SYLLOGISM – Previous Year Questions Solved

Syllogism is an important portion asked in Net exams. By analysing the previous year questions we have found out that there is atleast one question asked from syllogism Let’s discuss some previous year questions asked from this portions.
1. If the statement ‘some men are cruel’ is false, which of the following statements/statement are/is true? (June 2011, UGC NET Exam)
(i) All men are cruel.
(ii) No men are cruel.
(iii) Some men are not cruel.
(A) (i) and (iii)
(B) (i) and (ii)
(C) (ii) and (iii)
(D) (iii) only
Answer: (D)
2. If the proposition “Vegetarians are not meat eaters” is false, then which of the following inferences is correct? Choose from the codes given below: (UGC NET exam December 2011)
1. “Some vegetarians are meat eaters” is true.
2. “All vegetarians are meat eaters” is doubtful.
3. “Some vegetarians are not meat eaters” is true.
4. “Some vegetarians are not meat eaters” is doubtful.
Codes:
(A) 1, 2 and 3
(B) 2, 3 and 4
(C) 1, 3 and 4
(D) 1, 2 and 4
Answer: (A)
3. If the proposition “All men are not mortal” is true then which of the following inferences is correct? Choose from the code given below: (UGC NET Exam June 2012)
1. “All men are mortal” is true.
2. “Some men are mortal” is false.
3. “No men are mortal” is doubtful.
4. “All men are mortal” is false.
Code:
(A) 1, 2 and 3
(B) 2, 3 and 4
(C) 1, 3 and 4
(D) 1 and 3
Answer: (B)
4. By which of the following proposition, the proposition ‘some men are not honest’ is contradicted?
(UGC NET Exam December 2012)
(A) All men are honest.
(B) Some men are honest.
(C) No men are honest.
(D) All of the above.
Answer: (A)
5. If the statement ‘some men are honest’ is false, which among the following statements will be true. Choose the correct code given below. (UGC Net Exam June 2013)
(i) All men are honest
(ii) No men are honest
(iii) Some men are not honest.
(iv) All men are dishonest.
Codes:
(A) (i), (ii) and (iii)
(B) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(C) (i), (iii) and (iv)
(D) (ii), (i) and (iv)
Answer: (B)
6. If two propositions cannot both be false but may both be true, what is the relation between the two propositions? (UGC Net Exam September 2013 & June 2014)
(A) Contrary
(B) Sub-contrary
(C) Sub-alternation
(D) Contradictory
Answer: (B) – By square of opposition, Some and Some not can be true together but cannot be false at the same time. They are called sub contraries.
7. What is equivalent of the statement ‘All atheists are pessimists’? (UGC Net Exam September 2013)
(A) All non-pessimists are non atheists.
(B) All non-atheists are non pessimists.
(C) All pessimists are atheists.
(D) None of the above.
Answer: (A)
8. If two propositions having the same subject and predicate terms are such that one is the denial of the other, the relationship between them is called? (UGC Net Exam December 2013)
(A) Contradictory
(B) Contrary
(C) Sub-contrary
(D) Sub-alteration
Answer: (A)
9. Given below are two premises. Four conclusions are drawn from those two premises in four codes. Select the code that states the conclusion validly drawn. (UGC Net Exam December 2013)
Premises:
(i) All saints are religious. (major)
(ii) Some honest persons are saints. (minor)
Codes
(A) All saints are honest
(B) Some saints are honest.
(C) Some honest persons are religious.
(C) All religious persons are honest
Answer: (C)
Rearranging the statements we get,
Some honest persons are saints.(i)
All Saints are religious.(ii)
By rules of syllogism we know Some+All=Some
Therefore the conclusion derived from both the sentences, we get:
Some honest persons are religious, which is option C.
10. Given below are two premises and four conclusions drawn from those premises. Select the code that expresses conclusion drawn validly from the premises (separately or jointly). (UGC Net June 2014)
Premises:
(a) All dogs are mammals.
(b) No cats are dogs.
Conclusions:
(i) No cats are mammals
(ii) Some cats are mammals.
