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

True, False, Not Given (TFNG) questions are widely considered the most challenging question type in the IELTS Reading test. The difficulty lies not in finding information in the passage but in making precise judgements about whether a statement matches, contradicts, or goes beyond what the text says.

This guide provides a clear, systematic strategy for tackling TFNG questions with confidence.

Understanding the Three Options

Before looking at strategy, make sure you understand exactly what each answer means:

TRUE

The statement agrees with the information in the passage. The passage says the same thing, though it may use different words (paraphrasing).

FALSE

The statement contradicts the information in the passage. The passage says something that is the opposite or clearly incompatible with the statement.

NOT GIVEN

The information is not mentioned in the passage, or the passage does not give enough information to determine whether the statement is true or false.

The FALSE vs. NOT GIVEN Problem

This is where most candidates lose marks. Here is a clear framework:

It is FALSE when:

• The passage says the opposite of the statement
• The passage gives a different number, date, or fact from the statement
• The passage explicitly limits or qualifies something the statement presents as absolute

Example:

• Statement: "The bridge was completed in 1985."
• Passage: "Construction of the bridge was finished in 1992."
• Answer: FALSE (the passage directly contradicts the date)

It is NOT GIVEN when:

• The topic is mentioned but the specific claim in the statement is not addressed
• The passage discusses something related but does not make the same point
• You would need to infer or assume something beyond what the text states

Example:

• Statement: "The bridge was the longest in Europe at the time of its completion."
• Passage: "The bridge, completed in 1992, spans 2.4 kilometres."
• Answer: NOT GIVEN (the passage gives the length but says nothing about it being the longest in Europe)

Step-by-Step Strategy

Step 1: Read the Statement Carefully

Before looking at the passage, make sure you understand exactly what the statement claims. Identify:

• The subject (what or who is the statement about?)
• The claim (what specific point is being made?)
• Any qualifying words (all, some, always, never, most, only, mainly)

Qualifying words are critical. A statement saying "all students improved" is very different from "some students improved."

Step 2: Locate the Relevant Section

The statements usually follow the order of the passage. Use keywords from the statement to scan for the relevant section. Look for:

• Names, dates, numbers (these rarely change)
• Paraphrased versions of key concepts

Step 3: Compare Carefully

Read the relevant section of the passage slowly and compare it to the statement word by word. Ask yourself:

• Does the passage say exactly this (possibly in different words)? → TRUE
• Does the passage say the opposite or something incompatible? → FALSE
• Does the passage not address this specific point? → NOT GIVEN

Step 4: Do Not Overthink

If you cannot find clear evidence to support TRUE or FALSE after checking the relevant section, the answer is likely NOT GIVEN. Do not spend more than 2 minutes on a single question.

Common Traps and How to Avoid Them

Trap 1: Paraphrasing That Looks Like Contradiction

The passage may rephrase an idea using very different words. This does not make the statement FALSE.

Statement: "The town's economy depends heavily on fishing." Passage: "The fishing industry is the backbone of the town's economic activity."

This is TRUE — "depends heavily on" is paraphrased as "is the backbone of."

Trap 2: Partial Information Treated as FALSE

If the statement adds a detail not in the passage, it is NOT GIVEN, not FALSE.

Statement: "Dr. Chen published her findings in a medical journal in 2018." Passage: "Dr. Chen published her findings in 2018."

The passage does not specify where the findings were published. The "medical journal" detail is NOT GIVEN. The statement is not FALSE because the passage does not say she published somewhere else.

Trap 3: Absolute Words Creating FALSE Answers

Watch for words like "always," "never," "all," "every," "only." If the passage uses softer language, the statement may be FALSE.

Statement: "All participants reported improvements in sleep quality." Passage: "The majority of participants reported improvements in sleep quality."

This is FALSE — "all" contradicts "the majority" (which implies some did not report improvements).

Trap 4: Related But Different Information

The passage may discuss the same topic but make a different point.

Statement: "The museum attracts over one million visitors annually." Passage: "The museum, which houses over one million artefacts, is a popular tourist destination."

This is NOT GIVEN — the "one million" refers to artefacts, not visitors. The passage says nothing about visitor numbers.

Trap 5: Making Logical Inferences

Do not make assumptions, even if they seem logical.

Statement: "The company's profits increased because of the new product." Passage: "The company launched a new product in March. By December, profits had risen by 15%."

This is NOT GIVEN — while both events occurred, the passage does not state that one caused the other. The profit increase might have had different causes.

Practice Exercise

Try these statements against the following passage excerpt:

Passage: "The Great Barrier Reef, stretching over 2,300 kilometres along the northeast coast of Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system. It supports an extraordinary diversity of marine life, including over 1,500 species of fish. In recent decades, rising sea temperatures have caused significant coral bleaching events, threatening the health of the reef. The Australian government has committed $1.2 billion to reef protection initiatives."

Statement 1: "The Great Barrier Reef is located on Australia's northwest coast." Answer: FALSE — The passage says "northeast coast," which contradicts "northwest coast."

Statement 2: "More than 1,500 fish species live in the Great Barrier Reef." Answer: TRUE — "over 1,500 species of fish" matches "more than 1,500 fish species."

Statement 3: "Coral bleaching has caused the extinction of several fish species in the reef." Answer: NOT GIVEN — The passage mentions coral bleaching and its threat to reef health, but says nothing about fish species becoming extinct.

Statement 4: "The $1.2 billion funding will be spent over the next ten years." Answer: NOT GIVEN — The passage mentions the amount but gives no timeframe for the spending.

Tips for Test Day

1. Do not spend too long on one question — If you are unsure after 90 seconds, make your best judgement and move on. You can return to it if time permits.
2. Answer every question — There is no penalty for wrong answers. Never leave a blank.
3. Mark questions you are unsure about — Use a small mark on the question paper so you can review these if you finish early.
4. Follow the passage order — Statements generally appear in the same order as the information in the passage. This helps you scan efficiently.
5. Practice regularly — TFNG questions improve dramatically with practice. Use CambPrep's reading exercises to practise with instant feedback.

Building Your TFNG Skills

The best way to improve at TFNG questions is deliberate practice with reflection:

1. After each practice set, review every wrong answer — Understand why you chose incorrectly and what the correct reasoning was
2. Track your error patterns — Are you confusing FALSE with NOT GIVEN? Are you overthinking? Identifying your pattern is the first step to fixing it
3. Time yourself — Aim for 60-90 seconds per TFNG question in practice
4. Use CambPrep's reading practice — Reading exercises provide immediate feedback so you can learn from mistakes in real time

If you are unsure of your current reading level, take a level test to get a baseline score and identify which question types need the most work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a set number of TRUE, FALSE, and NOT GIVEN answers in each set?

No. The distribution varies from test to test. You might have 3 TRUE, 2 FALSE, and 1 NOT GIVEN, or any other combination. Never assume there must be an equal number of each.

Should I write "T/F/NG" or "True/False/Not Given" on the answer sheet?

You can write either. Both abbreviated and full forms are accepted. However, be consistent and make sure your handwriting is clear. If the examiner cannot read your answer, it will be marked wrong.

What is the difference between TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN and YES/NO/NOT GIVEN?

TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN questions ask about factual information in the passage. YES/NO/NOT GIVEN questions ask whether the statement matches the writer's opinion or claim. The strategy for both is essentially the same.

How many TFNG questions typically appear in the test?

A typical IELTS Reading test contains 40 questions across three passages. TFNG questions usually appear in one or two of the passages, with 4-7 statements per set. However, this varies from test to test.