Statement and Assumptions Cheat Sheet

Statement and Assumptions Cheat Sheet

Quick Revision

An assumption is something the speaker takes for granted — not stated, but necessary for the statement to make sense. You must decide whether each given assumption is implicit in the statement.

1. The Negation Test

The single most reliable test:

Negate the assumption. If the statement then falls apart,
the assumption IS implicit. If the statement still stands,
it is NOT implicit.

2. When an Assumption Is NOT Implicit

• It is already stated word-for-word in the statement;
• It is a far-fetched or extreme idea the statement does not need;
• It concerns an uncertain future the statement does not rely on;
• It restates a universally known fact rather than something assumed.

3. The Answer Choices

Only assumption I is implicit
Only assumption II is implicit
Either I or II is implicit
Neither is implicit
Both are implicit

4. Worked Example

Statement: "Use our coaching and you will clear the exam."

• I. The reader wants to clear the exam. → Implicit (negate it: then the appeal makes no sense).
• II. No one can clear the exam without coaching. → Not implicit (too extreme; the statement does not need it).

So only assumption I is implicit.

5. Exam Quick Tips

• Treat an assumption as behind the statement, never the same as it.
• Words like all, only, never usually make an assumption too strong to be implicit.
• Advertisements and appeals assume the listener wants the result on offer.

Keep revising with the rest of the Reasoning section:

• All Reasoning topics
• Statement and Arguments Cheat Sheet
• Statement and Conclusions Cheat Sheet

How this was made: Drafted with AI assistance; spot-checked by the editor on 31 October 2026.