True/False/Not Given: A Simple Guide
The Question Type That Blocks Your Score
True/False/Not Given questions are the hardest for Band 4-5 students. Many students confuse "False" and "Not Given."
This guide teaches you the difference. You will see clear examples. You will learn a simple technique to get the right answer.
What Do They Mean?
Each answer has a clear meaning:
TRUE
The passage SAYS this. You can point to the exact words.
The passage and the statement have the same meaning. They might use different words, but the meaning is the same.
FALSE
The passage says the OPPOSITE. The statement and the passage disagree.
You can point to the passage and say: "Look, the passage says something different."
NOT GIVEN
The passage does not say this. There is no information about it.
Maybe it is true in real life. Maybe it is false. But the passage does not tell us.
Example 1: A Clear Case
Passage: "The library opens at 9 AM every day."
Statement: "The library opens at 9 AM."
Answer: TRUE
Why? The passage says exactly this. The meaning is the same.
Example 2: False vs Not Given
Passage: "The company was started by Maria Chen in 1985."
Statement A: "The company was started in 1990."
Answer: FALSE
Why? The passage says 1985. The statement says 1990. They are different. The passage proves the statement is wrong.
Statement B: "Maria Chen is still the CEO today."
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why? The passage says Maria Chen started the company. But it does not say if she is still CEO. We have no information about this.
The "Prove It" Technique
For every answer, ask yourself: "Can I prove this from the passage?"
For TRUE:
Can you point to words in the passage that say this? If yes, the answer is TRUE.
For FALSE:
Can you point to words in the passage that say the opposite? If yes, the answer is FALSE.
For NOT GIVEN:
You cannot find proof either way. The passage does not give this information.
Example 3: Practice
Passage: "Coffee was first drunk in Ethiopia. It spread to Arabia in the 15th century. By the 17th century, coffee was popular in Europe."
Statement 1: "Coffee came from Ethiopia."
Can you prove it? Yes. "Coffee was first drunk in Ethiopia." Answer: TRUE
Statement 2: "Coffee was popular in Europe before it was popular in Arabia."
Can you prove it? Yes, but the passage says the opposite. Arabia was 15th century, Europe was 17th century. Answer: FALSE
Statement 3: "Coffee is the most popular drink in the world."
Can you prove it? No. The passage does not say anything about this. Answer: NOT GIVEN
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using Your Own Knowledge
The statement might be true in real life. But if the passage does not say it, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
Only use information from the passage. Forget what you know from real life.
Mistake 2: Thinking "Not Mentioned = False"
If the passage does not mention something, it is NOT GIVEN, not FALSE.
FALSE means the passage says something different. NOT GIVEN means the passage says nothing.
Mistake 3: Reading Too Fast
Small words change the meaning. Watch for:
- all, some, many, few
- always, never, sometimes
- only, also, first
"All students passed" is different from "Some students passed."
Practice Every Week
The more you practice, the easier this becomes. Do at least 5 T/F/NG questions every week.
Start with our Reading Practice section. Filter for True/False/Not Given questions.
Summary
- TRUE: The passage says this
- FALSE: The passage says the opposite
- NOT GIVEN: The passage says nothing about this
Use the "prove it" technique. Ask: "Can I find proof in the passage?"