STATEMENT & ASSUMPTION

Introduction: - In these type of questions, a statement is given followed by some assumptions.

We are required to assess the assumption and decide which of them is implicit in the given
statement.

Definitions:

Statement:

At the simplest level, a statement is a formal account of certain facts, views, problems &
situations expressed in words.

Assumption:

(1) An idea which is thought to be true, or certain to happen, but is not explicitly proved or
supported by facts.
(2) An assumption is the hidden the part of a statement.
(3) An assumption is something which is assumed, supposed and taken for granted.
(4) In this type of communication, the author/speaker leaves certain ideas unsaid (when
author/speaker says something in the statement he does not put everything or every
aspects of his ideas), those which he takes for granted, which work as a link between a
statement and a conclusion. These unsaid ideas are on the author/speaker`s mind before
making a statement. These unsaid ideas are very much implied (indirect) in the statement.

Statement: “I want to present a novel, written by Premchand to Kamal on his birthday.” – A

tells B

Assumptions:

I. Kamal does not have any novel.

II. Kamal does not have any novel written by Premchand.
III. A novel is an acceptable gift.
IV. A will be invited by Kamal on his b`day.

SOME TIPS FOR ASSUMPTION:

(1) Key Words: There are some definite key words reduce the range or scope of the statement
(sentence).

Some key words are: Only, Best, Always, Strongest, Certainly, definitely, All, Never etc…

Statement: The Indian Cricket Team is unable to rise to the occasion. The team should be
trained by the army.
Assumptions:

(I) Army training is the best method available to improve the present performance of the
Indian Cricket Team.
(II) Army training is a reasonably good solution to solve the existing problems.
(III) Army training is the only solution to come out of the present problems that the Indian
Cricket Team is facing.
(IV) Army training will definitely put the Indian Cricket Team on the winning track.
(V) Army training would probably solve the performance based problems in the Indian
Cricket Team.
(2) Cause – Effect: Some statements suggest a cause and effect relationship. The conjunction
between the clauses are normally hence, as, therefore, thus, etc..

In all such cases the valid assumption is “this cause leads to this effect.” These
statements can be of the form, “though cause, yet no effect.” “Because no cause, hence no
effect.” Etc…

Statement: The weather is bad. The match will be cancelled.

Assumptions:

(I) Matches cannot be played in bad weather.

(II) Matches can be cancelled only then, when the weather is not good.

Statement: The central government has directed the state governments to reduce
government expenditures in view of the serious resources crunch and it may not be
able to sanction any additional grant to the states for the next six months

Assumptions:

(I) The state governments are totally dependent on central government for its
expenditures.
(III) The central government has reviewed the expenditure account of the state
government.
(IV) The state governments will abide by the directive.
(3) Conjunction: When a statement consists of two clauses and the clauses are connected by a
conjunction, the nature of conjunction used, goes a long way in detecting the assumption
that the author must have made.

Some Conjunctions are: Even after, because, therefore, in spite of, despite of, although, as, as a
result of, etc…
Statement: The concession in rail fares for the journey to hill stations is cancelled because it is
not Needed for the people who can spend their holidays there.

Assumptions:

(I) Railway should give concession only to needy persons.

(II) Railway should not give concession to anybody.

Statement: There was a murder last night even after the police had arranged for maximum
security around the area.

Assumptions:

(I) Arrangement of maximum security is usually sufficient to prevent murder.

(II) Arrangement of maximum security is always sufficient to prevent murder.
(4) Existence/Non-Existence of the subject:

If the speaker is talking about a hypothetical (supposed) or an unestablished object/idea, he

does so with an assumption that such a thing exists. Similarly, if its absence is being talked
about, it is assumed ‘not existing’.

Statement: Love marriages mostly end in divorce.

Assumptions:

(I) Love marriages do take place.

(II) There are cases of divorce.

Statement: Every citizen must be committed to the social cause; if he is not, his citizenship
should be cancelled.

Assumptions:

(I) It is possible to find out whether a citizen is committed to the social cause or not.
(II) Citizenship of any citizen can be cancelled.

Statement: The involvement of our senior scientists in the ISRO case is really shocking. It is
regrettable that they put money before nation interest. – An editorial

Assumptions:

(I) The ISRO case involves the active hand of our senior scientists in supplying secret
documents to another country.
(II) Our scientists were not expected to do such a thing.
 (III) National interest should command a higher priority than money.

