IELTS Reading: True, False, Not Given
True/False/Not Given questions test whether you can tell what a passage actually states from what it merely doesn't discuss. They are the question type where most Reading marks are lost, and almost always because candidates confuse 'False' with 'Not Given'.
What this question looks like
You are given a set of statements and must decide, for each one, whether it is True (the passage agrees with it), False (the passage contradicts it) or Not Given (the passage neither confirms nor denies it). The statements follow the order of the passage, so once you have found the answer to one, the next is further down. A close variant, Yes/No/Not Given, works identically but asks about the writer's opinions or claims rather than facts.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Read the statement first and underline the specific claim it makes — not just the topic, but exactly what is being asserted about it.
- 2Scan the passage for the part that deals with that topic, using names, numbers and keywords to locate it, then read those one or two sentences carefully.
- 3Ask a single question: does the passage state the same thing (True), state the opposite (False), or say nothing about this claim at all (Not Given)?
- 4If you cannot find any information about the claim after a genuine search, the answer is Not Given — do not keep hunting or fall back on your own knowledge.
- 5Write the full word (True / False / Not Given), move on, and trust that the next answer is further down the passage.
Worked example
Passage: 'The Amazon river dolphin, or boto, is the largest species of river dolphin, reaching up to 2.5 metres. Unlike marine dolphins, it has a flexible neck that lets it turn its head from side to side. Its colour ranges from grey in young animals to pink in adults.' — Statement: 'Marine dolphins can turn their heads more easily than the boto.'
False
The passage says the boto — unlike marine dolphins — has a flexible neck that lets it turn its head. That means marine dolphins turn their heads less easily, not more. The statement claims the opposite of the passage, so it is False, not Not Given. Not Given would only apply if the passage said nothing about marine dolphins' necks at all.
Try it yourself
Read the short passage, then decide whether the statement is True, False or Not Given.
Passage: 'The boto's colour ranges from grey in young animals to pink in adults, and males are often pinker than females. Scientists are still unsure why the adults turn pink.' — Statement: 'Adult botos are pinker than young botos.'
Common mistakes
- !Choosing False when the answer is Not Given. False means the passage actively contradicts the statement; if the passage is simply silent on the claim, it is Not Given.
- !Using outside knowledge. Even if you know a statement is true in real life, the answer depends only on what this passage says.
- !Over-thinking Not Given into False. If you have searched properly and the information genuinely isn't there, commit to Not Given.
- !Writing 'T', 'F' or 'NG' when the instructions ask for the full words, or vice versa — always follow the exact instruction.
Quick quiz
1. In True/False/Not Given, what does 'False' mean?
2. A statement makes a claim the passage never discusses in any way. The correct answer is:
3. True/False/Not Given answers appear in the passage:
4. Your answer should be based on:
Practise this in a real IELTS test
Take a free Reading test with expert evaluation and apply the technique under exam conditions.
Take a free Reading testIELTS Reading: True, False, Not Given — FAQ
What is the difference between False and Not Given in IELTS?
False means the passage states the opposite of the statement — the two directly contradict each other. Not Given means the passage contains no information to confirm or contradict the statement. If you can point to a sentence that disagrees with the claim, it's False; if you can't find any relevant information, it's Not Given.
Should I write 'True' or just 'T' for these questions?
Write exactly what the instructions ask for. Most IELTS papers ask for the full words True, False and Not Given, and a shortened 'T'/'F'/'NG' may be marked wrong if the instructions specified the full word. Read the instruction line before you start.
Do True/False/Not Given answers come in order?
Yes. The statements follow the order of information in the passage, so once you have located one answer, the next one is usually further down. This makes them faster to find if you keep your place.