0
0

Advice / Suggestion-Based Assumptions

Introduction

Many reasoning questions feature a statement that gives advice or a suggestion, such as “You should…,” “It is advisable to…,” or “One must…”. These statements always carry certain implied beliefs or assumptions about the usefulness and necessity of the suggested action.

This pattern is important because most exams test your ability to identify the underlying reason or benefit behind advice - not just what is stated directly.

Pattern: Advice / Suggestion-Based Assumptions

Pattern

The key idea is: every piece of advice assumes both (a) the advice is beneficial, and (b) there is a need for it because people are not already following it.

Advice is only meaningful if there is (1) a problem or need and (2) a belief that following the advice will help resolve it.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Statement: “Students are advised to revise daily.”

Which of the following assumptions is/are implicit?
A. Regular revision improves retention.
B. Students already revise daily.
C. Some students do not revise regularly.
D. Both A and C.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the advice and its intent

    The statement gives a positive suggestion - to revise daily - implying it has a purpose and is currently needed.

  2. Step 2: Test each option

    • Option A: “Regular revision improves retention.” - Implicit. The advice assumes this is beneficial.
    • Option B: “Students already revise daily.” - Not implicit. If this were true, the advice would be unnecessary.
    • Option C: “Some students do not revise regularly.” - Implicit. The need for advice exists because not everyone follows it.
    • Option D: Combines both correct assumptions (A and C).

  3. Final Answer:

    Both A and C are implicit. → Option D

  4. Quick Check:

    If daily revision didn’t help or everyone already did it, there’d be no reason for the advice ✅

Quick Variations

1. Advice related to health (e.g., “Drink plenty of water”) → assumes the action benefits health and people neglect it.

2. Advice related to discipline or work (e.g., “Arrive on time”) → assumes punctuality helps performance and people are often late.

3. Advice related to study or success (e.g., “Practice daily”) → assumes consistent effort improves results and many don’t practice regularly.

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1 → Identify what the advice recommends.
  • Step 2 → Check why the advice might be given (what problem or habit it addresses).
  • Step 3 → Confirm if the advice assumes the action is beneficial and necessary.

Summary

Summary

  • Every advice assumes the suggested action leads to a positive outcome.
  • It also assumes the advice is needed because people are not already doing it.
  • Negative assumptions (like futility or irrelevance) never follow advice-based statements.
  • To test: Remove the advice’s benefit - if the statement collapses, that assumption was implicit.

Example to remember:
Statement: “Drink enough water daily.” → Implicit: Water intake improves health and people often neglect it.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Statement: "Employees are advised to take short breaks between work hours."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Short breaks refresh the mind and improve productivity.<br>2️⃣ Employees often work continuously without breaks.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
easy
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the nature of the advice

    The recommendation to take short breaks is presented as a best practice - its primary basis is the benefit that breaks provide.

  2. Step 2: Analyse the assumptions

    Assumption 1 (breaks refresh the mind and improve productivity) is necessary for the advice to be meaningful - implicit. Assumption 2 (employees often work continuously without breaks) is a behavioural claim about prevalence; the advice may be given as a general recommendation even if not everyone currently works continuously. Therefore Only 1 is clearly implicit.

  3. Final Answer:

    Only 1 is implicit. → Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    If short breaks did not improve productivity, there would be no reason to advise them ✅
Hint: Advice usually assumes benefit first; prevalence of the problem is secondary unless the statement mentions it.
Common Mistakes: Assuming that the existence of the advice always implies high prevalence of the problem.
2. Statement: "You should save a part of your income every month."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Saving helps in meeting future needs.<br>2️⃣ People generally spend all their income without saving.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
easy
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the advice aim

    The statement recommends a habit (saving) to secure future needs.

  2. Step 2: Test both assumptions

    Assumption 1 (saving helps meet future needs) is implicit - it's the benefit that gives the advice meaning. Assumption 2 (many people spend without saving) is also implicit - the advice exists because a behavioural gap is assumed. Together they justify the recommendation.

