Theory & Concepts
Master Syllogism for SSC CGL
Get comprehensive theory, expert shortcuts, and hand-picked practice questions for Syllogism specifically designed for the SSC CGL 2025-26 pattern.
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Practice Notes
50 min readDifficulty: Hard
Syllogism is the cornerstone of logical reasoning. It requires you to determine if specific conclusions logically follow from given statements, regardless of whether those statements align with real-world facts.
Learning path
- Standard Statement Types
- The Venn Diagram Method
- "Either-Or" Conditions
- 20 Practice Questions
1. The Four Statement Types
Every syllogism problem is built using combinations of these four universal statement types:
Universal Affirmative (All A are B)
Venn: Small circle A entirely inside large circle B.
A
Particular Affirmative (Some A are B)
Venn: Two circles A and B with a common overlap.
Universal Negative (No A is B)
Venn: Two completely separate circles.
A
B
Particular Negative (Some A are not B)
Venn: Part of A is strictly outside B.
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2. The "Either-Or" Case
This is the most frequent trick in SSC CGL. A conclusion pair follows "Either-Or" logic ONLY if three conditions are met:
1
Both conclusions must be Individually False (based on the definite diagram).
2
The subjects and predicates must be Same (e.g., Some A are B vs No A is B).
3
One must be Positive and the other Negative (Complimentary Pair).
3. 20 Practice Questions (Solved)
Question 01Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All kings are beggars. II. All beggars are monkeys. Conclusions: I. All kings are monkeys. II. All monkeys are kings.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both I and II follow
D) Neither I nor II follows
Correct answer: A) Only I follows
Solution
Step 1: Draw the Venn. King circle inside Beggar circle. Beggar circle inside Monkey circle.
Step 2: Conclusion I: All kings are monkeys. Since King is inside Beggar and Beggar is inside Monkey, King is definitely inside Monkey. (True).
Step 3: Conclusion II: All monkeys are kings. The Monkey circle is larger and outside. We can't say all monkeys are kings. (False).
Conclusion: Only I follows. Option A.
Question 02Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some bags are pockets. II. No pocket is a pouch. Conclusions: I. Some bags are pouches. II. Some pockets are bags.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Either I or II follows
D) Both follow
Correct answer: B) Only II follows
Solution
Step 1: Bags and Pockets overlap. Pockets and Pouches are separate.
Step 2: Conclusion I: Some bags are pouches. Not necessarily true. (False).
Step 3: Conclusion II: Some pockets are bags. If some bags are pockets, then definitely some pockets are bags. (True).
Conclusion: Only II follows. Option B.
Question 03Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All scientists are hard-working. II. No hard-working person is superstitious. Conclusions: I. No scientist is superstitious. II. No superstitious person is a scientist.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: C) Both follow
Solution
Step 1: Scientist circle inside Hard-working circle.
Step 2: Hard-working and Superstitious are completely disjoint.
Step 3: Since Scientists are inside Hard-working, they also have no overlap with Superstitious.
Step 4: Both 'No A is B' and 'No B is A' are true here.
Conclusion: Both I and II follow. Option C.
Question 04Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some papers are pens. II. All pens are scales. Conclusions: I. Some scales are papers. II. Some papers are scales.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: C) Both follow
Solution
Step 1: Papers and Pens overlap. Pens circle is inside the Scales circle.
Step 2: Since Pens overlap with Papers and Pens is inside Scales, Scales MUST also overlap with Papers.
Step 3: This makes both 'Some scales are papers' and 'Some papers are scales' true.
Conclusion: Both follow. Option C.
Question 05Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All cars are cats. II. All fans are cats. Conclusions: I. All cars are fans. II. Some fans are cars.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: D) Neither follows
Solution
Step 1: Car circle is inside Cat. Fan circle is inside Cat.
Step 2: We don't know if Car and Fan overlap inside the Cat circle.
Step 3: Since there's no definite information, we cannot conclude anything between Car and Fan.
Conclusion: Neither follows. Option D.
Question 06Exam Pattern
Statements: I. No flower is a pot. II. No pot is a garden. Conclusions: I. No flower is a garden. II. All gardens are flowers.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: D) Neither follows
Solution
Step 1: Flower and Pot are separate. Pot and Garden are separate.
Step 2: We don't know the relationship between Flower and Garden. They could be separate, overlapping, or one inside other.
Step 3: In Syllogism, if we don't know the relationship, no definite conclusion (except 'No' or 'Some') can be drawn.
Conclusion: Neither follows. Option D.
Question 07Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All keys are locks. II. Some locks are numbers. III. All numbers are letters. Conclusions: I. Some locks are letters. II. Some keys are numbers.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: A) Only I follows
Solution
Step 1: Key inside Lock. Lock overlaps with Number. Number inside Letter.
Step 2: Conclusion I: Some locks are letters. Since Lock overlaps with Number and Number is inside Letter, Lock MUST overlap with Letter. (True).
Step 3: Conclusion II: Some keys are numbers. Keys are inside Locks, and Locks overlap with Numbers. But Keys might not be in that overlapping area. (False).
Conclusion: Only I follows. Option A.
Question 08Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some ants are bats. II. Some bats are crabs. Conclusions: I. Some ants are crabs. II. No ant is a crab.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Either I or II follows
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: C) Either I or II follows
Solution
Step 1: Check conditions for Either-Or. 1. Both false? Ant and Crab relation unknown, so both definite conclusions are false.
Step 2: Same subjects? Yes, Ant and Crab.
Step 3: Compliment pair? Yes, 'Some' (Positive) and 'No' (Negative).
