Learn the conversions of All, Some and No, the six standard combinations, the either-or rule and how possibility questions work. Then confirm hard cases with a quick Venn diagram.
Syllogism is usually 3-5 questions in Prelims and is one of the fastest reasoning topics once the rules are fixed in memory.
Conversions (what a single statement gives)
| Statement | Definitely follows | Does not follow |
|---|---|---|
| All A are B | Some A are B, Some B are A | All B are A |
| Some A are B | Some B are A | All A are B |
| No A is B | No B is A, Some A are not B | - |
| Some A are not B | Nothing reversed | Some B are not A |
Combining two statements (A-B and B-C)
| First | Second | Conclusion about A and C |
|---|---|---|
| All A are B | All B are C | All A are C |
| All A are B | No B is C | No A is C |
| Some A are B | All B are C | Some A are C |
| Some A are B | No B is C | Some A are not C |
| All A are B | Some B are C | No definite conclusion |
| No A is B | All B are C | Some C are not A |
Two "Some" statements together never give a definite conclusion.
Either-or rule
If two conclusions are about the same two terms, neither follows on its own, and together they cover all cases (like "Some A are B" and "No A is B"), the answer is "either I or II follows".
Possibility questions
"All A being C is a possibility" follows if nothing in the statements contradicts it. Draw the minimum Venn diagram and ask: can I stretch a circle to make this true without breaking any statement?
Only a few
"Only a few A are B" means some A are B and some A are not B. So "All A are B" is false, and even the possibility of it is ruled out.
Rules can change with each notification. Confirm on sbi.bank.in/web/careers.
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