IELTS Reading True / False / Not Given: 7 Rules That End the Confusion

True/False/Not Given is the most difficult area in the IELTS test for students. And here is the quick reason: most students confuse “Not Given” with “False” and read words rather than meaning. Learn to stop these two mistakes, and your score will improve dramatically. This ebook provides you with 7 easy rules, a precise 5-step approach, the pitfalls to avoid, and 50 true/false/not given examples with answers. After reading this blog, you will definitely know “How To Answer True, False, and Not Given In IELTS.”

Let us sort things out once and for all.

True / False / Not Given in IELTS Reading Part

For this question type, it is essential that the candidate has a set of statements that he must verify against the passage given. The candidate should see if the statement is true, false, or not mentioned in the passage at all.

• • True implies that the statement is in conformity with the text.
  • False means the statement goes against the information in the passage.

• Not Given implies that the passage neither confirms nor denies.

This question type is one of the most frequent IELTS Reading question types and can be found in both IELTS Academic Reading and IELTS General Training Reading. It tests facts, not opinions. There is also a sibling question type called Yes, No, Not Given, which does the same job for the writer’s opinions and claims.

• The “Not Given” meaning in the IELTS reading is quite easy to understand if you realize one thing: the answer is “Not Given” if nothing is mentioned about that in the text, regardless if the statement seems to be true.

Why Is This the Most Difficult Question Type?

The simple answer is your brain likes to complete the missing parts, and it will be punished for that during the test.

Here are some definite reasons why students miss the questions:

• They tend to match words rather than meanings, being tricked by paraphrasing in IELTS.
• They confuse a contradiction with missing information. This is the classic false vs. not given IELTS reading problem.
• They use their own knowledge instead of sticking to the passage.
• They run out of time and rush the final answers.

Good IELTS Reading time management and a fixed method solve almost all of this. So let’s build that method now.

The 7 True False Not Given Rules That End the Confusion

These 7 True False Not Given rules are the key to this tutorial. Master these rules, and you can forget about guessing.

Rule 1: True refers to those statements that are consistent with the text. If the statement conveys the information contained in the text, mark it True. The words will rarely be identical, so read for meaning.

Rule 2: False means the passage says the opposite. If the text clearly clashes with the statement, it is false. There has to be a real contradiction, not just a feeling.

Rule 3: Not Given means there is no information. If you cannot find anything that confirms or denies the statement, it is Not Given. This is the contradiction vs no information test in action.

Rule 4: The answers come in order. In the passage, the True/False/Not Given questions follow an order. The answer to question 2 appears in the text after the answer to question 1. This allows one to find information more easily.

Rule 5: Match meaning, not words. The whole exam runs on paraphrasing and synonyms. Seeing the same word as the passage is often a trap, not a clue. Focus on what the sentence actually means.

Rule 6: Watch the qualifiers. Tiny words change everything. Quantifiers and qualifiers such as “all,” “some,” “always,” “never,” “only,” and “most” can change an answer from being True to False. Underline them whenever you see them.

Rule 7: Never use your own knowledge. Answer only from the passage. While reading the passage, if you are thinking, “I know this is true,” then stop. That feeling usually means the answer is Not Given.

The Exact 5-Step Method (How to Answer True/False/Not Given in IELTS)

Here is the exact process to use on every statement. Follow these 5 steps, and you stay calm and accurate.

1. Read the statement first: Underline the keywords and any qualifiers.
2. Find the right spot in the passage: Apply “skimming and scanning techniques” to identify the keyword or its synonym. As answers occur in sequence, there is no need to go through the entire text.
3. Read that part slowly: Compare both the meaning of the statement and the text.
4. Decide: A match is True. A clash is False. Nothing there is Not Given.
5. Move on: Do not sit on one question. Mark your best answer and go to the next one.

This clean true/false/not given strategy keeps you moving and stops the overthinking that eats up your time.

True vs False vs Not Given: The One Rule That Ends All Confusion

And if you take only one thing away from this article, remember this test.

Asking just one question: Does the passage actually say the opposite?

• If yes, the answer is False.
• If the passage is simply silent on the point, the answer is Not Given.

That is the entire difference between False and Not Given IELTS. False needs proof of a clash. Not Given means that proof is missing. Students who lock in this one idea stop throwing away easy marks.

Here is a quick example:

Passage: “The museum opens at nine in the morning.”

• Statement A: “The museum will open at ten in the morning.” That clashes with the text, so it is False.
• Statement B: “The museum is free on Sundays.” The passage says nothing about price or Sundays, so it is Not Given.

