IELTS Compass
Preparing your study plan
IELTS Compass
Preparing your study plan
IELTS Reading
True/False/Not Given is the question type that separates band 6 from band 7 readers. The logic is simple once you see it: the passage either says it, contradicts it, or says nothing at all.
| Answer | Meaning | Test |
|---|---|---|
| TRUE | The passage says the same thing | Can you find a direct statement that matches? |
| FALSE | The passage says the opposite | Does the passage contradict the statement? |
| NOT GIVEN | The passage says nothing about it | Is the information absent entirely? |
The golden rule
Not Given is not "maybe". It means the passage is silent. If you find yourself reasoning "it could be true", the answer is almost always NOT GIVEN.
Try each one before reading the explanation. Cover the answer column with your hand if you want a real test.
Statement 1
The museum charges a higher entry fee on weekends.
Passage: Weekend visitors pay a premium of 20% on the standard admission price.
Answer: TRUE — The passage directly confirms the statement — 'premium of 20%' means a higher fee.
Statement 2
All staff at the research centre hold a doctorate.
Passage: The centre employs 40 researchers, most of whom hold a doctorate.
Answer: FALSE — 'Most' contradicts 'all'. The passage says some staff do not hold a doctorate.
Statement 3
The city plans to build a new metro line by 2030.
Passage: The city has invested heavily in bus rapid transit over the past decade.
Answer: NOT GIVEN — The passage discusses buses but says nothing about a metro line — neither confirmed nor contradicted.
The fastest way to internalise the 3-way logic is daily practice with exact-proof checking. The 30-day IELTS study plan schedules T/F/NG passages from Cambridge 11–13 in the Build phase and harder Y/N/NG variants in the Speed phase — every answer logged so you can see your accuracy climb.
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