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Verification of Truth of a Statement

Practice MCQs

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Reasoning Ability Verification of Truth of a Statement Competitive Exams

Verification of Truth of a Statement questions test your ability to decide whether a given statement is definitely true, definitely false, probably true, probably false, or cannot be determined from the available information. These questions check logical judgement and careful reading.

What is Verification of Truth of a Statement?

In this topic, a short passage, fact, rule, condition, or situation is given. Based on that information, one or more statements are provided. You must verify whether the statement follows from the given information.

The most important rule is that you should not use personal knowledge or assumptions. You must judge only from the information given in the question.

Quick idea: If a statement is directly supported by the given information, it is true. If it directly contradicts the information, it is false. If the information is not enough, the answer is cannot be determined.
Decision Type Meaning Example Clue
Definitely True The statement must be true from the given facts Directly stated or logically follows
Definitely False The statement contradicts the given facts Opposite of what is stated
Cannot be Determined The given facts are not enough No clear support or contradiction
Probably True The statement is likely but not certain Possible from facts, but not guaranteed
Probably False The statement is unlikely but not fully disproved Weak or doubtful based on facts

“Truth verification depends on given evidence, not personal belief.”

Reasoning Tip
Key Points
  • Read the given information carefully.
  • Do not use outside knowledge.
  • Check whether the statement is directly supported.
  • Check whether it directly contradicts the facts.
  • Choose cannot be determined when data is insufficient.
  • Be careful with words like all, some, only, never, always.
truth facts logic evidence

Main Decision Types

Most questions in this topic require one of the following decisions.

1. Definitely True

The statement is fully supported by the given information.

Fact: Ravi is older than Amit.
Statement: Amit is younger than Ravi.
Decision: True
2. Definitely False

The statement contradicts the given information.

Fact: Neha is in Bengaluru.
Statement: Neha is not in Bengaluru.
Decision: False
3. Cannot be Determined

The information is not enough to verify the statement.

Fact: Ramesh likes cricket.
Statement: Ramesh likes football.
Decision: Cannot be determined
4. Probably True / False

The statement may be likely or unlikely, but not certain.

Fact: Most students passed.
Statement: Raju passed.
Decision: Probably true, not certain
Tip: In exams, “cannot be determined” is often correct when the statement sounds reasonable but is not directly supported by the given information.

Important Words to Watch Carefully

Word Meaning Reasoning Risk
All Every member without exception One exception can make it false
Some At least one, but not necessarily all Do not assume majority
Only No other possibility is allowed Very restrictive word
Always True in every case Needs strong evidence
Never Not true in any case One valid case can make it false
May / Might Possibility, not certainty Usually not definitely true
Must Necessary or certain Requires definite proof
Most More than half Does not mean all
Important: Strong words like all, always, never, only, and must require strong support from the passage or facts.

Truth Verification Rules

Given Information Statement Decision Reason
All roses are flowers. Some flowers are roses. True If all roses are flowers, roses are included in flowers.
Some students are players. All students are players. Cannot be determined Some does not mean all.
Ravi is taller than Mohan. Mohan is taller than Ravi. False Direct contradiction.
The shop opens at 9 AM. The shop is closed before 9 AM. Generally true from given fact If opening is at 9 AM, before that it is not open.
Meena studies in Class 10. Meena is good at mathematics. Cannot be determined No information about mathematics ability.
Quick check: Ask yourself: “Can I prove this statement only from the given information?” If not, the answer is usually cannot be determined.

Step-by-Step Solving Method

Step Action Example
Step 1 Read the given facts carefully. All doctors are educated.
Step 2 Read the statement to be verified. Some educated persons are doctors.
Step 3 Check direct support. Doctors belong to educated group.
Step 4 Check contradiction. Does the statement oppose the fact?
Step 5 Check if data is insufficient. If not supported or contradicted, cannot be determined.
Step 6 Select final decision. True / False / Cannot be determined
Important: Do not bring outside facts into the answer. Even if something is true in real life, it must be supported by the given information.

Worked Example 1: Definitely True

Given fact: All apples are fruits.

Statement: Some fruits are apples.

If all apples are fruits, then apples form a part of the fruit group. Therefore, at least some fruits are apples.
Decision: Definitely True.

Worked Example 2: Definitely False

Given fact: Ravi is older than Amit.

Statement: Amit is older than Ravi.

The statement directly contradicts the given fact.
Decision: Definitely False.

Worked Example 3: Cannot be Determined

Given fact: Priya likes music.

Statement: Priya can play the guitar.

The fact tells us only that Priya likes music. It does not say whether she can play any musical instrument.
Decision: Cannot be Determined.

Common Types of Truth Verification Questions

Fact-Based Verification

Verify statement from direct facts.

  • Given facts
  • Direct conclusion
  • Supported statement
  • Contradictory statement
Passage-Based Verification

Verify statement from a short passage.