Notice that Statement B might be true in real life. It does not matter. Only the passage counts.

Common Traps and How to Avoid Each One

The exam is full of distractors and traps. Here are the main ones and a quick fix for each.

1. The word match trap: You see a familiar word and assume it’s true. 

Fix: check the full meaning, not the single word.

1. The qualifier trap: The statement quietly changes “some” to “all” or often to “always.” 

Fix: underline every qualifier.

1. The partly true trap: Half the statement matches and half does not. 

Fix: If any part clashes, the whole thing is False.

1. The knowledge trap: The statement sounds true from real life. 

Fix: answer only from the text.

1. The overthinking trap: You talk yourself out of Not Given. 

Fix: no evidence means you trust Not Given.

These true/false/not given tricks are the same ones we drill every day in our Read savvy sessions at Tiju’s Academy, because spotting the trap is often the whole game.

50 Worked Practice Examples with Answers

And now let’s apply our rules. Below you can find 10 texts consisting of 50 statements altogether. Cover the answers and choose whether the statement is true, false, or not given according to the rule. These true/false/not given examples with answers are the fastest way to build real skill.

Passage 1: Honey Bees

Honey bees share the location of food through a movement called the waggle dance. The angle of the dance shows the direction of the food in relation to the sun, while the length of the waggle phase shows the distance. This behaviour was first decoded by the scientist Karl von Frisch in the 1940s.

1. The waggle dance tells other bees where food is. 

TRUE (paraphrase of “share the location of food”).

1. The length of the waggle phase shows the direction of the food. 

FALSE (length shows distance, the angle shows direction).

1. Von Frisch decoded the waggle dance in the 1940s. 

TRUE (stated directly).

1. Von Frisch’s findings were doubted at first.

NOT GIVEN (nothing about how it was received).

1. The waggle dance is used by all bee species.

NOT GIVEN (only honey bees are mentioned, and note the qualifier “all”).

Passage 2: The Printing Press

Johannes Gutenberg brought movable type printing to Europe around 1440. Before this, books were copied by hand, which was slow and costly, so only wealthy people could own them. Movable type already existed in East Asia centuries earlier, but Gutenberg’s metal type and oil based ink made mass production practical in Europe.

1. Gutenberg was the first person in the world to use movable type. 

FALSE (it existed in East Asia earlier).

1. Copying books by hand was slow. 

TRUE (“slow and costly”).

1. Gutenberg used an oil based ink. 

TRUE (stated directly).

1. Gutenberg earned a large profit from printing. 

NOT GIVEN (no mention of profit).

1. Before printing, only rich people could afford books. 

TRUE (“only wealthy people could own them”).

Passage 3: Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee. It works by blocking adenosine, a brain chemical that makes us feel tired. A normal cup of brewed coffee has about 95 milligrams of caffeine, though the amount changes with the bean and the brewing method. Roasting reduces caffeine because dark roast coffee usually has slightly less caffeine than light roast.

1. Caffeine makes people feel more tired. 

FALSE (it blocks the chemical that causes tiredness).

1. The caffeine in coffee depends partly on how it is brewed. 

TRUE (“changes with the brewing method”).

1. Dark roast coffee has more caffeine when compared with the light roast. 

FALSE (it has slightly less).

1. Most people add sugar to their coffee. 

NOT GIVEN (no mention of sugar).

1. A cup of brewed coffee has around 95 milligrams of caffeine. 

TRUE (stated directly).

Passage 4: The Antarctic Ice Sheet

The Antarctic ice sheet holds about 60 percent of the world’s fresh water. Scientists watch the ice using satellites, which can spot small changes in its thickness. Recent data shows that parts of the West Antarctic ice sheet are losing mass, while the East Antarctic sheet has stayed fairly stable.

1. The Antarctic ice sheet holds most of the world’s fresh water. 

TRUE (60 percent is more than half).

1. Satellites are used to measure the thickness of the ice. 

TRUE (stated directly).

1. The East Antarctic sheet is losing mass faster than the West. 

FALSE (the West is losing mass, the East is stable).

1. Satellite monitoring of Antarctica began in the 1970s. 

NOT GIVEN (no start date is given).

1. All of the Antarctic ice sheet is melting quickly.

FALSE (the East is stable, and note the qualifier “all”).

Passage 5: Sleep

Sleep has several stages, including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep, when most dreaming happens. Adults are usually advised to sleep between 7 and 9 hours a night, though needs vary from person to person. Poor sleep has been linked to weaker memory, lower immunity, and a higher risk of heart disease.

