The logic of True / False / Not Given
True/False/Not Given (TFNG) and Yes/No/Not Given (YNNG) are among the most misunderstood IELTS Reading tasks. They test whether you can distinguish:
- True — the statement agrees with the information in the passage
- False — the statement contradicts the passage
- Not Given — the passage neither confirms nor denies the statement
Your opinion, general knowledge, and logical guesses do not count. Only the text on the page matters.
TFNG vs YNNG: know the difference
| Task | Focus |
|---|---|
| TFNG | Factual claims (dates, causes, quantities) |
| YNNG | Views, claims, or opinions attributed to a writer or researcher |
In YNNG, Yes means the writer agrees; No means the writer disagrees or presents the opposite view.
A reliable three-step method
- Underline the statement's core claim — ignore filler words.
- Locate the relevant section — scan for keywords and synonyms.
- Compare precisely — ask: Does the text say the same thing, the opposite, or nothing about this?
If you must add information from outside the passage to make the statement work, the answer is likely Not Given.
False vs Not Given — the critical distinction
False requires an explicit contradiction. Example:
- Statement: The study was conducted in 2010.
- Text: Researchers gathered data in 2012. → False
Not Given means the topic may appear but the specific claim is missing:
- Statement: The study was conducted in 2010.
- Text: Researchers gathered data over two years (no year named) → Not Given
Candidates often choose False when they assume the text implies something. Resist that impulse.
Qualifiers and hedging language
Watch for words that narrow or soften claims:
- All, every, always, never — absolute claims are easier to falsify
- Some, often, may, suggest — partial agreement may still be True
If the statement says All participants improved but the text says Most participants improved, the statement is False — a direct conflict in scope.
Order and pacing
TFNG questions usually follow passage order. Use this to your advantage: do not jump randomly. If you are on Question 8 and still searching before paragraph three, you may have missed the location — move forward in the text.
Allow 60–90 seconds per question. If stuck, mark Not Given only when you have scanned the logical section and found no confirmation or contradiction — not when you are tired of looking.
Typical traps
| Trap | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Word match | Statement and text share a word but different meaning | Compare full clauses |
| Partial truth | Text supports one part of a compound statement | All parts must match for True |
| Inference | Statement sounds reasonable | Reasonable ≠ Given |
| Wrong subject | Text describes Group A; statement about Group B | Track who/what |
Mini drill
For each practice statement, write one sentence citing exact words from the text that support your answer. If you cannot quote, reconsider Not Given vs False.
Exam mindset
TFNG rewards disciplined reading, not creativity. Examiners are not tricking you with obscure trivia — they are checking whether you read what is actually written. Slow down for ten seconds at the comparison step; that pause prevents most errors.
Official reference
Academic Reading question types — IELTS Academic test format.