  3. Final Answer:

    Both 1 and 2 are implicit. → Option C

  4. Quick Check:

    If saving did not help or if everyone already saved, advising saving would be unnecessary ✅
Hint: Saving advice normally implies both benefit and a behavioural need.
Common Mistakes: Ignoring the behavioural gap that motivates repeated advisory statements.
3. Statement: "Drivers are advised to check tyre pressure before a long journey."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Proper tyre pressure ensures safer and smoother travel.<br>2️⃣ Drivers frequently neglect tyre pressure checks before trips.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
easy
A. Both 1 and 2
B. Only 1
C. Only 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify reason for the advice

    The recommendation aims at safe travel - checking tyre pressure is given as a safety/maintenance precaution.

  2. Step 2: Analyse the assumptions

    Assumption 1 (proper tyre pressure ensures safer and smoother travel) is implicit - it provides the rationale for the advice. Assumption 2 (drivers frequently neglect tyre pressure checks) is a behavioural claim about prevalence. While reminders often address lapses, a general safety reminder does not strictly require that drivers frequently neglect the check; it may be precautionary or aimed at occasional forgetfulness. Therefore Only 1 is the necessary implicit assumption in the phrasing provided.

  3. Final Answer:

    Only 1 is implicit. → Option B

  4. Quick Check:

    If tyre pressure didn’t affect safety, there’d be no reason for this advice ✅
Hint: Safety advice always implies efficacy of the precaution; prevalence is secondary unless wording signals it.
Common Mistakes: Assuming every reminder implies frequent negligence rather than precautionary practice.
4. Statement: "Parents are advised to monitor their children’s internet usage."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Children might misuse the internet occasionally.<br>2️⃣ Parental supervision can reduce the risk of misuse.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
medium
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Read the advisory focus

    The instruction specifically asks parents to monitor children’s internet usage - a preventive and corrective recommendation.

  2. Step 2: Analyse the assumptions

    Assumption 1 (children might misuse the internet occasionally) is implicit - the advice presumes a risk that monitoring aims to reduce. Assumption 2 (parental supervision can reduce the risk of misuse) is also implicit - asking parents to monitor only makes sense if supervision is expected to help. Both assumptions therefore underpin this advisory.

  3. Final Answer:

    Both 1 and 2 are implicit. → Option C

  4. Quick Check:

    If there were no risk of misuse or if supervision could not reduce it, the advice would be pointless ✅
Hint: When the advice names an actor (e.g., 'parents should...'), check both: (a) existence of the risk, and (b) the actor's ability to reduce it.
Common Mistakes: Focusing only on either the existence of risk or the effectiveness of the remedy, instead of recognising both are often assumed.
5. Statement: "Students should form study groups for better understanding of subjects."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Group study helps students understand topics better.<br>2️⃣ Students often study alone and face difficulties in learning.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
medium
A. Only 1
B. Both 1 and 2
C. Only 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the Cause-Effect link

    The statement explicitly advises forming groups for the specific purpose of 'better understanding'.

  2. Step 2: Analyse the assumptions

    Assumption 1 (Group study helps) is directly implicit - the advice rests on the belief that group study leads to better understanding. Assumption 2 (Students often study alone) is a behavioural generalisation that is not required for the advice; the suggestion could be offered even where some students already study in groups.

  3. Final Answer:

    Only 1 is implicit. → Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    The phrase 'for better understanding' directly validates Assumption 1. ✅
Hint: When a statement says 'Do X for Y', X → Y is the primary implicit assumption.
Common Mistakes: Dismissing direct cause-effect wording and overfocusing on prevalence or universality.

Mock Test

Ready for a challenge?

Take a 10-minute AI-powered test with 10 questions (Easy-Medium-Hard mix) and get instant SWOT analysis of your performance!

10 Questions
5 Minutes