True / False / Not Given
This is the question type that trips up even strong readers. The distinction between False and Not Given is subtle but absolutely precise — and misunderstanding it is one of the most common reasons candidates score below Band 7 in Reading.
The Most Important Distinction: False vs Not Given
This single distinction is the difference between a high score and a disappointing one. Memorise it:
FALSE
The passage directly contradicts the statement. There is information in the text, and that information says the opposite of what the statement claims.
“The statement says X. The passage says not-X.”
NOT GIVEN
The passage simply does not address the claim in the statement. There is no information — either confirming or contradicting it. It is an absence of evidence, not evidence of the opposite.
“The passage never mentions this.”
Critical rule:
Your answer must be based only on what the passage says — not on your general knowledge, common sense, or what you think is probably true. If the passage does not say it, the answer is Not Given, even if you know it to be true in real life.
Step-by-Step Method
- 1
Read the statement carefully
Before looking at the passage, identify the specific claim being made. Underline the subject, the verb, and any quantifiers (all, some, most, always, never, only). These are the words most likely to create True/False/NG distinctions.
- 2
Identify keywords to locate in the passage
Find the most specific, unscannable keywords in the statement — proper nouns, numbers, technical terms. These will point you to the right section of the passage quickly.
- 3
Scan the passage to find the relevant location
Do not read the whole passage. Scan for your keyword or its synonym. The answer is almost always in one specific paragraph.
- 4
Read 2–3 sentences around the keyword carefully
Now read slowly and compare what the passage says with what the statement claims. Do not read more than necessary — the relevant information is almost always localised.
- 5
Apply the True / False / Not Given test
Ask: Does the passage confirm this? → TRUE. Does the passage contradict this? → FALSE. Does the passage not address this at all? → NOT GIVEN. If you cannot find any relevant text after a full search, it is NOT GIVEN.
Keywords That Signal Likely FALSE Answers
Examiners often use absolute or comparative language in False statements — language that the passage contradicts by using more qualified wording. Watch for:
Absolutes
Comparatives
Negatives
When you see one of these in a statement, check whether the passage uses a more qualified version — e.g. the statement says “all researchers agreed” but the passage says “most researchers agreed.” That qualification makes the answer FALSE.
Worked Examples
Study each extract and question carefully before reading the explanation.
Passage Extract
The ancient city of Palmyra was established as a trading post along the Silk Road during the first century BCE. At its peak, the city had a population of approximately 200,000 people and was considered one of the most important cultural centres in the ancient world. Its distinctive colonnaded streets stretched for over a kilometre and were lined with shops and temples.
Statement: “Palmyra was founded as a trading settlement in the first century BCE.”
Explanation: The passage says Palmyra was 'established as a trading post … during the first century BCE.' The statement paraphrases this directly. 'Trading settlement' = 'trading post.' Answer: TRUE.
Statement: “At its peak, Palmyra had a population of more than 250,000 people.”
Explanation: The passage states 'approximately 200,000 people.' The statement says 'more than 250,000.' This directly contradicts the passage — the number is wrong. Answer: FALSE. Note: the passage does give a population figure, and the statement contradicts it.
Statement: “The colonnaded streets were built during the reign of a Roman emperor.”
Explanation: The passage mentions the colonnaded streets but gives no information about when they were built or by whom. You cannot infer this from the text. Even if you know from outside knowledge that Rome had influence over Palmyra, the passage does not say this. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Passage Extract
Research published in 2019 found that employees who worked from home at least two days per week reported higher job satisfaction than their office-based counterparts. However, the same study noted that fully remote workers — those with no regular office contact — experienced higher rates of professional isolation and were less likely to receive promotions.
Statement: “Fully remote workers reported lower levels of job satisfaction than partially remote workers.”
Explanation: The passage compares home workers with office-based workers for job satisfaction, but never directly compares fully remote workers with partially remote workers on satisfaction. The passage does say fully remote workers experience more isolation and fewer promotions — but this is not the same as job satisfaction. Answer: NOT GIVEN. This is a classic trap: related information exists, but it does not answer this specific comparison.
Statement: “Fully remote workers were less likely to be promoted than those with regular office contact.”
Explanation: The passage states fully remote workers 'were less likely to receive promotions.' 'Regular office contact' paraphrases the implied non-remote group. Answer: TRUE.
Statement: “The 2019 study was conducted over a period of five years.”
Explanation: The passage mentions a 2019 study but gives no information about how long it ran. The duration is not mentioned anywhere in the text. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Passage Extract
The passenger pigeon was once the most numerous bird species in North America, with flocks so large they could darken the sky for hours. Despite this abundance, the species was extinct by 1914, primarily due to large-scale commercial hunting and the destruction of its forest habitat.
Statement: “The passenger pigeon became extinct entirely because of hunting.”
Explanation: The passage says extinction was 'primarily due to large-scale commercial hunting AND the destruction of its forest habitat.' The statement says 'entirely because of hunting' — it ignores habitat destruction, which the passage explicitly names as a cause. This contradicts the passage. Answer: FALSE.
Statement: “The passenger pigeon was the largest bird species in North America.”
Explanation: The passage describes the passenger pigeon as 'the most numerous' — not the largest. Size is not mentioned anywhere. Even though students often confuse 'most numerous' with 'largest,' these are different claims. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Common Mistakes
- 1
Choosing FALSE when the answer is NOT GIVEN
This is the most common error. Candidates often choose FALSE when a statement feels wrong — but 'feeling wrong' is not the same as the passage contradicting it. If the passage does not address the topic at all, the answer is NOT GIVEN, regardless of whether the statement seems unlikely.
- 2
Using outside knowledge
IELTS tests your ability to read and interpret the passage in front of you — not your general knowledge. If a statement is true in real life but the passage does not confirm it, the answer is NOT GIVEN. This is non-negotiable.
- 3
Spending more than 90 seconds on one question
If you cannot find evidence for or against a statement after a thorough search, it is almost certainly NOT GIVEN. Move on. Spending three minutes on one question to arrive at the same answer is a costly habit.
Practice Tip
Take any short article (300–400 words) and write five statements about it — two True, one False, and two Not Given. The process of creating Not Given statements (where you have to deliberately make claims the text never addresses) builds your understanding of the distinction faster than any other exercise. Swap with a study partner and test each other.
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