1. Most dreaming happens during REM sleep. 

TRUE (stated directly).

1. Every adult needs exactly 8 hours of sleep. 

FALSE (the range is 7 to 9, and needs vary).

1. Poor sleep may raise the risk of heart disease. 

TRUE (“a higher risk of heart disease”).

1. Children need more sleep than adults. 

NOT GIVEN (only adults are discussed).

1. Sleep affects how well the memory works. 

TRUE (“weaker memory” links sleep to memory).

Passage 6: The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is not one single wall but a network of walls built over many centuries by different dynasties. A large part of the wall standing today was built during the Ming dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644. The popular claim that the wall can be seen from space with the naked eye has been disproven by astronauts.

1. The Great Wall was built by two major dynasty. 

FALSE (built by different dynasties).

1. A large part of the current wall dates from the Ming dynasty. 

TRUE (stated directly).

1. The wall can be seen from space with the naked eye. 

FALSE (this claim has been disproven).

1. The Ming dynasty was the strongest dynasty in China. 

NOT GIVEN (no comment on strength).

1. The Great Wall was completed within a single century. 

FALSE (“built over many centuries”).

Passage 7: Octopus Intelligence

Octopuses are seen as some of the most intelligent invertebrates. They can solve puzzles, open jar lids to get food, and use coconut shells as shelters. Interestingly, much of an octopus’s nerve tissue sits in its arms rather than its brain, so each arm can react on its own.

1. Octopuses are highly intelligent for invertebrates. 

TRUE (“some of the most intelligent invertebrates”).

1. An octopus can open a jar to reach food. 

TRUE (“open jar lids to get food”).

1. All of an octopus’s nerve tissue is in its brain. 

FALSE (much of it is in the arms, note “all”).

1. Octopuses live longer than most invertebrates. 

NOT GIVEN (no mention of lifespan).

1. An octopus can use objects such as shells for shelter. 

TRUE (“use coconut shells as shelters”).

Passage 8: Solar Power

Solar power is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources. Photovoltaic panels turn sunlight into electricity, and their price has dropped sharply over the past ten years. However, since panels only make electricity when the sun shines, storage such as batteries is needed for a steady supply.

1. The price of solar panels has fallen sharply in recent years. 

TRUE (“dropped sharply over the past ten years”).

1. Solar panels make electricity all day and all night. 

FALSE (only when the sun shines).

1. Batteries help give a steady supply of solar power. 

TRUE (“for a steady supply storage like batteries is needed”).

1. Solar power is cheaper than wind power.

 NOT GIVEN (wind power is not mentioned).

1. Photovoltaic panels turn sunlight into electricity. 

TRUE (stated directly).

Passage 9: The History of Tea

Tea first came from China, where it was used as a medicine long before it became a daily drink. It arrived in Europe in the 1600s as a luxury that only rich people could afford. Today, after water, tea is the most popular drink in the world.

1. Tea was first used in China as a medicine. 

TRUE (“used as a medicine”).

1. When tea reached Europe, poor people could easily buy it. 

FALSE (it was a luxury for the rich).

1. Tea is the single most popular drink in the world. 

FALSE (it is most popular after water, so water beats it).

1. Green tea is healthier than black tea. 

NOT GIVEN (no comparison of tea types).

1. Tea came to Europe in the seventeenth century. 

TRUE (the 1600s is the seventeenth century).

Passage 10: Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, supporting about a quarter of all sea species while covering less than one percent of the ocean floor. Corals depend on tiny algae that live in their tissues and make food through photosynthesis. When the water gets too warm, corals push out these algae in a process called bleaching, which can kill the reef if things do not improve.

1. Coral reefs support around a quarter of all sea species. 

TRUE (stated directly).

1. Coral reefs cover more than one percent of the ocean floor. 

FALSE (“less than one percent”).

1. Bleaching happens when corals lose the algae in their tissues. 

TRUE (“corals push out these algae”).

1. Coral bleaching is the main cause of ocean pollution. 

NOT GIVEN (pollution is never mentioned).

1. Warm water can cause coral bleaching. 

TRUE (“when the water gets too warm, corals push out these algae”).

Answer count for this set: 24 True, 15 False, 11 Not Given. Notice how often Not Given appears when the topic feels familiar but the passage stays silent. That is the exact instinct you are training.

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

Keep this next to you while you practise.

