True, False, Not Given Questions Study Notes

The IELTS General Reading section often includes "True, False, Not Given" questions, which assess your ability to understand and interpret specific information in a given text. These questions require careful reading to distinguish between facts presented, contradictions, and information that is simply not mentioned.

Understanding True, False, Not Given Questions 🎯

In this type of question, you will be given a series of statements. Your task is to decide whether each statement is:

• TRUE: If the statement agrees with the information presented in the text. The meaning is the same.
• FALSE: If the statement contradicts the information presented in the text. The meaning is opposite.
• NOT GIVEN: If there is no information about the statement in the text. The text does not confirm or deny it.

Key Differences: FALSE vs. NOT GIVEN ⚠️

This is often the trickiest part for students. Remember these distinctions:

FALSE means the text provides information that directly opposes the statement.

NOT GIVEN means the text does not contain enough information to decide if the statement is true or false. It simply isn't there.

Consider this example:

• Text: "The company was founded in 1995 and primarily focused on software development."
• Statement 1: "The company started in 1995." -> TRUE (Direct match)
• Statement 2: "The company focused on hardware manufacturing." -> FALSE (Contradicts "software development")
• Statement 3: "The company has 50 employees." -> NOT GIVEN (No information about employee numbers)

Strategies for Answering TFNG Questions 💡

Follow these steps to approach "True, False, Not Given" questions effectively:

1. Read the Instructions Carefully: Always confirm you need to write "True," "False," or "Not Given," not "Yes," "No," or "Not Given," which is for a different question type.
2. Locate Keywords: Read the statement and identify the main keywords. These are usually nouns, verbs, and adjectives that carry the most meaning.
3. Scan the Text for Keywords: Quickly scan the reading passage to find the part of the text that discusses these keywords or synonyms.
4. Read the Relevant Section Carefully: Once you've found the relevant section, read it in detail. Pay close attention to the exact meaning of the sentences.
5. Compare the Statement with the Text:
   • If the statement's meaning is identical to the text, even if paraphrased, choose TRUE.
   • If the statement's meaning is the opposite of what is stated in the text, choose FALSE.
   • If the statement contains information that is not mentioned in the text at all, or if there isn't enough information to prove it true or false, choose NOT GIVEN.
6. Look for Synonyms and Paraphrasing: The statements will rarely use the exact words from the text. Be prepared to identify synonyms and paraphrased sentences.
7. Beware of Qualifiers: Words like "all," "some," "always," "never," "most," "only," "often," "rarely" can drastically change the meaning of a sentence. Pay close attention to them.

📌 Pro Tip: Question Order

Most "True, False, Not Given" questions follow the order of information in the passage. This means the answer to question 2 will usually be found after the answer to question 1, and so on. Use this to help you locate answers more efficiently.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid 🚫

• Using Outside Knowledge: Only use information from the provided text. Your general knowledge, even if correct, is irrelevant here.
• Making Assumptions: Do not infer or assume information. If it's not explicitly stated or directly contradicted, it's "Not Given."
• Misinterpreting Qualifiers: A slight difference in a word like "all" vs. "some" can change a "True" statement to "False" or "Not Given."
• Rushing: Take your time to compare the statement and the text carefully. One word can change the entire answer.

Here's a quick reference table:

Statement vs. Text	Answer	Reason
Same meaning	TRUE	Information is confirmed by the text.
Opposite meaning	FALSE	Information is contradicted by the text.
No information	NOT GIVEN	The text does not mention this detail.