  • Main idea
  • Detail checking
  • Inference
  • Insufficient data
Syllogism-Like Verification

Verify from all, some, no type statements.

  • All
  • Some
  • No
  • Only
Condition-Based Verification

Verify from rules or conditions.

  • If-then rule
  • Eligibility rule
  • Cause-effect
  • Exception condition
Rule: If the statement is not definitely supported and not definitely contradicted, choose cannot be determined.

Solved Examples

Given Information Statement Decision
All dogs are animals. Some animals are dogs. Definitely True
Some students are players. All students are players. Cannot be Determined
No birds are mammals. Some birds are mammals. Definitely False
Meena is taller than Reena. Reena is shorter than Meena. Definitely True
Raju studies in Class 8. Raju is good at science. Cannot be Determined
The library opens at 10 AM. The library opens before 10 AM. Definitely False
All teachers are educated. Some educated persons are teachers. Definitely True
Some fruits are sweet. All fruits are sweet. Cannot be Determined

Note: In truth verification questions, the answer must be based only on the given information.

Common Traps and Shortcuts

Common Traps
  • Using personal knowledge instead of given facts.
  • Assuming “some” means “all”.
  • Ignoring restrictive words like only and never.
  • Marking likely statements as definitely true.
  • Confusing false with cannot be determined.
  • Not checking whether the statement directly contradicts the fact.
Useful Shortcuts
  • Look for direct support first.
  • Then check direct contradiction.
  • Use cannot be determined when data is not enough.
  • Be careful with all, some, no, only, always, never.
  • Convert comparison facts into reverse statements carefully.
  • Do not over-infer from partial facts.
Exam approach: Identify whether the statement is directly supported, directly contradicted, or not provable from the given information.

Practice

A) Multiple Choice Questions
  1. Given: All roses are flowers.
    Statement: Some flowers are roses.
    Definitely True Definitely False Cannot be Determined Probably False
  2. Given: Some students are athletes.
    Statement: All students are athletes.
    Definitely True Definitely False Cannot be Determined Always True
  3. Given: No cats are birds.
    Statement: Some cats are birds.
    Definitely True Definitely False Cannot be Determined Probably True
  4. Given: Ravi is taller than Amit.
    Statement: Amit is shorter than Ravi.
    Definitely True Definitely False Cannot be Determined Probably False
  5. Given: Priya likes music.
    Statement: Priya can sing well.
    Definitely True Definitely False Cannot be Determined Always True
B) Solve the Higher-Order Problems
  1. Given: All doctors are educated. Some educated persons are writers.
    Statement: All doctors are writers. Hint: Check whether doctor-writer relation is directly given.
  2. Given: No honest person cheats. Ramesh is honest.
    Statement: Ramesh does not cheat. Hint: Apply the rule to Ramesh.
  3. Given: Some books are novels. All novels are interesting.
    Statement: Some books are interesting. Hint: Books that are novels will be interesting.
  4. Given: The train leaves at 8 AM. Raj arrived at the station at 8:15 AM.
    Statement: Raj arrived before the train left. Hint: Compare times.
  5. Given: Meena studies in Class 10 and likes reading.
    Statement: Meena wants to become a teacher. Hint: Is career aim mentioned?
Reasoning Reminder

Verification of truth questions require evidence-based judgement. Do not assume facts that are not given. Decide whether the statement is supported, contradicted, or not provable.

Task: Create five truth verification questions using all, some, no, comparison, and insufficient data.

Show Suggested Answers
Multiple Choice
  1. Definitely True
    If all roses are flowers, then roses are included among flowers. So some flowers are roses.
  2. Cannot be Determined
    Some students are athletes does not mean all students are athletes.
  3. Definitely False
    No cats are birds directly contradicts the statement that some cats are birds.
  4. Definitely True
    If Ravi is taller than Amit, Amit is shorter than Ravi.
  5. Cannot be Determined
    Liking music does not prove that Priya can sing well.
Higher-Order Problems
  1. All doctors are educated. Some educated persons are writers. But it is not stated that doctors are writers.
    Decision = Cannot be Determined.
  2. No honest person cheats. Ramesh is honest. Therefore, Ramesh does not cheat.
    Decision = Definitely True.
  3. Some books are novels, and all novels are interesting. Therefore, those books that are novels are interesting.
    Decision = Definitely True.
  4. Train leaves at 8 AM. Raj arrived at 8:15 AM. So Raj arrived after the train left, not before.
    Decision = Definitely False.
  5. The facts mention Meena's class and interest in reading. They do not mention her career aim.
    Decision = Cannot be Determined.
Clue Explanation

A statement is true only when it follows from the given facts. It is false when it contradicts the facts. When neither support nor contradiction is available, it cannot be determined.

Exam Tips
  • Use only the given information.
  • Do not add personal assumptions.
  • Check direct support and direct contradiction.
  • Be careful with all, some, no, only, and never.
  • Choose cannot be determined when proof is missing.
  • Do not mark likely statements as definitely true.
Practice MCQs