "All students who scored above 90% in the mock got a free certificate. Asha scored 94%."*
*I. Asha got a free certificate.*
*II. Asha is the best student in the class.*

- I follows directly ✓.
- II needs information we don't have ✗.
- Answer: **Only I** follows.

## 3. Course of action

A good course of action is **practical**, **directly addresses** the problem, and is **not extreme**.

### Example 3
*Statement: "Many students in a college failed the placement aptitude test."*
*I. The college should start aptitude training for final-year students.*
*II. The college should stop all placement drives.*

- I is practical and addresses the problem ✓.
- II is extreme and makes things worse ✗.
- Answer: **Only I** should be followed.

## Words that usually mean "reject"

**only, always, never, all, every, best, worst, definitely, must** — when they appear in an option that the statement did not say, the option is usually too strong.

Words like **some, may, can, likely** are softer and more often acceptable.

## Common mistakes

- Using your own knowledge instead of the statement.
- Accepting an option because it is true in real life, not because it follows.
- Choosing extreme actions ("ban", "shut down") that don't solve the problem sensibly.

## Quick recap

- Assumption: unstated but necessary. Negate to test.
- Conclusion: follows directly, no new information.
- Course of action: practical, directly addresses the problem, not extreme.
- Be suspicious of only / always / never / best.


Practice quiz and free certificate: https://skills101.in/learn/reasoning/statements-assumptions-conclusions