True/False/Not Given (T/F/NG) and the closely related Yes/No/Not Given (Y/N/NG) are the most commonly failed question types in IELTS Reading. Candidates who score Band 7+ in Reading typically get most of these questions right. Candidates stuck at Band 6 often get them wrong at a rate of 40–50%.

The reason: T/F/NG requires a completely different reading process from other question types. This guide explains that process.

The Core Distinction

True: The statement is confirmed by information in the passage. The passage directly supports the claim.

False: The statement directly contradicts information in the passage. The passage says the opposite.

Not Given: The statement cannot be confirmed or contradicted by the passage. The passage neither supports nor refutes the claim.

The critical difference between False and Not Given: False requires a direct contradiction in the text. Not Given means the information is simply absent — the passage is silent on the point.

This distinction trips up most candidates.

The Decision Process (Step by Step)

For every T/F/NG question, follow this exact sequence:

Step 1: Read the statement carefully and identify its core claim. What specific fact or relationship is it asserting?

Step 2: Locate the relevant section in the passage — use skimming/scanning to find where this topic is discussed.

Step 3: Read that section word-for-word — T/F/NG cannot be answered by skimming alone.

Step 4: Apply the decision tree:

Does the passage say the same thing as the statement? → TRUE
Does the passage say the opposite of the statement? → FALSE
Does the passage not mention this specific point? → NOT GIVEN

The False vs. Not Given Problem

This is where most marks are lost. Consider:

Passage: "Researchers in the 1980s found that exercise reduces cholesterol levels in adults over 50."

Statement A: "Researchers found that exercise has no effect on cholesterol." → FALSE — the passage directly contradicts this (it says exercise reduces cholesterol)

Statement B: "Researchers found that exercise reduces cholesterol in children as well as adults." → NOT GIVEN — the passage mentions adults over 50, but says nothing about children. It doesn't say children are NOT affected — it simply doesn't address them.

Statement C: "Researchers conducted their study in a laboratory setting." → NOT GIVEN — the passage says nothing about the research setting.

The rule: If the statement adds information that the passage doesn't address (new subjects, different contexts, additional conditions), it is NOT GIVEN — not False. False requires the passage to explicitly contradict the claim.

Common T/F/NG Traps

Trap 1: Extreme language

The passage often uses qualified language ("may," "can," "some," "in certain cases") that T/F/NG statements turn into absolute claims.

Passage: "Regular exercise may help reduce the risk of some forms of cancer." Statement: "Exercise prevents cancer." → FALSE — the passage uses "may" and "reduce the risk of some forms," not "prevents." "Prevent" is an absolute claim that contradicts the qualified language.

Watch for these transformations:

May → will/does → likely FALSE
Some → all/most → likely FALSE
Reduces → eliminates → likely FALSE

Trap 2: Paraphrase confusion

Statements use synonyms and paraphrases of passage language. The meaning is what matters, not the words.

Passage: "The experiment yielded inconclusive results." Statement: "The research was not definitive." → TRUE — "inconclusive" = "not definitive." Different words, same meaning.

Trap 3: Information present but irrelevant

You find the topic in the passage but the passage doesn't actually address the specific claim in the statement.

Passage: "Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets." Statement: "Shakespeare's plays were more popular than his sonnets during his lifetime." → NOT GIVEN — the passage mentions both plays and sonnets but says nothing about their relative popularity.

Trap 4: Logical inference

The statement can be logically inferred from the passage but is not directly stated.

Passage: "The museum was closed on Mondays and opened on Tuesdays." Statement: "Visitors could not enter the museum on Mondays." → TRUE — this is a direct logical consequence of "closed on Mondays." Logical deductions from clearly stated facts count as True.

But if the inference requires multiple steps or assumptions — it is probably NOT GIVEN.

Yes/No/Not Given: How It Differs

Yes/No/Not Given applies to the writer's opinion rather than factual information.

YES: The statement agrees with the writer's views, claims, or opinions. NO: The statement disagrees with the writer's views. NOT GIVEN: The writer does not express an opinion on this.

Key: Read for the writer's stance, not just factual content. Opinion markers: "argues," "believes," "suggests," "contends," "it is clear that," "unfortunately," "importantly."

Passage: "It is deeply concerning that many governments have failed to implement adequate climate legislation." Statement: "The writer is critical of governments' response to climate change." → YES — "deeply concerning" + "failed to implement adequate" signals a critical view.

Practice Technique: Locate First, Read Second

Never attempt T/F/NG questions by reading the passage from beginning to end. Instead:

Skim the passage to create a paragraph map (30–60 seconds)
For each statement, scan to find the relevant paragraph
Read only that paragraph carefully

This prevents you from "filling in" information from earlier paragraphs when the relevant information is elsewhere.

Action Checklist

Do 3 dedicated T/F/NG exercises (not full tests) this week
For every wrong answer, identify whether you confused False/Not Given or True/Not Given
Practise the locate-first, read-second workflow on every T/F/NG set
When checking answers: always find the specific sentence that proves or disproves each statement
Use IELTS Reading practice with T/F/NG question sets specifically

Next Steps

T/F/NG improves quickly with the correct decision process — most candidates who get these consistently wrong are applying logical inference where they should be applying strict text evidence. Practise 3–4 T/F/NG exercises using only the decision tree above, and check your reasoning process (not just the answer) for every question. IELTS Reading practice provides immediate feedback on each answer.

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