IELTS Reading: Yes, No, Not Given
This question type tests whether you can identify if a statement agrees with, contradicts, or is simply not addressed by the writer's claims and opinions in a passage. It checks careful reading for meaning rather than keyword matching.
What this question looks like
You're given a set of statements, usually 5 to 9, based on a passage that presents the writer's views, arguments or claims. For each statement you must choose Yes if it agrees with the writer, No if it contradicts the writer, or Not Given if the passage doesn't address that specific point either way. The statements follow the same order as the information in the passage.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Read the statement carefully first and identify its key claim, especially any absolute words like 'all', 'always', 'never', 'only', or comparative words like 'more than', 'the first', 'the same as'. These words are often the difference between True and Not Given.
- 2Locate the relevant part of the passage using names, dates, numbers or topic words from the statement (they are usually easy to scan for). Statements follow the order of the passage, so use your previous answer's location as a starting point for the next one.
- 3Compare the statement to the text word by word in meaning, not just vocabulary. Ask: does the text confirm this, contradict this, or simply not mention it at all?
- 4Decide YES if the text clearly agrees with the claim, even if different words are used. Decide NO if the text clearly states the opposite or a fact that logically contradicts the claim.
- 5Decide NOT GIVEN if the topic is mentioned but the specific detail in the statement is never confirmed or denied, or if you are relying on outside knowledge or assumption rather than the text.
- 6Never leave a blank. If you truly cannot decide after checking the exact wording twice, make your best guess based on whether the idea appears at all in the passage; a mentioned-but-unconfirmed idea is almost always Not Given.
Worked example
Passage extract: 'Urban beekeeping has grown rapidly in the last decade, largely thanks to changing council regulations that now permit hives on residential rooftops. While enthusiasts argue this boosts local pollination, some ecologists caution that a concentration of honeybees in small areas may actually crowd out wild, native bee species, which are typically far more effective pollinators of certain native plants.' Statement: 'Ecologists agree that honeybees are less effective pollinators than native bees for all plant species.'
Not Given
The passage says native bees are 'typically far more effective pollinators of certain native plants', which is a limited, qualified claim about specific plants. The statement broadens this to 'all plant species', a claim the passage never makes. Because the exact scope of the statement (all species) is not confirmed or denied, and the passage's claim is narrower, the answer is Not Given rather than Yes or No.
Try it yourself
Read the short passage and decide whether the statement agrees with the writer (Yes), contradicts the writer (No), or isn't addressed (Not Given).
Passage: 'Many nutritionists now argue that the long-standing advice to eat three large meals a day may not suit everyone. Recent studies suggest that smaller, more frequent meals can help some people manage blood sugar levels more effectively, though the evidence varies considerably depending on an individual's metabolism and lifestyle. No study reviewed has found frequent small meals to be universally superior for weight loss.' Statement: 'Frequent small meals have been proven to help everyone control blood sugar more effectively.'
Common mistakes
- !Confusing Not Given with No: candidates mark No when the passage simply doesn't mention the detail, rather than actually contradicting it.
- !Relying on personal knowledge or logic instead of the text; if the passage doesn't state it, it's Not Given even if you know it's true in real life.
- !Missing qualifying words such as 'only', 'always', 'most', 'some', which can flip a True-looking statement into False or Not Given.
- !Spending too long on one difficult statement instead of marking a best guess and moving on, which costs time needed for other questions.
- !Assuming statements are NOT in passage order, and searching randomly instead of moving forward through the text systematically.
Quick quiz
1. A statement says 'The report proves that remote working increases productivity for all employees.' The passage states remote working 'appears to increase productivity for many employees in creative roles, according to early surveys.' What is the answer?
2. Why is it risky to mark 'No' whenever a topic isn't mentioned in the passage?
3. Which word in a statement should make you pause and check the passage extra carefully?
4. What is the best strategy if you genuinely cannot decide between Not Given and Yes after reading twice?
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: Yes, No, Not Given — FAQ
What is the actual difference between No and Not Given?
No means the passage directly contradicts the statement, stating the opposite is true. Not Given means the passage never addresses that specific detail at all, so there's nothing to confirm or deny. If you can't point to a sentence that contradicts the statement, it can't be No.
Do I need the exact same words as the passage to mark Yes?
No, IELTS deliberately paraphrases, so you're matching meaning, not vocabulary. A statement using 'reduced' might match a passage saying 'fell' or 'dropped', as long as the overall claim is confirmed.
Is Yes/No/Not Given the same as True/False/Not Given?
They test the same skill but are used for different passage types: Yes/No/Not Given is used when statements reflect the writer's claims, opinions or arguments, while True/False/Not Given is used for factual passages. The strategy for both is identical: check if the text confirms, contradicts, or omits the specific claim.