26 Statements and Assumptions
26.1 Introduction
Statement–Assumption questions test logical reasoning: whether a given statement relies on certain unstated assumptions.
An assumption is something taken for granted or implied in the argument, without which the argument would lose its meaning.
In exams, the trick is to distinguish between necessary assumptions and mere possibilities.
26.2 1) Key Concepts
26.2.1 1.1 Statement
A given sentence or claim, e.g., “Government should promote digital literacy.”
26.2.2 1.2 Assumption
A belief that must be true for the statement to hold, e.g., “Digital literacy improves people’s opportunities.”
26.2.3 1.3 Characteristics of Assumptions
- They are unstated but essential.
- They bridge the gap between statement and conclusion.
- They are not conclusions themselves.
- They must be true for the statement to be meaningful.
26.3 2) How to Approach
- Read the statement carefully.
- Ask: “What must the author already believe for this statement to make sense?”
- Ignore information outside the scope.
- Eliminate assumptions that are extreme, irrelevant, or not required.
26.4 3) Examples
26.4.1 Example 1
Statement: “The government should open more engineering colleges.”
Assumption(s):
1. There is demand for more engineers.
2. More colleges will help meet this demand.
Answer: Both assumptions are implicit.
26.4.2 Example 2
Statement: “Use face masks to prevent the spread of disease.”
Assumption(s):
1. Face masks reduce transmission.
2. Disease can spread through air or droplets.
Answer: Both are implicit.
26.4.3 Example 3
Statement: “The company should increase its advertising budget.”
Possible assumptions:
(a) Advertising increases sales.
(b) The company wants higher sales.
(c) Competitors are advertising heavily.
Answer: (a) and (b) are implicit; (c) is not necessarily implied.
26.4.4 Example 4
Statement: “Students must take regular tests to improve performance.”
Assumption(s):
1. Tests help measure performance.
2. Students’ performance can improve through testing.
Answer: Both are implicit.
26.5 4) Common Patterns in Exams
- Policy recommendations (“should/ought to”) → assume problem exists + proposed action will solve it.
- Cause–effect → assume link between cause and effect is valid.
- Appeals to action → assume people can and will act.
- General statements → assume underlying belief is accepted as true.
26.6 5) Practice Questions
- Statement: “Private cars should be banned in congested cities.”
Assumptions?- Private cars cause congestion.
- Banning cars will reduce congestion.
- People will obey the ban.
- Private cars cause congestion.
- Statement: “The company should provide free health insurance to employees.”
Assumptions?- Health insurance benefits employees.
- Company can afford it.
- Employees will be more loyal/productive.
- Health insurance benefits employees.
- Statement: “School children should play outdoor games daily.”
Assumptions?- Outdoor games improve health.
- Children have time for outdoor games.
- Children are otherwise not healthy.
- Outdoor games improve health.
- Statement: “More banks should be opened in rural areas.”
Assumptions?- Rural people need banking services.
- Banking facilities are inadequate in rural areas.
- More banks will improve rural economy.
- Rural people need banking services.
26.7 6) Answer Key
- (a), (b), (c) are implicit.
- and (b) are implicit; (c) is probable but not essential.
- and (b) are implicit; (c) is probable but not essential.
- and (b) are implicit; (c) is not necessary.
- and (b) are implicit; (c) is not necessary.
- and (b) are implicit; (c) is arguable but not essential.
26.8 7) Summary
- An assumption is what the author must believe, not what they may believe.
- Avoid assumptions that are too broad, too narrow, or extreme.
- In exam MCQs: mark only those that are necessary for the statement to make sense.
- Practice by asking: “If this assumption is false, does the statement collapse?” – if yes, it’s implicit.