True, False or Not Given in IELTS Reading: a simple method, the traps and practice questions
True False Not Given questions ask one thing: does the text agree with the statement? They appear in almost every IELTS Reading test, Academic and General Training, and many students find them the hardest. However, the good news is that they follow strict rules. This guide explains what each answer really means, gives you a 4-step method and shows the 6 traps that cost the most marks. After that, you can practise with a short text and check every answer.
What True False Not Given questions ask
In this question type, you read a few statements and answer one question for each: “Do the following statements agree with the information in the text?” On the computer test, you click TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
IELTS explains the difference in two lines. First, FALSE means the statement contradicts the information in the text. Second, NOT GIVEN means the statement neither agrees with nor contradicts it. IELTS also warns you not to use any information you already know about the topic.
In addition, each correct answer gets one mark, just like every other question in the Reading test.
A worked example
Read this short text first. Then look at each statement and why it gets its answer.
Why flamingos are pink
Flamingos are not born pink. The chicks have grey or white feathers, and their colour appears slowly as they grow. The pink comes from natural colours called carotenoids, which are found in the tiny plants and shrimps that flamingos eat. When keepers in zoos leave these colours out of the birds' food, the flamingos slowly turn pale.
Flamingos often rest on one leg. Scientists still argue about the reason for this habit.
- FALSE
This is FALSE because the text says the opposite: the chicks are grey or white.
- TRUE
This is TRUE because it has the same meaning in different words: the colour comes from the food.
- NOT GIVEN
The text says what happens without the colours. It never compares zoo birds with wild birds.
- FALSE
If they still argue, they do not agree. So the text contradicts the statement.
- NOT GIVEN
You may have read this somewhere, but this text gives no reason. Your own knowledge does not count.
A 4-step method for True False Not Given
Find the place
Look for words that are easy to spot: names, numbers, dates and unusual words. In my experience, the statements follow the order of the text, so the answer to question 4 is usually between the answers to 3 and 5.
Read the whole sentence
First read the sentence with your key word, then the sentence after it. In fact, the answer is often one sentence later than you expect.
Compare the meaning, not the words
The text will say it differently. For example, “The chicks have grey feathers” and “young flamingos are not pink” mean the same thing.
Decide TRUE or FALSE first
Try to prove the statement true, then try to prove it false. Choose NOT GIVEN only when you can do neither. IDP also gives the same advice.
The 6 traps that cost the most marks
Using what you already know
A statement can be true in real life and still be NOT GIVEN, because the text does not say it. So answer from the text only.
Matching words, not meaning
A statement can use the same words as the text and still be FALSE or NOT GIVEN. Therefore, check what the sentence means, not which words it shares.
Small words that change everything
Watch all, some, only, always, never, most and first. For example, a statement with “always” is FALSE if the text shows one exception.
Numbers and comparisons
“Almost 2,000” means fewer than 2,000. Similarly, “more popular than” needs a comparison in the text. If there is none, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
Statements with two parts
Sometimes the text confirms one part but says nothing about the other. In that case, the answer is NOT GIVEN, not TRUE.
Choosing FALSE when the text is silent
FALSE needs proof of the opposite. So if the text simply does not mention something, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
True False Not Given or Yes No Not Given?
Some question sets ask Yes, No or Not Given instead. However, these questions ask whether a statement agrees with the views or claims of the writer, not with facts. NO means the statement contradicts the writer's view. NOT GIVEN means the writer does not give a view on it.
Otherwise, you use the same method. The only change is that you look for the writer's opinion words: in my view, I believe, it is true that, however.
Chess in the classroom
Some schools now teach chess in maths lessons. In my view, this is time well spent. Chess teaches children to plan ahead and to lose calmly. It is true that not every child enjoys the game, but the same can be said of most subjects.
- NO
The writer says it is “time well spent”, the opposite view.
- YES
“Chess teaches children to plan ahead.”
- NOT GIVEN
The writer likes chess in maths lessons, but says nothing about replacing them.
How long to spend on each statement
The Reading test gives you 60 minutes for 40 questions, so aim for about a minute per statement. If you still cannot decide, choose your best answer and move on. A wrong answer loses nothing, so a guess is always better than an empty box.
Practice: 7 True False Not Given questions
Read the notice, then answer each statement. Tap to check your answer and see the words that prove it.
Hillside Seed Library
The Hillside Seed Library lets local gardeners borrow vegetable and flower seeds free of charge. You will need a Hillside library card, which you can get at the front desk in a few minutes. Each member may take up to five packets on each visit. The seeds are kept in the wooden cabinet next to the children's section.
At the end of the growing season, we ask members to save some seeds from their best plants and bring them back, so that the library can keep growing. Returned seeds must be completely dry, in a paper envelope with the plant's name and the date written on it. Please do not bring back seeds from plants that were sick.
Volunteers sort the seeds every Saturday morning. New volunteers are always welcome, and no gardening experience is needed.
Questions 1–7
0 of 7 answered · 0 right
- Gardeners pay a small fee for each packet of seeds.
This is FALSE because free of charge means there is no fee.
- Getting a library card takes several days.
This is FALSE because a few minutes is the opposite of several days.
- The seed cabinet is close to the books for children.
This is TRUE because next to the children's section means close to the children's books.
- Members must bring back as many packets as they took.
Members bring back some seeds. However, the notice never says how many.
- Seeds for returning should go in a plastic bag.
The notice asks for a paper envelope, not a plastic bag.
- Most of the volunteers are expert gardeners.
Volunteers do not need experience, but the notice does not say how many are experts.
- The seeds are sorted once a week.
This is TRUE because every Saturday means once a week.
Stop guessing between FALSE and NOT GIVEN
Take Reading Practice Test 1 free, and check every answer against the line that proves it.
True False Not Given: questions students ask
What is the difference between FALSE and NOT GIVEN?
FALSE means the text says the opposite of the statement. NOT GIVEN, on the other hand, means the text does not say whether the statement is true or false.
Is True False Not Given the same as Yes No Not Given?
They use the same method. However, True False Not Given checks facts in the text; Yes No Not Given checks the writer's views or claims.
Can I use my own knowledge?
No. In fact, IELTS warns you not to use what you already know about the topic. Answer only from the text.
Do the statements follow the order of the text?
In my experience they nearly always do. So if you have found the answers to two statements, the one between them is usually in the text between them.
How long should I spend on each statement?
About one minute. Then, if you cannot decide, choose your best answer and move on.
Should I leave a statement blank if I am not sure?
Never. A wrong answer does not lose a mark, so a guess can only help you.
Read next: IELTS Reading band score · IELTS Listening band score · IELTS band score calculator
Facts checked on 21 October 2026 with official sources
