IELTS Reading: how to tell True, False and Not Given apart

True, False, Not Given questions are among the trickiest in IELTS Reading. Many students lose marks not because they cannot read the text, but because they answer with what they know or guess, instead of with what the passage says. This guide gives you a simple way to decide each time.

What the three answers mean

• True: the passage says the same thing as the statement, even if it uses different words.
• False: the passage says the opposite of the statement, or clearly contradicts it.
• Not Given: the passage does not say enough to decide. It may be on the same topic, but it does not confirm or contradict the statement.

Some tasks use Yes, No, Not Given instead. The idea is the same, but you decide whether a statement agrees with the writer's opinion or claims, not only with facts.

A method that works

1. Find the right place. Underline the keywords in the statement (names, numbers, key nouns) and look for them, or for words with the same meaning, in the passage. The statements usually follow the order of the text.
2. Read that part completely. Read the sentences before and after, because the answer often depends on a small word such as only, not, some or all.
3. Ask three questions in order. Does the text say this? (True.) Does the text say the opposite? (False.) Is the information simply not there? (Not Given.)
4. Do not use outside knowledge. Even if you know the statement is true in real life, the answer is only what the passage supports.

Try an example

The town library opened in 1998 and now has about 40,000 books. It is open six days a week and closes on Mondays. Last year, the library started a free reading club for children, which meets every Saturday morning.

1. The library is open every day. False. It closes on Mondays.
2. The library has more than 50,000 books. False. The text says about 40,000.
3. The reading club has more than 30 members. Not Given. The text says when the club meets, but it gives no information about how many children attend.
4. The reading club is held on Saturdays. True. It meets every Saturday morning.

The most common traps

• Strong words: all, always, never, only, must. Check whether the passage really says that much.
• Confusing False and Not Given. False means the passage says something different. Not Given means the passage may discuss the topic, but it neither confirms nor contradicts the specific claim. If you find no sentence that contradicts the statement, check whether a sentence supports it (True). Only if neither is there is the answer Not Given.
• Cause and result. A passage may mention two events without saying that one caused the other.
• Numbers and dates. Compare them carefully. "About 40,000" does not support "more than 50,000".
• Spending too long. If you cannot decide after a careful read, choose your best answer, mark it, and move on. You have 60 minutes for the whole Reading test.

How to practise

Practise with a timer and check every answer. For True and False, find the exact sentence that proves it. For Not Given, say what information is missing. For each mistake, write one line on why you were wrong: you used outside knowledge, you missed a small word, or you confused False with Not Given. You can try full timed passages on our IELTS practice page. Our paraphrasing guide also helps, because True, False and Not Given questions depend on recognising the same meaning in different words.