How to Study for True, False, Not Given Questions | Evidence, Contradiction, Missing Information and Keyword Traps

How to study for True, False, Not Given questions: identify the exact claim in the statement, locate the relevant part of the passage, compare meanings rather than keywords, mark True only when the text agrees, False only when the text contradicts, and Not Given when the required information is absent.

True/False/Not Given is not the same as ordinary true-or-false. The third category changes the reasoning completely. A statement is not False just because the passage does not prove it; False requires contradiction, while Not Given means the passage neither confirms nor contradicts the claim.

IELTS currently defines the distinction explicitly: True means the statement agrees with the text, False means it contradicts the text, and Not Given means the information is neither confirmed nor contradicted. IELTS also warns test takers not to use outside knowledge when deciding the answer.

This guide treats TFNG as evidence classification: support, contradiction or absence.

This approach is especially useful when a student needs to:

distinguish False from Not Given;
locate exact textual evidence;
recognise paraphrase;
handle qualifiers and comparisons;
avoid causal assumptions;
ignore outside knowledge;
track question order;
make fast evidence-based decisions under time.

Understand the Three Answers Precisely

True, False and Not Given represent three different relationships between the statement and the text.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

True means the statement agrees with the text.
False means the statement contradicts the text.
Not Given means the text neither confirms nor contradicts the statement.
Do not use outside knowledge.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

If the passage says the museum opens at 9 and the statement says it opens at 9, that is True. If the statement says 10, that is False. If opening time is never mentioned, it is Not Given.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not treat Not Given as probably false.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Read the Statement Before Searching

The statement defines what evidence you need.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Underline the subject.
Underline the key claim.
Notice qualifiers.
Predict possible paraphrases.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The statement says all participants completed the trial, so the crucial word is all, not merely participants or trial.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not search only for a repeated noun.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Locate the Relevant Part of the Text

TFNG questions usually require precise evidence.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Scan for names, dates or distinctive concepts.
Look for synonyms.
Read one or two sentences around the match.
Do not read isolated words.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The question uses ‘children’ while the passage uses ‘young participants’; the student recognises the paraphrase and reads the surrounding sentence.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not stop at the first shared keyword.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Compare Meaning, Not Vocabulary

The same words can support different meanings, and different words can express the same meaning.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Paraphrase the statement.
Paraphrase the relevant text.
Compare propositions.
Ignore superficial wording overlap.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The text says costs fell slightly; the statement says costs decreased a little. Different words, same claim: True.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not mark False just because vocabulary differs.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Use the Contradiction Test for False

False requires evidence against the statement.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Ask what the statement claims.
Find the opposite or incompatible fact.
Check scope and conditions.
Mark False only when contradiction is explicit or logically necessary.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The passage says the programme began in 2018; the statement says it began in 2020. The text directly contradicts it.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not mark False merely because the text does not support the statement.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Use the Missing-Information Test for Not Given

Not Given means the required fact or comparison is absent.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Search the relevant section.
Check whether the text addresses the exact relationship.
Distinguish partial information from sufficient information.
Stop importing common sense.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The passage says the company expanded overseas but never states whether profits rose. A statement claiming profits increased is Not Given.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not assume expansion caused higher profits.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Watch Absolute Qualifiers

All, always, never, only, most and some can change the answer.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Underline quantity words.
Compare the passage scope.
Look for exceptions.
Check whether the text is weaker or stronger.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The text says many students improved; the statement says all students improved. That is not equivalent and may be False if the text makes clear that some did not.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not mentally delete quantifiers.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Watch Comparative Language

More, less, better, worse, higher and lower require an explicit comparison.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Identify the two items compared.
Check direction.
Check magnitude if stated.
Look for missing comparison data.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The passage says Group A improved but gives no information about Group B; ‘Group A improved more than Group B’ is Not Given.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not create a comparison from one group’s data.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Watch Cause and Effect

Correlation or sequence does not automatically establish causation.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Identify causal wording.
Check whether the passage states the cause.
Distinguish association from explanation.
Avoid common-sense causal assumptions.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The text says exercise increased while stress decreased, but never says exercise caused the decrease. A causal statement may be Not Given.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not upgrade correlation into cause.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Watch Time and Tense

Past, present and future claims can differ even when the topic is the same.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Check dates.
Check before/after.
Check still/no longer.
Check planned versus completed.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The passage says the centre plans to expand; the statement says it has expanded. That is False because the status differs.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not ignore tense.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Watch Modal Strength

