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Hard · Strategy guide

True / False / Not Given

True/False/Not Given questions test factual comprehension. TRUE means the statement matches the passage; FALSE means it contradicts; NOT GIVEN means the passage is silent — neither confirming nor denying.

Step-by-Step Approach

  1. 1

    Read the statement carefully — identify every claim within it.

  2. 2

    Find the relevant passage section (use specific nouns or names from the statement).

  3. 3

    Compare the statement against the passage word by word.

  4. 4

    TRUE: passage clearly confirms every part of the statement.

  5. 5

    FALSE: passage clearly contradicts at least one part.

  6. 6

    NOT GIVEN: no relevant information exists — do not infer.

Common Traps to Avoid

NOT GIVEN vs FALSE

Students often mark NOT GIVEN as FALSE because it "seems unlikely". If the passage does not mention it, it is NOT GIVEN — period.

"The company employs over 500 people." Not mentioned → NOT GIVEN, not FALSE.

Partial Contradiction

One part of the statement is true but another is false — the answer is FALSE.

Statement: "X invented Y in 1850." Passage: "X invented Y in 1870." → FALSE.

Band 8–9 Strategies

  • The statements appear in the same order as the information in the passage.

  • NOT GIVEN answers are genuinely absent from the text — they are not simply implied false.

  • Be ruthless: only mark TRUE if every element is confirmed. Any doubt → consider FALSE or NOT GIVEN.

  • Look for hedging language: "suggests", "might", "could" — these rarely produce TRUE answers.

Time Strategy

90 seconds per TFNG question. Process them in order — they follow the passage sequence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to approach IELTS True / False / Not Given?

True/False/Not Given questions test factual comprehension. TRUE means the statement matches the passage; FALSE means it contradicts; NOT GIVEN means the passage is silent — neither confirming nor denying.

What is the most common trap in IELTS True / False / Not Given?

NOT GIVEN vs FALSE: Students often mark NOT GIVEN as FALSE because it "seems unlikely". If the passage does not mention it, it is NOT GIVEN — period. For example, "The company employs over 500 people." Not mentioned → NOT GIVEN, not FALSE.

How much time should I spend on IELTS True / False / Not Given questions?

90 seconds per TFNG question. Process them in order — they follow the passage sequence.

Practice T/F/NG NowAll Tips

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