Syllogisms

Syllogisms are a core question type in the UCAT Decision Making subtest. They test your ability to evaluate whether a conclusion logically follows from a set of premises. This lesson covers the formal structure of syllogisms, common patterns, the Venn diagram solving method, and the most frequent logical fallacies you need to recognise.

---

What Is a Syllogism?

A syllogism is a form of logical reasoning where a conclusion is drawn from two premises (statements assumed to be true). The classic form is:

• Premise 1: All doctors are graduates.
• Premise 2: All graduates have a degree.
• Conclusion: Therefore, all doctors have a degree.

This conclusion is valid — it follows logically from the premises.

In the UCAT, you are typically given two or three premises and asked whether a proposed conclusion follows logically from those premises. You must evaluate the logic, not whether the statements are factually true.