Syllogism is an interesting topic in logical reasoning. Syllogism questions are often easy but tricky to solve. These types of questions, if answered correctly, are less time-consuming and scoring. However, identifying the correct answer is the real trick.
In this blog, we will discuss the strategies, concepts, and tips and tricks to answer these questions correctly in one go.
What Is Syllogism in Reasoning?
Syllogism is a type of logical reasoning question where you are given a set of statements and asked to determine which conclusions logically follow from them.
These questions are frequently asked in competitive exams to test a candidate’s deductive reasoning skills. Candidates need to understand the relationships between the given statements and use logic (not assumptions) to arrive at valid conclusions.
Skills Required:
- Deductive logic
- Statement interpretation
- Visual reasoning (Venn diagrams)
- Elimination technique
Why Are Syllogism Questions Important in Competitive Exams?
These types of questions are mainly used to assess an aspirant’s thinking and understanding skills. They are tricky, as sometimes candidates are not just asked which conclusions follow, but also which conclusions do not follow to confuse them in the exam hall. The number of questions from this topic asked in various exams is as follows:
| Exam | No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| SSC CGL / CHSL | 1-2 | Easy |
| IBPS PO / SBI PO | 2-3 | Moderate |
| RRB NTPC / Group D | 1 | Easy |
| State PSC / Police | 1-2 | Moderate |
Syllogism is a scoring topic and can be solved in under a minute with proper techniques. It is also part of Logical Reasoning in many state and national-level exams.
Terms Used in Syllogism Questions
There are various terms used in syllogism questions. The details of the terms most commonly used in the exam are as follows:
| Term | Meaning |
| Premise | A given statement (e.g., All A are B) |
| Conclusion | Deduction based on premises |
| Universal Positive | All A are B |
| Universal Negative | No A is B |
| Particular Positive | Some A are B |
| Particular Negative | Some A are not B |
| Venn Diagram | Diagrammatic tool used for visualizing logical relations |
| Complementary Pairs | Pairs like “Some A are B” and “Some A are not B” (can both be false) |
Tricks to Be Followed to Solve Syllogism
There are various key concepts that aspirants must keep in mind while solving this topic. The details of the tricks that candidates must follow while solving syllogism questions are as follows:
| Concept | Explanation |
| Universal Statements | Begin with “All” or “No”; have broader validity |
| Particular Statements | Begin with “Some”; limited validity |
| Basic Diagrams | A → B (All A are B), A × B (No A is B), etc. |
| Immediate Conclusion | Derived without combining multiple premises |
| Mediate Conclusion | Combines two or more statements |
| Either–Or Case | Occurs when both conclusions are wrong individually but one must be true |
What Are the Types of Syllogism Questions in Reasoning?
Types of questions that are mostly asked in the exam are as follows:
- Direct: Based on 2–3 simple statements with 2 conclusions
- Puzzle-based: Part of larger reasoning puzzles
- Coded (symbol-based): Uses symbols like A @ B to denote relationships
- Mixed-concept reasoning: Combines syllogism with direction, ranking, etc.
Syllogism Formulas for Reasoning
These are the logic that aspirants must apply while solving the reasoning questions, the details of the formuals are as follows:
- All A are B → Some B are A (Possibly True)
- No A is B → No B is A (Definitely True)
- Some A are B → Some B are A (Possibly True, Not Always True)
- All A are B + All B are C → All A are C
- All A are B + No B is C → No A is C
Syllogism Tricks for SSC CGL, Bank PO and Other Exams
Some of the common tricks that candidates must always use to solve syllogism questions are as follows:
- Use Venn diagrams for accuracy
- Avoid assumptions – only trust what’s given
- Eliminate invalid conclusions first
- Use “complementary pair” logic for either–or
- Revise symbol-based codes regularly
- Practice reverse testing (assume conclusion and check statements)
- Mark conclusions as True, False, or Can’t be determined
Solved Syllogism Questions from 2024–25 Exams
Some of the types of questions that are asked in the examination are as follows:
Question 1
Exam: SSC CGL 2024 Tier 1 (Shift 2 – Memory-Based)
Statements: All books are pens. Some pens are papers.
Conclusions:
I. Some papers are books.
II. All pens are books.
Answer: Neither follows
Explanation: No direct link between books and papers. All pens being books contradicts the first statement.
Question 2
Exam: IBPS PO Prelims 2024 (Memory-Based)
Statements: No fruit is vegetable. All vegetables are green.
Conclusions:
I. No fruit is green.
II. Some green are vegetables.
Answer: Only Conclusion II follows
Explanation: “No fruit is green” is not directly inferred. But “Some green are vegetables” is definitely true.
Question 3
Exam: SBI Clerk 2025 (Memory-Based)
Statements: All dogs are animals. Some animals are cats.
Conclusions:
I. Some dogs are cats.
II. All dogs are cats.
Answer: Neither follows
Explanation: No direct relationship established between dogs and cats.
Syllogism Concepts for Bank Exams
Bank exams like IBPS PO and SBI PO often test syllogism with symbolic logic. Example:
Statement: A % B means “All A are B”; A $ B means “No A is B”
If P % Q, Q $ R, then
Conclusion: No P is R – Follows
You need to decode symbols and apply logical templates to arrive at answers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid while Solving Syllogism
While solving syllogism reasoning questions, candidates must keep the below-mentioned details in mind:
- Assuming Unstated Information: Drawing conclusions that are not explicitly mentioned in the statements.
- Confusing “Some” with “All”: Misinterpreting “Some A are B” as “All A are B” or “Some B are A”.
- Ignoring Venn Diagrams: Not using visual tools like Venn diagrams, which help validate conclusions clearly.
- Incorrect Use of Either–Or Logic: Applying either–or when the conclusions are not mutually exclusive and independently false.
- Using Intuition Over Logic: Relying on guesswork instead of logical reasoning leads to incorrect answers.
What Are Related Topics I Should Revise Next?
Topics you should revise next are as follows:
- Questions based on Direction Sense
- Rules and Practice Questions of Coding-Decoding
- Shortcuts and Tricks to solve Floor Based Puzzle
- Various types of Blood Relations Questions
- Tricks & Examples of Seating Arrangement
FAQs
Use Venn diagrams for visual clarity, memorize standard logic rules, and practice “either or” conditions to reduce time.
Common forms include direct verbal syllogism, coded symbol-based questions, either–or conclusions, and mixed statement types.
Use Venn diagrams, avoid assumptions, eliminate false conclusions, decode symbols properly, and practice regularly to master it.
They use codes/symbols in place of statements. You must decode and apply logic accordingly.
Break them down step by step, use short-hand diagrams, and analyze one conclusion at a time for clarity and speed.
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