Decide from text evidence
IELTS Reading True False Not Given Strategy
Separate agreement, contradiction and missing information through careful paraphrase matching instead of topic knowledge or guesswork.
Turn every statement into a precise evidence decision
The method is not to search for identical vocabulary. It is to locate the relevant idea, compare both meanings and refuse to add information that the writer did not provide.
Start with the official distinction. In the IELTS Academic Reading format, identifying-information questions ask whether statements agree with information in the text. TRUE means agreement, FALSE means contradiction and NOT GIVEN means the passage neither confirms nor contradicts the statement. A related writer-views task uses YES, NO and NOT GIVEN. Keep the answer labels exactly as instructed; changing TRUE to YES can lose the mark even when the reasoning is correct.
Before scanning, reduce the statement to its core claim. Mark the subject, action and any controlling detail such as all, only, mainly, more, less, before, after, cause or possibility. These small words frequently determine the answer. Then predict likely paraphrases. “Reduced” may appear as “fell”, while “the main reason” is stronger than “one reason”. Search for the idea, not one attractive keyword, because the same word can appear in a nearby sentence that discusses a different relationship.
Once you find the likely location, read a complete evidence window. Compare who or what the sentence describes, what is claimed, the direction of the claim and its strength. If every essential element agrees, choose TRUE. If the passage gives the opposite or excludes the statement, choose FALSE. If the passage discusses the topic but omits the specific relationship, quantity, comparison or cause in the statement, choose NOT GIVEN. Similar subject matter alone is never enough evidence.
Do not repair missing evidence with your own knowledge. A statement may sound scientifically correct, culturally familiar or logically probable and still be NOT GIVEN. Likewise, absence is not contradiction. If a passage says a course includes online lessons and the statement says all lessons are recorded, the recording claim is not confirmed unless the text says so. FALSE requires conflicting text; NOT GIVEN requires a missing decision point. Write a short evidence phrase beside each practice answer so you can see which distinction failed.
Review mistakes by cause. Label each one as wrong location, missed paraphrase, qualifier error, outside knowledge, reversed comparison or rushed decision. Practise one category on official material, then retest it in a new passage. The official IELTS sample questions provide appropriate tasks. Timed practice should come after the three-way decision is stable; speed without evidence simply repeats the same error faster.
Start from evidence
Match the class plan to your current score profile, application requirement and realistic test date.
Review the feedback
Useful feedback explains the error, links it to an IELTS criterion and gives a concrete next practice step.
Prepare for delivery
Build language skill and the computer workflow together before a timed official test.
Use this checklist before paying or booking
Ask the centre for current written information. The table turns general marketing language into verifiable questions.
| Check | Why it matters | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| TRUE | The complete statement agrees with the passage. | Match subject action detail and strength. |
| FALSE | The passage directly contradicts the statement. | Find the opposite or an explicit exclusion. |
| NOT GIVEN | The passage cannot decide the statement. | Do not treat a related topic as confirmation. |
| Qualifier | Words such as all only often and may change meaning. | Circle the controlling word before searching. |
| Comparison | More less highest and equal need both sides. | Confirm the direction and comparison group. |
| Cause | Sequence or correlation does not automatically prove cause. | Look for explicit causal language. |
| Time | Past current and predicted claims are different. | Check dates stages and tense. |
| Paraphrase | The passage may express the idea with different words. | Match meaning rather than vocabulary alone. |
| Outside knowledge | Only passage evidence counts. | Ignore what seems generally true. |
| Error review | A score does not show why the decision failed. | Record evidence and the error category. |
What makes the MKS IELTS learning system different
Classroom teaching, revision, independent practice and longer support work as one system instead of separate add-ons.
Three learning modes
Choose physical, online or hybrid learning and confirm the current timetable that fits your routine.
Recordings for every mode
Physical, online and hybrid students can revisit lessons and catch up on missed work.
iOS and Android access
Continue structured IELTS practice beyond the live class through the MKS digital system.
Physical books
Use organised print materials together with digital practice instead of scattered files.
Six-month access
The eight-week guided course connects to six-month learning access and continued support.
Multiple suitable classes
Students needing more repetition may join suitable classes without another class charge.
Keep every section inside the same improvement loop
Attempt, diagnose, correct, repeat and retest. Your overall goal should never hide a required section minimum.
A balanced weekly routine
- Review Listening distractors, spelling and paraphrase recognition rather than only counting correct answers.
- Track Reading accuracy by question type and add timed sections only after the method is stable.
- Use the official Writing criteria to revise task response, organisation, vocabulary and grammar.
- Record Speaking answers and review fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation without memorising scripts.
- Keep an error log and use the next mock to test whether the correction actually worked.
Before enrolment
- Confirm Academic or General Training and the required overall and section bands.
- Ask for the current timetable, fee, inclusions, teacher-feedback process and access period in writing.
- Test the commute, device, internet and study hours needed for the chosen class mode.
- Ask how the centre handles missed classes, weak skills and a test date later than the live course.
Before the official test
- Check the authorised test partner for current dates, locations, fees and delivery options.
- Use the same computer workflow and timing that you will face on test day.
- Book only after your reviewed practice evidence supports the planned date.
- Keep the application deadline and result-delivery time inside the booking decision.
Build an IELTS plan around your real starting level
Bring your target country, course, required score, preferred test date and any previous result. MKS Education can help you choose a class mode and organise the next eight weeks of guided learning with six-month access and continued support.
Verify live IELTS information
What is the difference between False and Not Given in IELTS Reading?
FALSE means the passage directly contradicts the statement. NOT GIVEN means the passage does not provide enough information to confirm or contradict the statement.
Can I use my own knowledge for True False Not Given questions?
No. Decide only from information in the passage, even when the statement seems logically or factually likely.
Should I look for the same words as the statement?
Look for the same idea. IELTS commonly uses paraphrase, so identical vocabulary may be a distractor rather than the answer location.
Do small words affect True False Not Given answers?
Yes. Qualifiers such as all, only, some, usually, may, before and more can change the complete claim and therefore the answer.
How does MKS practise True False Not Given questions?
MKS uses guided evidence marking, paraphrase work, error classification, timed practice and new-passage retesting without promising a band score.
Plan your application with MKS Education
MKS Education is a study abroad consultancy opposite Shankerdev Campus in Putalisadak, Kathmandu. We help Nepali students review profiles, shortlist universities and courses, prepare applications, organise documents, research scholarships, and plan CAS and visa-file stages using current official sources. Universities and immigration authorities make all admission and visa decisions.
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