Introduction
Drawing Inferences is a key reasoning skill tested in SSC CGL Tier-I. It involves deriving logical conclusions from given statements, passages, or data, based strictly on the information provided, without assuming outside knowledge. Questions may appear as statement-conclusion, passage-based inference, or data interpretation. This topic assesses your ability to read carefully, identify implied meanings, and avoid unwarranted assumptions.
Statement and Conclusion
In these questions, a statement (or a set of statements) is given, followed by one or more conclusions. You must decide which conclusion(s) logically follow(s) from the given statement(s). A conclusion follows if it is definitely true based on the statement, without any additional assumptions. If a conclusion is only probably true or requires extra information, it does not follow.
Key Points
- Read the statement carefully and identify what is explicitly stated and what is implied.
- A conclusion must be directly supported by the statement; avoid using real-world knowledge unless it is universally accepted.
- If a conclusion is a restatement or a direct logical consequence, it follows; if it introduces new information or extreme words like 'all', 'only', 'never', it usually does not follow.
Solved Example 1
Question: Statement: All roses are flowers. Some flowers fade quickly. Conclusion I: Some roses fade quickly. Conclusion II: All flowers are roses.
Solution: Neither I nor II follows.
Explanation: From 'All roses are flowers' and 'Some flowers fade quickly', we cannot conclude that some roses fade quickly because the flowers that fade quickly may not be roses. Conclusion II is a reversal of the first statement and does not follow.
Passage-Based Inference
A short passage is given, and you must infer what is implied but not directly stated. The correct inference must be based solely on the passage. It should be a logical deduction that follows from the given facts, not an assumption or an opinion. Often, the passage may present a cause-effect relationship, a comparison, or a general trend.
Key Points
- Identify the main idea and supporting details; the inference should align with the overall message.
- Look for implied relationships such as cause and effect, contrast, or generalization.
- Avoid inferences that are too broad, too narrow, or that bring in outside information.
Solved Example 1
Question: Passage: 'Despite the heavy rain, the cricket match continued as the ground had excellent drainage.' What can be inferred?
Solution: The ground's drainage system prevented waterlogging.
Explanation: The passage states that the match continued despite heavy rain because of excellent drainage. This implies that without good drainage, the match might have been stopped due to waterlogging.
Practice Questions
Q1. Statement: Some doctors are lawyers. All lawyers are rich. Conclusion: Some doctors are rich. Does the conclusion follow?
Answer: Yes
Explanation: Since some doctors are lawyers and all lawyers are rich, the doctors who are lawyers must be rich. Therefore, some doctors are rich.
Q2. Passage: 'Many students who study regularly perform well in exams. Ravi studies regularly.' What can be inferred about Ravi?
Answer: Ravi is likely to perform well in exams.
Explanation: The passage indicates a general trend that regular study leads to good performance. Since Ravi studies regularly, it is likely he will perform well, but it is not guaranteed. The inference is probabilistic, not definite.
Q3. Statement: 'All cats are animals. Some animals are wild.' Conclusion: 'Some cats are wild.' Does it follow?
Answer: No
Explanation: The wild animals may not be cats. There is no direct link between cats and wild animals. Hence, the conclusion does not follow.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming that a probable conclusion is definitely true. Always check if the conclusion is guaranteed by the statement.
- Using real-world knowledge that is not given in the passage. Stick strictly to the provided information.
- Misinterpreting 'some' as 'all' or vice versa. Pay attention to quantifiers.
- Overlooking negative words like 'not', 'never', 'only', which can change the meaning entirely.
Quick Revision
- Inference must be based solely on the given information; no outside assumptions.
- For statement-conclusion, check if the conclusion is a definite logical consequence.
- For passage-based inference, identify the implied meaning, not the explicitly stated one.
- Extreme words (all, only, never) often make a conclusion invalid unless explicitly stated.
- Practice regularly to improve speed and accuracy in identifying valid inferences.