Conclusion: Either I or II follows. Option C.
Question 09Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All actors are girls. II. All girls are beautiful. Conclusions: I. All actors are beautiful. II. Some girls are actors.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: C) Both follow
Solution
Step 1: Actor inside Girl. Girl inside Beautiful.
Step 2: I: All actors are beautiful (True, as Actor is inside the largest circle).
Step 3: II: Some girls are actors (True, as the Actor circle is a part of the Girl circle).
Conclusion: Both follow. Option C.
Question 10Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some mangoes are yellow. II. Some texperts are mangoes. Conclusions: I. Some mangoes are green. II. Texperts is yellow.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Either I or II follows
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: D) Neither follows
Solution
Step 1: No information about 'green' is in the statements.
Step 2: 'Texperts is yellow' is not definitely true as there is no direct connection between them.
Conclusion: Neither follows. Option D.
Question 11Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All cups are plates. II. No plate is a spoon. Conclusions: I. No cup is a spoon. II. Some plates are cups.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: C) Both follow
Solution
Step 1: Cup inside Plate. Plate and Spoon are separate.
Step 2: I: No cup is a spoon. Since Cup is inside Plate, and Plate doesn't touch Spoon, Cup also won't touch Spoon. (True).
Step 3: II: Some plates are cups. Since Cup is a subset of Plate, this is always true. (True).
Conclusion: Both follow. Option C.
Question 12Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some teachers are students. II. All students are girls. Conclusions: I. All teachers are girls. II. Some girls are teachers.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Either I or II follows
D) Both follow
Correct answer: B) Only II follows
Solution
Step 1: Teacher circle overlaps with Student circle. Student circle is inside Girl circle.
Step 2: I: All teachers are girls. Not necessarily true, only some teachers are definitely girls. (False).
Step 3: II: Some girls are teachers. Since the Teacher-Student overlap is inside the Girl circle, some Girls are definitely Teachers. (True).
Conclusion: Only II follows. Option B.
Question 13Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All windows are doors. II. No door is a wall. Conclusions: I. No window is a wall. II. No wall is a door.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: C) Both follow
Solution
Step 1: Window inside Door. Door separate from Wall.
Step 2: I: No window is a wall. (True, Window is inside Door).
Step 3: II: No wall is a door. (True, statement says No door is wall).
Conclusion: Both follow. Option C.
Question 14Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All books are pens. II. Some pens are pencils. Conclusions: I. Some pencils are books. II. Some pens are books.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: B) Only II follows
Solution
Step 1: Book inside Pen. Pen overlaps with Pencil.
Step 2: I: Some pencils are books. Not necessarily true. (False).
Step 3: II: Some pens are books. (True, as Book is inside Pen).
Conclusion: Only II follows. Option B.
Question 15Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some roads are buses. II. All buses are trains. Conclusions: I. Some roads are trains. II. All trains are buses.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: A) Only I follows
Solution
Step 1: Road overlaps with Bus. Bus inside Train.
Step 2: I: Some roads are trains. (True).
Step 3: II: All trains are buses. (False, only All buses are trains).
Conclusion: Only I follows. Option A.
Question 16Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All plants are trees. II. No tree is green. Conclusions: I. Some plants are green. II. All trees are plants.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Neither follow
D) Both follow
Correct answer: C) Neither follow
Solution
Step 1: Plant inside Tree. Tree separate from Green.
Step 2: I: Some plants are green. (False, No plant is green).
Step 3: II: All trees are plants. (False).
Conclusion: Neither follow. Option C.
Question 17Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some stones are shells. II. All shells are pearls. Conclusions: I. Some stones are pearls. II. All pearls are shells.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: A) Only I follows
Solution
Step 1: Stone overlaps Shell. Shell inside Pearl.
Step 2: I: Some stones are pearls. (True).
Step 3: II: All pearls are shells. (False).
Conclusion: Only I follows. Option A.
Question 18Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All goats are tigers. II. All tigers are lions. Conclusions: I. All goats are lions. II. All lions are goats.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: A) Only I follows
Solution
Step 1: Goat inside Tiger. Tiger inside Lion.
Step 2: I: All goats are lions. (True).
Step 3: II: All lions are goats. (False).
Conclusion: Only I follows. Option A.
Question 19Exam Pattern
Statements: I. Some hills are rivers. II. Some rivers are deserts. Conclusions: I. Some hills are deserts. II. No hill is a desert.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Either I or II follows
D) Neither follows
Correct answer: C) Either I or II follows
Solution
Step 1: Hill and Desert have no direct link. Relation is unknown.
Step 2: Pair: 'Some' and 'No' with same subjects (Hill, Desert).
Conclusion: Either I or II follows. Option C.
Question 20Exam Pattern
Statements: I. All pens are ink. II. No ink is an eraser. Conclusions: I. No pen is an eraser. II. Some ink are pens.
A) Only I follows
B) Only II follows
C) Both follow
D) Neither follow
Correct answer: C) Both follow
Solution
Step 1: Pen inside Ink. Ink separate from Eraser.
Step 2: I: No pen is an eraser. (True).
Step 3: II: Some ink are pens. (True).
Conclusion: Both follow. Option C.
Strategy errors to avoid
!
Assuming Real World Truth
If the statement says "All Rats are Elephants", accept it as 100% true for the logic. Don't let your common sense interfere with the logical deduction.
!
Treating 'Possibility' as 'Definite'
A conclusion only follows if it is 100% true in ALL possible Venn diagrams. If it's true in one diagram but false in another, it is considered "False" in Syllogism.