May, might, can, will and must express different levels of certainty.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Compare modal verbs.
Check whether possibility became certainty.
Check whether recommendation became obligation.
Preserve strength.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The passage says the change may reduce costs; the statement says it will reduce costs. The stronger claim is not supported.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not treat may and will as equivalent.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Separate Partial Match From Full Match

A statement can contain one true element and one unsupported or false element.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Break the statement into clauses.
Check each clause.
Remember the whole statement must agree for True.
Classify based on the decisive mismatch.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The passage confirms where an event happened but not why; a statement giving both location and reason cannot be marked True from the location alone.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not reward partial agreement.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Use Question Order

IELTS TFNG questions generally follow the order of information in the passage.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Use the previous answer location.
Search forward.
Avoid restarting at paragraph one.
Confirm with the current text.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

After answering Question 4 in paragraph three, the student starts Question 5 from that area rather than rereading the opening.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not force strict order if the specific test format says otherwise.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Avoid Outside Knowledge

IELTS explicitly instructs test takers not to use what they already know about the topic.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Use only passage evidence.
Ignore personal experience.
Ignore facts learned elsewhere.
Ask what this text says.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

Even if the student knows a scientist won an award, the answer is Not Given if the passage never mentions it.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not reward real-world truth when the task asks about the text.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

Use a Three-Step Decision Rule

A fixed routine prevents False/Not Given confusion.

The useful test is whether the student can point to the exact textual relationship that justifies the label: support, contradiction or absence.

What to do

Can I find supporting evidence? True.
Can I find contradicting evidence? False.
If neither, Not Given.
Then move on.

Keep practice evidence-based. Require a line, phrase or explicit absence test before accepting the answer.

Worked example

The student writes T-support, F-contradiction or NG-absent beside practice items to make the logic explicit.

After answering, write the reason in one word: support, contradiction or absent. This exposes whether the student understands the three categories.

Common mistake

Do not use feelings such as seems unlikely as an answer rule.

If the same error returns, use pairs of statements that differ by one qualifier, comparison or causal word and practise classifying them directly.

How the Skill Changes by Subject

English

This is the main domain: evidence, paraphrase, qualifiers, reference and claim scope all matter.

Mathematics

The support/contradiction/insufficient-information distinction resembles reasoning about whether evidence establishes a mathematical claim.

Science

Scientific passages require careful separation of observed evidence, inferred relationships and claims not made by the text.

Humanities

Source-based reading also benefits from distinguishing what a source states, contradicts or leaves unstated.

Three Student Patterns

Maren

Maren uses outside knowledge to decide truth. She needs passage-only evidence discipline.

Iona

Iona confuses False with Not Given. She needs explicit contradiction-versus-absence drills.

Leonie

Leonie matches keywords quickly but misses qualifiers such as all or some. She needs a claim-scope check before deciding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between False and Not Given?

False means the passage contradicts the statement. Not Given means the passage does not provide enough information either way.

Can a statement be factually true but Not Given?

Yes. If the passage does not state or imply it, outside truth is irrelevant to this task.

Should I use outside knowledge?

No. IELTS explicitly says to answer from the text only.

Do the questions follow passage order?

In IELTS identifying-information tasks, the information generally appears in order; still follow the exact format and directions.

How do I handle qualifiers such as all or some?

Compare the statement’s scope exactly with the passage.

What if part of the statement is correct?

The whole statement must agree with the text to be True.

How do I handle paraphrase?

Translate both statement and passage into simpler meanings, then compare the propositions.

What if the passage mentions the topic but not the exact claim?

That may be Not Given if the required relationship is absent.

How do I get faster?

Use question order, distinctive keywords for location and the three-step support/contradiction/absence rule.

How do I know I am ready?

You can justify every answer with explicit support, explicit contradiction or a clear explanation of missing information.

One-Page TFNG Operating Manual

Claim: Identify exactly what the statement says.

Locate: Find the relevant passage section.

Paraphrase: Compare meanings, not words.

Support: Agreement means True.

Contradict: Opposing evidence means False.

Absent: Neither support nor contradiction means Not Given.

Scope: Check qualifiers, comparisons and tense.

Evidence: Ignore outside knowledge.

Helpful Reading

True, False, Not Given Is an Evidence Test

The hardest distinction is not True versus False. It is contradiction versus absence.

Use the text only, preserve qualifiers and demand explicit evidence before choosing False.

The strongest reader can explain the relationship between statement and passage, not merely select a label.

Properly taught kids shine a bright light into the future.

Why Not Given Feels Uncomfortable

Students often want every statement to be either true or false in the real world. Not Given requires restraint: if the passage does not settle the claim, the correct reading decision is to stop rather than infer.