Inference and assumption questions are among the most commonly confused question types in CAT RC. Aspirants frequently pick the right answer to the wrong question, choosing a valid assumption when asked for an inference and vice versa. Understanding the distinction clearly eliminates this error.
An inference is a conclusion that follows logically from what the passage explicitly states. It is not stated in the passage but can be derived from what is stated. The correct inference option must be supported by at least one specific statement in the passage. It should not go beyond what the passage says, should not require external knowledge, and should not be possible to deny without contradicting the passage.
An assumption is an unstated premise that the author takes for granted in order to make their argument work. It is not stated in the passage and it is not derivable from the passage alone. It is a gap in the argument that the author has silently filled. If the assumption were false, the argument would fall apart.
An inference follows from what is stated. An assumption is required for what is stated to be valid. Put differently, an inference is downstream of the argument and an assumption is upstream of it. A useful test: for inferences, ask "does the passage support this?" For assumptions, ask "does the argument need this to be true in order to work?"
CAT RC questions frequently use the word "infer" when they actually mean "which of the following can be concluded from the passage?" This is a true inference question. But some questions ask "which of the following is assumed by the author?" This requires you to find the unstated premise. Confusing these two question types is the most common source of errors on RC accuracy questions.
GRADFLIX RC questions are designed to test inference, tone and main idea in the exact format CAT uses. Read and answer one essay daily.
Start PractisingAn inference follows logically from what the passage states. An assumption is an unstated premise the author requires for their argument to work. Inference is downstream of the argument, assumption is upstream.
Inference questions ask what can be concluded from the passage or what the passage implies. The correct answer must be supported by a specific statement in the passage without going beyond it.
Assumption questions ask what the author takes for granted or what must be true for the argument to hold. The correct answer is an unstated premise whose negation would weaken the argument.
Assumption questions are more common in CAT Critical Reasoning, which appears occasionally in VARC. Pure RC passages more frequently have inference, main idea and tone questions.