True False Not Given Mastery

Why This Question Type Is Feared

True/False/Not Given is the most failed question type in IELTS Reading. The distinction between FALSE and NOT GIVEN confuses the majority of test takers. Understanding the precise logical difference is essential.

The Precise Definitions

TRUE: The statement agrees with the information in the passage. The passage explicitly supports what the statement says.

FALSE: The statement contradicts the information in the passage. The passage explicitly says the opposite of what the statement claims.

NOT GIVEN: The statement is neither confirmed nor contradicted by the passage. The information simply does not appear — the passage is silent on this point.

The Critical Distinction — FALSE vs NOT GIVEN

This is where most students lose marks.

FALSE means the passage says something that directly contradicts the statement. If the statement says "The study involved 500 participants" and the passage says "The study involved 50 participants" — that is FALSE.

NOT GIVEN means the passage says nothing at all about the point in the statement. If the statement says "The study was conducted in summer" and the passage never mentions when the study was conducted — that is NOT GIVEN. The season is not mentioned anywhere. You cannot assume it was not summer — it is simply not stated.

The Trap Students Fall Into

Students mark NOT GIVEN as FALSE because they think "the passage does not mention this so it must be wrong." This is incorrect logic. NOT GIVEN means absence of information — not contradiction.

Ask yourself: "Does the passage say anything that directly contradicts this statement?" If yes — FALSE. If no, but the statement is also not confirmed — NOT GIVEN.

Yes No Not Given

Yes/No/Not Given works identically but applies to opinions and claims rather than facts. YES means the passage confirms the opinion. NO means the passage contradicts it. NOT GIVEN means the passage does not address it.

Practice Technique

Take any paragraph and write three statements about it — one true, one false, one not given. Then swap with a study partner. This forces you to understand the logical structure from both sides.