Statement: “Thick milk does not mean high-quality milk”. Issued in Public Interest by a reputed
milk company

Assumptions:

(I) There is misconception among the people that thick milk is good.
(II) Some companies are producing adulterated thick milk.
(5) Suggestions (Course of Action):

Sometimes you are given a fact/report/data/observation. Certain statements suggest a course

of action to solve a given a problem. A suggestion is nothing but an advice. When a person gives
an advice, he thinks that there exists a situation which needs an advice and that this advice will
bring in some improvement in the situation.

Statement: The working atmosphere in our parliament can be described as indisciplined and
uncoordinated. Therefore, some harsh disciplinary action needs to be taken.

Assumption: -

(I) The working atmosphere of our parliament needs improvement.

(II) Indiscipline and lack of co-ordination is undesirable.
(III) Harsh disciplinary action would improve the situation.
(IV) The benefits of harsh disciplinary action would overweigh its negative effects, if any.
(6) Re-statement: In case of re-statement the assumption will not be implicit. Because a re-
statement is nothing but just the repetition of the meaning of the statement.

Statement: It would not be wise to bow your head for such a small favour.

Assumptions:

(I) It is not worthwhile to bow your head for small favour.

(II) One should bow his head for big favour only.

Statement: Of all the TV sets manufactured in India, Brand X has the largest sale.

Assumptions:

(I) No other brand of TV sets has as high sale as brand X.

(II) No other brand of TV sets manufactured in India except brand X
(7) Advertisement/notices/appeals: Sometimes, the statements are usually in the form of an
advertisement or an appeal or an official notice or a notice issued in public interest or a
circular.

I assume that you can appreciate that advertisements are usually given by firms/companies,
official notice within an office, appeals by governments or voluntary organizations and public
interest notices by government or government bodies. In all these cases the following
assumptions will be considered valid.

(i) An advertisement / appeal / notice does have some effect.

(ii) In case of an advertisement, that which is being highlighted is looked for and
expected by the people.
(iii) In case of a public-interest notice, it is the duty of those who issue it, to issue such
notice.
(iv) In case of a public-interest notice, what is being advised must be beneficial for
people and its non-practice harmful in some way.
(v) In case of an appeal, the reason for issuing it exists (you can determine the reason
using your common sense).
(vi) In case of an official notice, the effect of its implementation will be beneficial for the
organization.

Statement: “T-series tape recorder – the largest selling name with the largest range.”- An
advertisement

Assumptions:

I. There is a demand for tape recorder in the market.

II. T-series tape recorder is the only one wide variation.

Statement: “Put a notice on the board that the all the employees should come in to office.”- An
officer tells his assistant

Assumptions:

(I) All the employees come late.

(II) Employees read such notice on the board.
(III) Employees will follow the instructions.

No either: Assumptions are never exclusive of one another. This means that the choice “either
of them is implicit” is almost never correct for assumption questions.
1. Statement: “If you want to timely completion of work, provide independent cabins.” –
An employee tells the director of a company.

Assumptions:

I. There are not enough cabins.

II. Other`s presence hinders timely completion of work.

2. Statement: “To buy X-TV, contact Y the sole agent of X-TV. – An advertisement”

Assumptions:

I. People generally prefer to buy TV through sole agent.

II. The TV producing companies do not sell their product directly.

3. Statement: A large number of students and parents stood in the queue to collect
the forms for admission to various under-graduate courses in the college.

Assumptions:

I. The college authority may be able to admit all those who stood in the queue.
II. The college authority may have sufficient number of forms for all those who
stood in the queue.

4. Statement: “Performance is a never pursuit. Landmarks only prove that we are

going in the right direction.”- NTPC

Assumptions:

I. NTPC has achieved its first landmark.

III. NTPC supplies power to all the major states.

5. Statement: Rajesh Pilot, who died in tragic road accident, has left the Gujjar
community in Rajasthan orphaned.

Assumptions:

I. Rajesh Pilot was a representative of the Gujjar community.

II. Rajesh Pilot belonged to Rajasthan.

6. Statement: “The society will not be equal and justice oriented, however hard we
try.”- A philosopher tells his friend

Assumptions:
 I. The society is not free from vice.
II. Equality and justice are desirable in a society.

