How to answer True / False / Not Given on IELTS Reading section?

We all have encountered the easy true/false questions at school. However, we run into a problem on the IELTS Reading test as it gives you an additional option of marking a statement as Not Given. The most common reaction of students when they encounter this question is panic. Students misinterpret the statements and get confused about what the statements mean. So, students must remain on their toes while attempting this question type.

While attempting the question identifying the information or True/False/Not Given, keywords need to be identified first followed by identifying where the information lies.

Then comes the part where you analyze the data so that you can determine if the statement is true, false, or not given. Avoid getting confused between false and not given statements.

Also, avoid external biases by leaving information that you already know about the topic but not given in the paragraph.

How to identify if the statement is true?

To find any sentence related to the statement, remember to skim through passage looking for keywords. In this statement, the keyword is ‘starting time’. After a glance at the first paragraph, I found the information relevant to the sentence. The relevant line is– ‘Your Start Time is indicated by the colour of your body number in this pack. It is also printed on the address label of the envelope. Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before that time.’

This line indicates that the start time given on the body number. The line also states that the rider must arrive at least thirty minutes before the starting time. So, the question statement is true. 

How to identify if the statement is false?

The statement suggests that the helmets are compulsory for all participants. Using the keyword ‘helmet’, here, we can see that the writer says that they would like to see every cyclist wearing a helmet. Its the author’s wish not a command. However, the writer does not outright state that wearing helmets is mandatory. This means that the question statement is false.  

How to identify if the statement is not given?

Here, I looked at the keyword (Rider Identity Card) and came across the above line. Though this line mentions the keyword, it does not say anything about us receiving the Rider Identity Card before the event. Using that logic, we can safely say that this question statement is Not Given. It is important to remember that only statements whose information is not given in the passages can be marked as Not Given. Otherwise, there are only two outcomes- True or False. Another way to determine whether the question statement as False or Not Given is to locate the main idea of the topic. If you are unable to do that, then it is advisable to write the question statement as Not Given.

How to differentiate between false and not given?

It is important to note here that any knowledge that the students bring with them from outside that is relevant to the paragraph should not be utilized in deciding the answers. A lot of times, external knowledge of the topic that is not given in the paragraph influences students into making a wrong decision. The implied meaning of the passage or a sentence should not be considered at all. If there is nothing stated outright, the answer should be considered as not given