(iii) No Dogs are cats
(iv) No dogs are non-mammals.
Codes:
(A) (i) only
(B) (i) and (ii)
(C) (iii) and (iv)
(D) (ii) and (iii)
Answer: (C)-All dogs are mammals can be written as ‘No dogs are non-mammals’ since both convey the same meaning. Also ‘No cats are dogs’ can also be written as ‘No dogs are cats’ by reversing it.
11. By which of the following proposition, the proposition “wise men are hardly afraid of death” is contradicted? (UGC Net Exam, December 2014)
(A) Some wise men are afraid of death.
(B) All wise men are afraid of death.
(C) No wise men is afraid of death.
(D) Some wise men are not afraid of death.
Answer: (B)
12. Among the following statements two are contradictory to each other. Select the correct code that represents them: (UGC Net Exam June 2015)
Statements:
(a) All poets are philosophers.
(b) Some poets are philosophers.
(c) Some poets are not philosophers.
(d) No philosopher is a poet.
Codes:
(A) (b) and (c)
(B) (a) and (b)
(C) (a) and (d)
(D) (a) and (c)
Answer: (D)- By square of opposition
13. Among the following propositions two arc related in such a way that they can both be true although they cannot both be false. Which are those propositions? Select the correct code. (UGC Net Exam December 2015)
Propositions:
(a) Some priests are cunning.
(b) No priest is cunning.
(c) All priests are cunning.
(d) Some priests are not cunning.
Codes:
(A) (a) and (b)
(B) (c) and (d)
(C) (a) and (c)
(D) (a) and (d)
Answer: (D)- By square of opposition
14. If the proposition ‘No men are honest’ is taken to be false which of the following proposition/propositions can be claimed certainly to be true? (UGC Net Exam December 2015)
Propositions:
(A) All men are honest
(B) Some men are honest
(C) Some men are not honest
(D) No honest person is man
Answer: (B)- By square of opposition

15. Among the following propositions two are related in such a way that one is the denial of the other. Which are those propositions? Select the correct code (UGC Net Exam July 2016).
Propositions:
(a) All women are equal to men
(b) Some women are equal to men
(c) Some women are not equal to men
(d) No women are equal to men
Codes:
(A) (a) and (b)
(B) (a) and (d)
(C) (c) and (d)
(D) (a) and (c)
Answer: (D)
16. Given below two premise and four conclusions are drawn from them (taking singly or together). Select the code that states the conclusion validly drawn. (UGC Net Exam July 2016).
Premises:
(i) All religious persons are emotional.
(ii) Ram is a religious person.
Conclusion:
(a) Ram is emotional.
.(b) All emotional persons are religious.
(c) Ram is not a non-religious person.
(d) Some religious persons are not emotional.
Codes:
(A) (a), (b), (c) and (d)
(B) (a) only
(C) (a) and (c) only
(D) (b) and (c) only
Answer: (C)
17. If the proposition ‘All thieves are poor’ is false, which of the following propositions can be claimed certainly to be true? (UGC Net Exam July 2016).
Propositions:
(A) Some thieves are poor.
(B) Some thieves are not poor.
(C) No thief is poor.
(D) No poor person is a thief.
Answer: (B)- By square of opposition
18. Given below are two premises, with four conclusions drawn from them (taking singly or together); which conclusions are validly drawn? Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
( UGC Net Exam August 2016).
Premises:
(i) All bats are mammals.
(ii) Birds are not bats.
Conclusions:
(a) Birds are not mammals.
(b) Bats are not birds.
(c) All mammals are bats.
(d) Some mammals are bats.
Codes:
(A) (a), (b) and (d)
(B) (b) and (d)
(C) (a) and (c)
(D) (b), (c) and (d)
Answer: (B)
19. Among the following propositions two are related in such a way that they cannot both be true but can both be false. Select the code that states those two propositions. (UGC Net Exam January 2017).
Propositions:
(a) Every student is attentive.
(b) Some students are attentive.
(c) Students are never attentive.
(d) Some students are not attentive.
