Assumption
GMAT glossary · Verbal Reasoning
Definition
An unstated idea taken for granted in an argument.
Assumption in plain English
An assumption is the hidden 'of course' that an argument secretly leans on but never actually says out loud. The argument only works if that unstated idea is true, so if you knock it out, the whole thing collapses. For example, 'Maria studied hard, so she'll ace the test' quietly assumes that studying hard is enough to ace this particular test. On the GMAT, finding these buried assumptions is often the key to strengthening or destroying an argument.
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