The True, False, and Not Given questions of the IELTS Reading (mostly in the IELTS Academic Reading Test), are the type of questions that most of the students struggle with. This reduces their bands, and they might have to opt for One Skill Retake or attempt the test again. If you are having issues with this type of question, then you must read this post. Let’s discuss how to deal with this step by step:
Step 1: Read the Question Statements:
This is the first thing you need to do, read all the statements and try to understand what is written in each. The purpose of reading them is to basically understand what kind of information is given in each question statement. Also, highlight the important keywords in each statement. It is important that you memorize these keywords as well because they will help us to find out where each question is in the passage.
Step 2: Locate the Keywords in the passage:
Next, you need to find the keywords that you have highlighted in your passage. Remember, the True, False, and Not Given types of questions are arranged in an order in the passage, so if you are successful in finding the keywords of any of the statements, you will know where other questions could be. Let’s take a look at an example:
By using the keywords of the question statement, we found out that our question “Polar bears are able to control their levels of bad cholesterol by genetic means” is in this specific part of the passage. Now, we can also guess that question number one and the other will be before and after question number two respectively.
Step 3: Compare the information:
The next step is the most important one and most of the students make mistakes here. We need to compare the information given in the passage with that of the question statement. Remember, we need to focus on both meaning and keywords. Let’s analyze some questions:
Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 2 Reading Passage 1
The family often stayed at Press Castle, the large mansion on the northern edge of the property, and alexander spent much of his childhood in the area, playing on the beach near Eyemouth or fishing in the streams nearby. Even after he went to school at Murcheston Academy on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Henderson returned to the Press at weekends. In 1849 he began a three-year apprenticeship to become an accountant. Although he never liked the prospect of a business career, he stayed with it to please his family. In October 1855, however, he emigrated to Canada with his wife Agnes Elder Robertson and they settled in Montreal. Henderson learned photography in Montreal around the year 1857 and quickly took it up as a serious amateur. He became a personal friend and colleague of the Scottish-Canadian photographer William Notman. The two men made a photographic excursion to Niagara Falls in 1860 and they cooperated on experiments with magnesium flares as a source of artificial light in 1865. They belonged to the same societies and were among the founding members of the Art Association of Montreal. Henderson acted as chairman of the association’s first meeting, which was held in Notman’s studio on 11 January.
1. Let’s first look at how the statement is ‘True’:
Statement: Henderson pursued a business career because it was what his family wanted.
- Keywords: business, family, wanted, pursued
Analysis: The basic concept of the statement is, “He did what his family was happy with’’.
This statement is ‘True’ because all the keywords are present in the passage (5th sentence), and the meaning of both matches as well. They have used some synonyms such as ‘please’ in place of ‘wanted’, and ‘stayed with it’ in place of ‘pursued’ which match the basic concept of the question statement. It could have been ‘False’ if in the passage they had written something like this in the passage, “His family never wanted him to pursue this field”.
2. Now, how the statement is ‘False’:
Statement: Henderson rarely visited the area around Press estate when he was younger.
- Keywords: younger, rarely, visited,
Analysis: The basic concept of the statement is, “He did not spend a lot of time in the area’’.
This statement is ‘False’. Although all the keywords are present in the passage (2nd sentence), the meaning does not match. They have written the opposite information in the passage than the question. The question claims that “He spent a very minimal amount of time in the area”, but the passage tells us “He spent a lot of time there lot there”.
3. Lastly, how the statement is ‘Not Given’:
Statement: Henderson and Nortman were surprised by the results of their 1865 experiment.
- Keywords: surprised
Analysis: The basic concept of the statement is, “They got such results that were unexpected’’.
This statement is ‘Not Given’. Although some keywords are present in the passage (3rd last sentence), the most important keyword “surprised” is missing. Now we don’t know if they were surprised or not; we don’t have this information.
Step 4: Read the Text in the Passage & Question again
Once you have located the relevant part of the passage, read both the passage and the question carefully to ensure accurate understanding. Pay close attention to key details, synonyms, and paraphrase ideas. Check if the statement fully agrees with, contradicts, or is simply not mentioned in the passage. If any information is missing or unclear, avoid making assumptions. Instead, rely only on the given text to determine whether the answer is True, False, or Not Given. Understanding how to do True, False, Not Given in IELTS effectively requires practice, attention to detail, and a strategic approach to identifying key differences between the statement and the passage.
Resources to Practice IELTS Reading
To improve IELTS Reading skills, candidates should use a mix of official materials and online resources. Cambridge IELTS books (1–18) provide authentic past papers, while British Council, IDP, and IELTS.org offer free practice tests. Websites like IELTS Liz, IELTS Mentor, and Mini IELTS provide targeted exercises. Additionally, reading news articles from BBC News or The New York Times, and Read Theory can help enhance comprehension skills. Practicing True, False, and Not Given IELTS exercises regularly will improve speed, accuracy, and overall reading performance in the IELTS exam.
Conclusion
Answering True, False, Not Given questions requires careful reading and attention to detail. By following key IELTS tips and tricks, such as understanding the statement, locating relevant information, and comparing it with the passage, you can improve accuracy. Avoid assumptions, focus on key details, and practice regularly to improve your skills in this type of question.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
1. Are true, false, and not given questions in an order in the passage?
Yes, the questions generally appear in the same order as the information in the passage. However, the exact wording may be paraphrased, so careful reading is required.
2. How is the statement said to be true?
A statement is True if the information in the passage fully agrees with the statement in the question. The meaning should match without any contradictions.
3. How is the statement said to be false?
A statement is False if the passage directly contradicts the information given in the statement. There must be clear evidence in the text proving the statement is incorrect.
4. How is the statement said to be not given?
A statement is Not Given if the passage does not provide enough information to confirm or contradict the statement. If key details are missing, the answer is Not Given.
4. Is there any trick to true, false, and not given questions for the IELTS exam?
Yes, the trick to answering True, False, and Not Given questions correctly is that you need to focus on keywords and their synonyms in the passage and avoid making assumptions.
Pay attention to qualifying words like always, some, or never, and remember that answers usually follow the passage’s order. Such words can totally change the answer so read the information carefully both in the passage and question statement before you decide on the answer.