• True = the passage agrees with the statement.
• False = the passage says the opposite.
• Not Given = the passage has no information on it.
• Answers come in order, so move down the passage as you move down the questions.
• Match meaning, not words. Synonyms are everywhere.
• Underline qualifiers: all, some, only, always, never, most.
• If there’s no clash and no proof means the answer is Not Given.
• Never use outside knowledge.

How Tiju’s Academy Helps You Master IELTS Reading?

Rules are easy to read and hard to master alone. That is where good training makes the difference. Tiju’s Academy is widely rated as the best IELTS coaching centre in Kerala, and our reading system is built around the exact skills you just learned. Whether you want the best IELTS coaching online or classroom support, our trainers turn these rules into fast, automatic habits.

Here is what makes Tiju’s Academy IELTS coaching different. Our unique techniques give every module its own clear method:

• Base camp: a 5-day orientation so you start with a plan, not confusion.
• Base check: a full assessment that shows your real starting band.
• Read savvy: our step-by-step reading comprehension strategy for every question type.
• Word savvy: vocabulary and paraphrase training so synonyms never trick you.
• 40in60 programme: detailed reading explanation that breaks down each answer and each trap.
• Testfinity: unlimited mock tests taken under real exam conditions.
• Listenlock: detailed listening explanation for every audio clip.
• Brain spark: idea generation for speaking, so you never freeze.
• Blank2Brilliant: idea generation for writing, from blank page to strong essay.
• Fluent sphere: speak easy sessions that build natural fluency.
• 250in60: focused writing correction with clear, personal feedback.
• TenX: our intensive exam batch for candidates with a test date close by.
• 4 in 1 program: sharp tips for all four modules in one place.
• Mic drop day: a confidence session on the last day before your exam.

Every student also gets the full support system that makes us the best IELTS training centre in Kerala:

• A step-by-step IELTS study plan and a clear target band roadmap.
• Band 7+ writing templates and personalized essay correction.
• Speaking practice with real feedback.
• Mock tests under exam conditions with honest scoring.
• Vocabulary and grammar improvement lessons.
• Time management strategies for every section.
• A full band descriptor breakdown so you know how you are marked.
• Daily practice tasks and clear reading and listening strategies.
• Live classes or recorded lessons to fit your schedule.
• Progress tracking, an exam day preparation module, and a friendly peer community.

This is why so many of our students hit their target IELTS band score on the first try. We do not just teach the test. We build the habits that pass it.

Conclusion

True/False/Not Given stops being scary the moment you trust the method. Understand the meaning of the reading, be careful about the qualifiers, keep within the bounds of the paragraph, and let the main rule govern everything: conflict = False; silence = Not Given. Include true/false/not given IELTS practice questions in your schedule along with the 50 examples above, and your level of accuracy will improve every week.

For professional assistance and extensive practice, contact us today. Tiju’s Academy has trained thousands of successful candidates, and we would love to guide you next. Book a free demo class today and take the first real step toward your dream band score.

Your target band is closer than you think. Let’s go get it.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. 1. What is the difference between False and Not Given in IELTS?

A: False means the passage clearly says the opposite of the statement. Not Given means the passage does not mention the point at all. In short, False needs a clash in the text, while Not Given means there is no information either way.

Q. 2. What does Not Given mean in IELTS Reading?

A: Not Given means the passage neither confirms nor denies the statement. If nothing in the text covers the point, the answer is Not Given, even when the statement sounds true in real life.

Q. 3. How do I know if the answer is Not Given?

A: The answer is Not Given when nothing in the passage confirms or denies the statement. If you cannot find matching information and feel you are guessing from your own knowledge, choose Not Given.

Q. 4. Can I use my own knowledge in True/False/Not Given questions?

A: No. You must answer only from the passage. Even if a statement is true in real life, if the text does not support it, the answer is Not Given. Outside knowledge leads to wrong answers.

Q. 5. Are True/False/Not Given questions in order?

A: Yes. These questions follow the order of the passage. The answer to question 2 comes after the answer to question 1 in the text, so you can move down the passage as you move down the questions.

Q. 6. How many True/False/Not Given questions are there in IELTS Reading?

A: There is no fixed number. A passage may have several of these questions or none at all. Across the full IELTS Reading test, you usually see one or two sets, depending on your paper.

Q. 7. What is the difference between True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given?

A: True/False/Not Given tests facts stated in the passage. Yes/No/Not Given tests the writer's opinions and claims. The method is the same, but Yes/No/Not Given focuses on what the writer thinks rather than factual information.

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