Codes:
(1) (a) and (b)
(2) (a) and (c)
(3) (b) and (c)
(4) (c) and (d)
Answer: (2)
20. Given below are two premises ((a) and (b)). From those two premises four conclusions (i), (ii), (iii) & (iv) are drawn. Select the code that states the conclusions validly drawn from the premises (taking singly or jointly.) (UGC Net Exam January 2017).
Premises:
(a) Untouchability is a curse.
(b) All hot pans are untouchable.
Conclusions:
(i) All hot pans are curse.
(ii) Some untouchable things are hot pans.
(iii) All curses are untouchability.
(iv) Some curses are untouchability.
Codes:
(1) (i) and (ii)
(2) (ii) and (iii)
(3) (iii) and (iv)
(4) (ii) and (iv)
Answer: (4)
21. If the statement ‘None but the brave wins the race’ is false which of the following statements can be claimed to be true? (UGC Net Exam January 2017).
Select the correct code:
(1) All brave persons win the race.
(2) Some persons who win the race are not brave.
(3) Some persons who win the race are brave.
(4) No person who wins the race is brave.
Answer: (2)- By square of opposition
22. Given below are four statements. Among them, two are related in such a way that they can both be true but they cannot both be false. Select the code that indicates those two statements:
(UGC Net Exam November 2017)
Statements:
(a) Honest people never suffer.
(b) Almost all honest people do suffer.
(c) Honest people hardly suffer.
(d) Each and every honest person suffers.
Code:
(1) (a) and (c)
(2) (a) and (d)
(3) (b) and (c)
(4) (a) and (b)
Answer: (3) – By square of opposition
23. Given below are two premises (a and b), from those two premises four conclusions (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) are drawn. Select the code that states the conclusion/conclusions drawn validity (taking the premises singularly or jointly). (UGC Net Exam November 2017)
Premises:
(a) All bats are mammals.
(b) No birds are bats.
Conclusions:
(i) No birds are mammals.
(ii) Some birds are not mammals.
(iii) No bats are birds.
(iv) All mammals are bats.
Code:
(1) (i) and (ii) only
(2) (iii) only
(3) (iii) and (iv) only
(4) (i) only
Answer: (2)
24. Given below are two premises (A and B). Four conclusions are drawn from them. Select the code that states validity drawn conclusion (s) (taking the premises individually or jointly).
(UGC NTA Net Exam July 2018)
Premises:
(A) Most of the dancers are physically fit.
(B) Most of the singers are dancers.
Conclusions:
(a) Most of the singers are physically fit.
(b) Most of the dancers are singers.
(c) Most of the physically fit persons are dancers.
(d) Most of the physically fit persons are singers.
Code:
(1) (a) and (b)
(2) (b) and (c)
(3) (c) and (d)
(4) (d) and (a)
Answer: (2)
25. If the proposition ‘domestic animals are hardly ferocious’ is taken to be false, which of the following proposition/propositions can be claimed to be certainly true? Select the correct code:
(UGC NTA Net Exam July 2018)
Propositions:
(a) All domestic animals are ferocious.
(b) Most of the domestic animals are ferocious.
(c) No domestic animal is ferocious.
(d) Some domestic animals are non-ferocious.
Code:
(1) (a) and (b)
(2) (a) only
(3) (c) and (d)
(4) (b) only
Answer: (1)
26. Among the following, two statements are related in such a way that if one becomes undetermined; the other will also be undetermined. Select the code that refers to these two statements.
(UGC NTA Net Exam July 2018)
Statements:
(i) Every fruit is nutritious.
(ii) Fruits are hardly nutritious.
(iii) Fruits are mostly nutritious.
(iv) Some food items are nutritious.
Code:
(1) (i) and (ii)
(2) (ii) and (iii)
(3) (iii) and (iv)
(4) (i) and (iv)
Answer: (1)
27. Given below are two premises (a) and (b). Four conclusions are drawn from them.
Select the code that embodies validly drawn conclusion(s) (taking the premises individually or jointly).
(UGC NTA Net Exam July 2018)
Premises:
(a) All saints are noble.
(b) Some religious men are saints.
