IELTS Reading: True, False, Not Given — The Complete Strategy

True, False, Not Given (T/F/NG) is one of the most challenging question types in the IELTS Reading test. The difficulty lies in distinguishing between “False” and “Not Given” — a distinction that trips up even experienced candidates.

In this guide, I will explain exactly what each answer means, show you a systematic method for answering these questions, and highlight the traps to avoid.

What the Three Answers Mean

TRUE — The statement agrees with the information in the passage. The passage says the same thing, though possibly using different words.

FALSE — The statement contradicts the information in the passage. The passage says the opposite of the statement.

NOT GIVEN — The passage does not contain enough information to determine whether the statement is true or false. The passage is silent on the matter.

The key distinction is this: False means the passage contradicts the statement. Not Given means the passage simply does not address it.

The Critical Rule: Use Only the Passage

This is the most important rule for T/F/NG questions: base your answers only on what the passage says. Do not use your own knowledge, common sense, or assumptions about the world.

For example, if a passage discusses a study of 500 people, and a statement says “The study surveyed over 1,000 people”, the answer is FALSE — even though you know nothing about the study outside the passage. The passage contradicts the statement.

Conversely, if a statement says “The study was conducted in the United States” and the passage does not mention where the study took place, the answer is NOT GIVEN — even if you assume it was probably in the US.

The Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Read the statement and underline the keywords

Identify the key information in the statement — names, dates, numbers, and the main claim. Pay special attention to qualifiers like all, most, only, never, always, some. These words change the meaning significantly.

Step 2: Predict what would make it TRUE

Before you look at the passage, think about what the passage would need to say for the statement to be true. This gives you a target to look for.

Step 3: Locate the relevant section

Scan the passage for the keywords or their synonyms. Remember that T/F/NG questions follow the order of the passage, so the answer to Question 2 will come after the answer to Question 1.

Step 4: Compare claim against text, element by element

Read the relevant section carefully and compare it with the statement. Check each element: Who? What? How much? When? Where? A single difference in any element can make the answer FALSE.

Step 5: Choose FALSE only if you can point to the contradiction

If you can point to specific words in the passage that contradict the statement, the answer is FALSE. If you cannot find a contradiction, and the passage does not address the claim, the answer is NOT GIVEN.

The Traps to Avoid

Trap 1: Qualifiers. Words like “all”, “most”, “only”, and “never” are frequent traps. If the passage says “many scientists believe” and the statement says “all scientists believe”, the answer is FALSE. If the passage says “some countries have banned it” and the statement says “most countries have banned it”, the answer is FALSE or NOT GIVEN depending on context.

Trap 2: Comparisons the passage never makes. If the passage praises two methods separately, a statement saying “Method X is better than Method Y” is NOT GIVEN — the passage never compared them.

Trap 3: Your own knowledge. A statement can be true in the real world but NOT GIVEN in the passage. Always base your answer on the text.

Trap 4: Yes/No instead of True/False. Some questions ask for YES/NO/NOT GIVEN instead of TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN. Check the instructions carefully — writing TRUE when the instructions ask for YES will be marked wrong.

Trap 5: Rushing to Not Given. Many candidates choose Not Given too quickly. Only choose Not Given if you have genuinely searched the relevant section and found no information. Do not use it as a default when you are unsure.

Sample Exercise

Passage extract: “The Great Barrier Reef, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is the world’s largest coral reef system. It spans over 2,300 kilometres and is home to more than 1,500 species of fish. In recent decades, rising sea temperatures have caused widespread coral bleaching, threatening the reef’s long-term survival.”

Statement 1: “The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia.”

Answer: TRUE — The passage states this directly.

Statement 2: “The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 2,000 species of fish.”

Answer: FALSE — The passage says more than 1,500 species, not 2,000. The numbers contradict.

Statement 3: “The Great Barrier Reef is the most popular tourist destination in Australia.”

Answer: NOT GIVEN — The passage does not mention tourism at all.

Practice Tips

Practise slowly at first. When you are learning this question type, do not time yourself. Work through each statement carefully and analyse exactly why each answer is correct. Speed comes with practice.

Review every mistake. After each practice session, review the questions you got wrong. Was it a qualifier trap? Did you use outside knowledge? Did you choose Not Given when the passage actually contradicted the statement?

Read the full meaning, not individual words. Do not match single keywords. Read the whole statement and the whole relevant section of the passage, and compare the meaning.

With practice and a systematic approach, True/False/Not Given can become one of your most reliable question types. Good luck!