True/False/Not Given becomes difficult when students treat it as a vocabulary-matching task. The real job is to compare the meaning of the statement with the meaning of the passage and decide whether the text supports it, contradicts it, or does not decide it.
The three decisions are not equal
True means the passage agrees with the statement. False means the passage clearly contradicts it. Not Given means the passage does not provide enough information to decide. “I cannot find the same words” is not a reason to choose Not Given.
Find the evidence before choosing the label
Locate the part of the passage connected to the statement. Then paraphrase both the statement and the evidence in simple language. This reduces the influence of repeated keywords that may appear in a different context.
False needs a contradiction
A statement is False only when the text gives an incompatible meaning. If the statement says “all students preferred online study” and the passage says “most students preferred online study”, the meanings are different enough to matter. Precision words such as all, only, always, never, more and less deserve attention.
Not Given is about missing decision-making information
The passage may mention the topic without answering the statement. For example, it might tell you when a study began but not whether the researchers expected a particular result. Topic overlap is not evidence.
Do not use your own knowledge
Official IELTS guidance specifically warns candidates not to use what they already know about the subject. Even if a statement is true in real life, the answer depends only on the passage.
Review mistakes by cause
After practice, label the reason for each mistake: missed contradiction, overused keyword matching, ignored quantifier, outside knowledge, or failure to find evidence. This turns review into a repeatable skill instead of a list of wrong answers.
Turn the question type into a measurable skill
Intelliprep can track T/F/NG accuracy separately from other Reading tasks, so a student can see whether this question type is a repeated weakness rather than assuming the whole Reading skill is weak.
Frequently asked questions
Is Not Given the same as False?
No. False is contradicted by the passage; Not Given cannot be decided from the passage.
Do T/F/NG answers usually follow passage order?
These questions generally follow the order of information in the text, which can help you narrow the search area.
Should I spend a long time proving Not Given?
No. Use passage order and evidence boundaries. If the relevant section does not provide the information needed to decide the statement, move on rather than searching the entire passage repeatedly.
Official sources and further reading
Continue with focused IELTS practice.
Use IntelliPrep for practice, mistake review, teacher feedback and SmartPath™ when you are ready to apply what you have just read.