Conclusions:
(i) Some religious men are noble.
(ii) All religious men are noble.
(iii) Some saints are religious men.
(iv) All noble persons are saints.
Code:
(1) (i) and (ii)
(2) (ii) and (iii)
(3) (i) and (iii)
(4) (i) and (iv)
Answer: (3)
28. Among the following, there are two statements which can’t be true together, but can be false together. Select the code that represents them. (UGC NTA Net Exam December 2018)
Statements:
(a) All poets are dreamers.
(b) No poets are dreamers.
(c) Some poets are dreamers.
(d) Some poets are not dreamers.
1. (a) and (b)
2. (b) and (d)
3. (a) and (d)
4. (c) and (d)
Answer: (1) – By square of opposition.
29. Given below are two premises (a) and (b). Four conclusions are drawn from them. Select the code that states validly drawn conclusion(s). [Taking the premises individually or jointly]
(UGC NTA Net Exam December 2018)
Premises:
(a) All judges are lawyers.
(b) No doctors are lawyers.
Conclusions:
(1) No lawyers are doctors.
(2) No doctor are judges.
(3) All lawyers are judges.
(4) Some doctor are judges.
1. (1) and (3)
2. (1) and (2)
3. (1) and (4)
4. (2) and (3)
Answer: (2)
By rearranging the premises we get:
All judges are lawyers.
No lawyer are doctors.( Reversal of ‘No doctors are lawyers’.)
All+No=No.
That implies No judges are doctors, which means No doctors are judges also holds true. Also No doctors are lawyers can be reversed as No lawyers are doctors. Other two conclusions are false.
30. Which one of the following can be validly inferred from the proposition – “all animals are wild”?
(UGC NTA Net Exam December 2018)
1. No non-animals are wild.
2. Some animals are not wild.
3. No animals are wild.
4. Some animals are wild.
Answer: (4) – ‘All animals are wild’ can also be written as ‘Some animals are wild’ and ‘Some wild are animals’.
31. When subject and predicate of both the premises are the same but they differ in quality only, it is known as (UGC NTA Net Exam June 2019)
(1) Contradictories
(2) Contraries
(3) Subaltern
(4) Super altern
Answer: (2)
32. If proposition ‘All republics are grateful’ is taken to be true then which of the following propositions can be false? (UGC NTA Net Exam June 2019)
(i) Republics are not grateful
(ii) Some republics are not grateful
(iii) No republics are grateful
(iv) Some republics are grateful
Select the correct answer from the options given below:
(1) (i) only
(2) (ii) only
(3) (i). (ii) and (iii)
(4) (ii) and (iii)
Answer: (3) – By square of opposition
33. The proposition ‘No red is black’ is equivalent to which of the following propositions?
(UGC NTA Net Exam June 2019)
(i) No black is red
(ii) All red are black
(iii) Some red are not black
(iv) Red is not black
Select the correct answer from the options given below:
(1) (i), (ii). (iii) and (iv)
(2) (iii) only
(3) (1) and (iv)
(4) (iv) only
Answer: (3) – No red is black can be also written as No black is red and Red is not black.
34. Given below are two premises with four conclusions drawn from them.
Which of the following conclusions could be validly drawn from the premises?
(UGC NTA Net Exam June 2019)
Premises:
(i) Some bags are tables
(1i) All bags are chairs.
Conclusions:
(a) Some tables are chairs
(b) No chair is table.
(c) Some chairs are bags
(d) Some bags are not tables
Select the correct answer from the options given below:
(1) (a) and (c)
(2) (b), (c) and (d)
(3) (a) and (d)
(4) (b) only
Answer: (1) By rearranging the premises we get:
Some tables are bags.
All bags are chairs.
Some+All=Some. That means ‘Some tables are chairs’ is true. ‘All bags are chairs’ can be written as ‘Some chairs are bags’ as well ‘Some bags are chairs’. So the correct answer is option (1)

Syllogism is a sure question asked in paper one NTA UGC Net Exam. By referring to all the blogs on syllogism you will get an idea to solve the questions at a faster rate.