True, False, Not Given in IELTS Reading: why you keep getting it wrong
True, False, Not Given is the question type students fear most. The mistake is nearly always the same one, and once you see it, you stop making it.
Most wrong answers in this question type come from one habit: answering from what you know or what sounds likely, instead of from what the passage actually says. In IELTS Reading, only the text counts.
False or Not Given?
This is where most marks go. False means the text says the opposite. Not Given means the text does not tell you either way.
Passage: The bridge was finished in 1932, two years later than planned.
Statement: The bridge cost more than expected.
Passage: Most of the workers came from nearby towns.
Statement: Few workers were local.
Watch the small words
Words like all, some, most, always, never, only and usually change everything.
Passage: Some species of the frog can survive being frozen.
Statement: All species of the frog can survive being frozen.
A routine that stops the guessing
- Underline the key words in the statement, especially names, numbers and small words like some or only.
- Find the matching part of the text. The questions follow the order of the text.
- Read the sentence before and after, not just the line with the key word.
- Ask: same meaning, opposite meaning, or no information? Then decide.
- Never use your own knowledge. If the text does not say it, it is Not Given.
Exam rules change. Always check with the exam provider and the organisation you are applying to.
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