7. Statement: Lock your valuables in a cupboard and call any gentleman.

Assumptions:

I. Stealing is a crime.

II. Stealing is a very common phenomenon.

II. Valuables locked in cupboard can`t be stolen.

8. Statement: At an international workshop on sports medicines, the experts

declared that Indian vegetarian food is the best for sportsmen.

Assumptions:

I. Indian sportspersons perform much better at international sport meet then non-
vegetarian players from other countries.
II. Indian vegetarian food is the best in the world.
III. Some non-veg. stuff comes from lethargic (lazy) animals; hence its intake makes
the players inactive.

9. Statement: Apart from the entertainment value of television, its educational value
can not be ignored.

Assumptions:

I. People take television to be a means of entertainment only.

II. The educational value of television is not realized properly.
III. Entertainment is more important than education for masses.

10. Statement: Please consult me before making any decision on export from the
company.
Assumptions:

I. You may take a wrong decision if you do not consult me.

II. It is important to make right decision.

IV. You are new in this company.

11. Statement: “Buy X TV for better sound quality”. – An advertisement

 Assumptions: I. ‘X’ TV is the only TV in the market.

II. ‘X’ TV is costliest.

III. People generally ignore such advertisement.

12. Statement: Unable to manage with the present salary, Pawan joined another
company.

Assumptions: I. The new company offers higher salary to all its employees.

II. The new company has better work environment.

III. The present company offers moderate pay packet.

13. Statement: “To make the company commercially viable there is an urgent need to
prune the staff strength and borrow money from the financial institutions“. –
Opinion of a consultant

Assumptions: I. The financial institutions lend money for such proposal.

II. The product of the company has a potential market.

III. The employees of the company are in-efficient.

14. Statement: “Why should we not protest? When we ask for drinking water they
are giving us Pepsi and Coca-Cola”. – A politician in an interview

Assumptions: I. Only drinking water is good for people health.

II. Pepsi and Coca-Cola do not contain healthy drinking water.

III. Providing people with drinking water is more important than

providing Pepsi and Coca-cola.

15. Statement: “In our report published last week, the name of the author was
misspell. We regret the error.”- A magazine editor

Assumptions: I. The name of the author was not easy to spell.

II. Publishing correct names of author is not as important as the

quality of the article.

III. Publishing correct names of author is desirable.

16. Statement: We protect other living things such as plants and animals because they
are not really any threat to us.

Assumptions: I. Carnivorous animals are not a threat to us.

II. Man is strongest and wisest among all living creatures.

17. Statement: The government of India has requested for a loan from the
International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) towards the cost of
the construction works for widening the existing two lanes to 4/6 lanes of the
National Highways.

Assumptions: I. IBRD will provide the loan to the Govt. of India.

II. The number of vehicles is increasing in India.

18. Statement: Despite becoming an icon in bollywood, he remained unaffected by the

trapping of the tinsel town.

Assumptions: I. Bollywood icons are affected by the trapping of the tinsel town.

II. Those who are unaffected by the trapping of the tinsel town do not
become bollywood icons.

19. Statement: Being pioneers in aviation, we understand better. We offer international

standard flight training.- An advt.

Assumptions: I. Pioneers in aviation alone can offer international standard flight

training.

II. People do not prefer training which is not of international standard.

III. Pioneers in aviation can understand flying better than others.

20. Statement: State Bank of India, which is the largest bank in the country, has decided
to reduce its workforce by 30 percent so that its banks may work efficiently.

Assumptions: I. The Bank can perform all its activities after the reduction in workforce.

II. The surplus employees may be asked to adopt early retirement

scheme before leaving the bank.

21. Statement: The principal instructed all the teachers to be careful in class because
some students may disturb other students.
 Assumptions: I. The teachers may handle the situation properly and they may restrict
the naughty students.

II. The students will welcome the decision of the principal.

22. Statement: The state Government has abolished the scheme of providing
concessional air ticket to students.

Assumptions: I. Students will not travel by air in future.

II. The student who resort to travel by air can bear the expenses of air
ticket.

23. Statement: Until 1960, radio was the only source of music for the common man.
Listening to songs of one`s choice was strictly the preserve of the elite.

Assumptions: I. Until 1960, the elite were not able to listen to music on radio.

II. Until 1960, radio was having programmes of airing songs of listeners
choice only for the elite.

III. Until 1960, radio was airing music only.