Syllogism in Reasoning, Meaning, Types, Tricks and Practice Questions for Government Exams

The word Syllogism comes from Greek and means inference or deduction. It refers to drawing conclusions based on given facts or statements. These conclusions are formed using logic. So they are also known as logical deductions. Questions are usually based on two, three, or four statements followed by several possible conclusions in syllogism reasoning.

Syllogism-based questions are commonly asked in various government exams. This makes them an important part of the verbal reasoning section. This article will explain the concepts of syllogism reasoning, different types of questions, solved examples, helpful tricks, and practice sets.

What is Syllogism in Reasoning?

Syllogism is a key topic in logical and analytical reasoning. It involves a set of given statements, and based on those, candidates are asked to draw conclusions. The statements seem unrealistic or illogical, but they must be accepted as 100% true while solving the questions.

Syllogism reasoning tests a candidate’s basic logical thinking and problem-solving ability. The goal is to use a clear and step-by-step approach to find valid conclusions from the given statements. This topic is often seen in competitive exams to assess analytical skills.

Basic Structure of Syllogism

Syllogism questions follow a fixed pattern called categorical syllogism. The statements are made using specific terms like “All,” “Some,” or “No.” These statements are categorized into four standard forms:

• All A are B

• No A are B

• Some A are B

• Some A are not B

These patterns help build logical connections between different categories and form the foundation for solving syllogism questions in reasoning exams.

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Types of Syllogism in Reasoning

The following are the different types of syllogism questions commonly asked in the reasoning section of competitive exams.

1. Basic Syllogism

This is the simplest type. The conclusions must be absolutely true based on the given statements in basic syllogism questions. A conclusion can seem 99% true, but it will still be considered false unless it’s 100% certain.

2. Either-Or Syllogism

This type appears when neither of the conclusions is 100% true, but both are partially correct (50% each). The answer is considered an either-or scenario in such areas, meaning either one of the conclusions can be true, but not both at the same time.

3. Coded Syllogism

The statements and conclusions are presented in a symbolic or coded format in coded syllogism questions. Candidates must decode the information first and then apply logical reasoning to identify the correct conclusion.

4. Sequential Syllogism

A sequence of statements is provided along with multiple options here. The task is to select the correct set where the third statement logically follows from the first two. This type tests a candidate’s ability to spot valid logical connections.

How to Solve Syllogism Questions in Reasoning?

Syllogism reasoning questions can become much easier to solve with the right approach. The following are some simple and effective tips and tricks to help solve syllogism questions accurately in competitive exams:

• Check All Possible Diagrams: If a definite conclusion turns out to be false in any one diagram, then that conclusion is completely false.

• Positive vs Negative Statements: If all given statements are positive, then any negative conclusion is automatically false, and vice versa.

• Use Complementary Pair Logic: In pairs like “Some” + “No”, the subject and predicate can be interchanged when checking for either-or cases.

• Beware of the “Some + Some” Trap: If two conclusions share the same subject and predicate, and are a complementary pair, but only one is true, it won’t be an either-or case. Also, “Some + Some” is not a valid complementary pair.

• Possibility-Based Conclusions: If a possible conclusion is true in even one diagram, then it is considered true for that question.

• “Only a Few” Statements: When the phrase “Only a few” is used, it means both conclusions like “Some A are B” and “Some A are not B” are definitely true.

• Valid Either-Or Pairs: Valid complementary pairs for the either-or condition include: “Some + No” and “All + Some Not.”

Syllogism Sample Questions in Reasoning

The following are some sample questions with explanations to help candidates understand how syllogism works in reasoning. These are commonly asked in government and competitive exams.

Question 1:

Statements: All pens are books. Some books are papers.

Conclusions: 

1. Some pens are papers.

2. All books are pens.

Question 2:

Statements: Some apples are mangoes. All mangoes are fruits.

Conclusions:

1. Some apples are fruits.

2. All fruits are mangoes.

Question 3:

Statements: All dogs are animals. Some animals are cats.

Conclusions:

1. Some dogs are cats.

2. All cats are animals.

Question 4:

Statements: Only a few cars are bikes. All bikes are vehicles.

Conclusions:

1. Some cars are not bikes.

2. All vehicles are bikes.

Question 5:

Statements: All students are girls. Some girls are dancers.

Conclusions:

1. Some students are dancers.

2. All dancers are girls.

Question 6:

Statements: All laptops are devices. Some devices are phones.

Conclusions:

1. Some laptops are phones.

2. All phones are devices.

Question 7:

Statements: All fishes are animals. No animal is plant.

Conclusions:

1. No fish is plant.

2. All animals are fishes.

Question 8:

Statements: All books are novels. No novel is boring.

Conclusions:

1. Some books are boring.

2. No book is boring.

Question 9:

Statements: Some players are singers. Some singers are dancers.

Conclusions:

1. Some players are dancers.

2. No player is dancer.

Question 10:

Statements: All trees are green. Some green things are soft.

Conclusions:

1. Some trees are soft.

2. All soft things are green.

Question 11:

Statements: Some engineers are architects. All architects are artists.

Conclusions:

1. Some engineers are artists.

2. All artists are engineers.

Question 12:

Statements: No apple is banana. All bananas are fruits.

Conclusions:

1. No apple is fruit.

2. Some fruits are bananas.

Question 13:

Statements: Some chairs are tables. All tables are wood.

Conclusions:

1. Some chairs are wood.

2. All wood are tables.

Question 14:

Statements: All doctors are professionals. Some professionals are scientists.

Conclusions:

1. Some doctors are scientists.

2. All scientists are professionals.

Question 15:

Statements: All trains are vehicles. Some vehicles are not fast.

Conclusions:

1. Some trains are not fast.

2. All vehicles are trains.

Syllogism Reasoning Questions in Government Exams

Syllogism-based reasoning questions are a common part of many top government exams. These questions test a candidate’s logical thinking and are frequently included in the reasoning section of the following competitive exams:

• Bank Exams (both PO and Clerk)

• SSC Exams (CGL, CHSL/10+2, Stenographer, FCI, CPO, MTS)

• LIC Exams (AAO and ADO)

• RRB Exams

• UPSC Exams

• State PSC Exams