True/False/Not Given (and its General Training cousin, Yes/No/Not Given) is the question type that causes more lost marks than any other in IELTS Reading — at every band level, not just at the top. The reason is simple: it tests your ability to distinguish between "the text says this is true," "the text says this is false," and "the text simply doesn't address this" — and the third category is the one most candidates get wrong.
True/False/Not Given vs Yes/No/Not Given
| True/False/Not Given | Yes/No/Not Given | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Factual passages (most Academic Reading passages) | Passages presenting opinions, claims, or arguments (common in Academic Passage 3, and in General Training) |
| Tests | Whether a statement matches the facts in the passage | Whether a statement matches the writer's views/claims |
| Logic | Identical — only the labels differ | Identical — only the labels differ |
The underlying logic is the same for both — only the labels change based on whether the passage is reporting facts or opinions.
What Each Answer Means
| Answer | What It Means |
|---|---|
| True / Yes | The statement agrees with what the passage explicitly says |
| False / No | The statement contradicts what the passage explicitly says |
| Not Given | The passage does not address this statement at all — it's neither confirmed nor denied |
The critical distinction: "Not Given" does NOT mean "I'm not sure" or "this seems unlikely." It specifically means the information is absent from the text — even if the statement seems plausible, reasonable, or consistent with what the passage discusses elsewhere.
The Decision Tree
For every statement, ask these questions in order:
- Find the relevant section — locate where the passage discusses this topic. Don't rely on memory; the answer must come from the text in front of you.
- Does the passage explicitly state this? → If yes (even if paraphrased) → True/Yes
- Does the passage explicitly state the opposite? → If yes → False/No
- Is the topic mentioned, but this specific claim is neither confirmed nor denied? → Not Given
If you find yourself reasoning "well, this is probably true because..." — stop. That reasoning process itself is the signal that the answer is likely Not Given.
Common Traps (With Examples)
Trap 1: Plausible Inference (Not Given)
Statement: "The new manufacturing process reduced costs for the company." Passage: "The company adopted a new manufacturing process in 2019, which significantly improved production speed."
The passage discusses the new process and a benefit (speed) — but says nothing about costs. It would be reasonable to assume faster production lowers costs, but the passage doesn't say so. Answer: Not Given
Trap 2: Paraphrased Contradiction (False)
Statement: "The study included participants from five countries." Passage: "Researchers recruited volunteers from four European nations for the trial."
"Five countries" vs. "four nations" — easy to miss if you're skimming for the general topic rather than the specific number. Answer: False
Trap 3: Scope/Quantifier Errors (False)
Statement: "All of the species in the study showed signs of adaptation." Passage: "Most species in the study displayed clear signs of adaptation, although two remained unchanged."
"All" vs. "most" — quantifier words (all, most, some, none, always, usually) are frequently the difference between True and False. Answer: False
Trap 4: Reversed Causation (Not Given or False — read carefully)
Statement: "Increased rainfall caused the population decline." Passage: "The population decline coincided with a period of increased rainfall, though researchers have not established a causal link."
The passage explicitly says causation has not been established — so claiming rainfall "caused" the decline is False (the passage actively denies the causal claim), not merely Not Given. Answer: False
Trap 5: Information from Outside the Relevant Paragraph
Sometimes a statement uses vocabulary that appears in one paragraph, but the actual claim relates to information found in a different paragraph (or not in the passage at all).
Fix: Always verify that the statement matches information in context — matching keywords is not the same as matching meaning.
Step-by-Step Approach for Each Question
- Read the statement carefully first — identify the key claim, paying special attention to qualifiers (all/some/most), absolutes (always/never), and comparatives (more/less/equal)
- Locate the relevant section using keywords — but expect paraphrasing, so search for synonyms and related concepts, not exact word matches
- Read the surrounding sentences fully — the answer is rarely in the first sentence you find with a matching keyword
- Apply the decision tree — does the text confirm, deny, or not address the statement?
- If you've spent more than 90 seconds and still aren't sure — make your best guess and move on. There's no penalty for guessing, and time spent here is time taken from other questions.
Practice Approach
Because this question type relies on careful reading rather than vocabulary range, the most effective practice method is error analysis:
- Complete a set of 13–14 True/False/Not Given questions from a Cambridge IELTS practice test under timed conditions
- For every question you got wrong, go back to the passage and identify exactly which word or phrase you misread, missed, or misinterpreted
- Categorise your errors: was it a quantifier error? A "Not Given" you marked as "True"? A missed paraphrase?
- Track your error categories across multiple practice sets — most candidates find their errors cluster around one or two specific patterns, which can then be targeted directly
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