IELTS True False Not Given: 10 Worked Examples
Quick answer: In IELTS True False Not Given, choose TRUE if the passage agrees with the statement, FALSE if the passage says the opposite, and NOT GIVEN if the passage does not give the information at all. The key test for FALSE is a clear contradiction. If you cannot find a contradiction or a match, the answer is NOT GIVEN. Practise with the 10 worked examples below.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
What do TRUE, FALSE and NOT GIVEN mean?
| Answer | Meaning | Ask yourself |
|---|---|---|
| TRUE | The passage gives the same information, often in different words. | Does the passage say the same thing, perhaps in different words? |
| FALSE | The passage says the opposite, so the statement cannot be right. | Does the passage say the opposite? |
| NOT GIVEN | The passage has nothing that confirms the statement or rules it out. | Is the information simply not there? |
These definitions are in our own words and match the explanation on the ielts.org Academic Reading format page, which stresses the importance of understanding the difference between FALSE and NOT GIVEN. A related type, YES, NO and NOT GIVEN, works the same way but asks about the writer's views or claims instead of facts.
A five-step method for True False Not Given
- Read the statement and underline the key words, especially names, numbers and limiting words such as "all", "only", "never" or "more than".
- Find the part of the passage that discusses the same topic. Questions usually follow the order of the passage.
- Read that part carefully, sentence by sentence.
- Compare meaning, not just words. Paraphrase is normal.
- Decide: same meaning (TRUE), opposite meaning (FALSE), or no information (NOT GIVEN). Do not use your own knowledge.
Practice passage: The Seed Library
Read the original passage below, then try the 10 statements before you check the answers. The town and people are invented for practice.
The Seed Library
In 2019, the public library in the small town of Kellaway began lending seeds as well as books. The idea came from a retired teacher, Mira Osei, who had grown vegetables on the same allotment for over thirty years. Borrowers take home a packet of seeds, grow the plants, and are asked to return a fresh batch of seeds collected from their own harvest at the end of the season.
In its first year the scheme offered twelve varieties, mostly beans, tomatoes and lettuce. By 2023 the number had risen to forty, and the library had added a small selection of flowers. Staff say that beans remain the most popular choice because they are easy to grow and their seeds are simple to save.
Not every packet comes back. Some borrowers lose interest, and some crops fail in poor weather. The library does not charge a fee for unreturned seeds; instead, it buys extra stock each spring from a regional supplier.
The scheme has also changed how the building is used. A monthly workshop on seed saving, first held in the library's meeting room, now takes place in the community garden behind the building because attendance grew too large. Osei still leads most sessions, although two volunteers have recently been trained to run them.
The 10 statements
Do the statements below agree with the information in the passage? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- The seed library was suggested by a former teacher.
- Mira Osei had grown vegetables for less than twenty years when the scheme began.
- Borrowers are asked to bring back seeds from the plants they have grown.
- In 2023 the scheme offered more than three times as many varieties as in its first year.
- Flowers are now more popular with borrowers than tomatoes.
- One reason beans are popular is that their seeds are easy to collect.
- Borrowers who do not return seeds have to pay a fine.
- The regional supplier provides seeds to the library free of charge.
- The number of borrowers has increased every year since 2019.
- The two newly trained volunteers are former borrowers of the seed library.
Answers and explanations
| No. | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TRUE | "The idea came from a retired teacher." "Suggested" matches "the idea came from", and "former" matches "retired". |
| 2 | FALSE | She had grown vegetables "for over thirty years". Over thirty contradicts less than twenty. |
| 3 | TRUE | Borrowers "are asked to return a fresh batch of seeds collected from their own harvest". "Bring back" matches "return", and "their own harvest" means the plants they grew. |
| 4 | TRUE | Twelve varieties in the first year, forty by 2023. Three times twelve is 36, and 40 is more than 36. |
| 5 | NOT GIVEN | The passage says beans are the most popular choice, but it never compares flowers with tomatoes. That comparison is missing. |
| 6 | TRUE | Beans are popular "because they are easy to grow and their seeds are simple to save". "Simple to save" matches "easy to collect", and "one reason" fits because two reasons are given. |
| 7 | FALSE | "The library does not charge a fee for unreturned seeds." A fine is a fee, so this directly contradicts the statement. |
| 8 | FALSE | The library "buys extra stock" from the supplier. Buying contradicts receiving seeds free of charge. |
| 9 | NOT GIVEN | The passage gives the number of varieties, not the number of borrowers. Workshop attendance grew, but that is a different group and no yearly figures are given. |
| 10 | NOT GIVEN | The passage says two volunteers were trained but gives no information about who they are or whether they borrowed seeds. |
Why the NOT GIVEN answers are not FALSE
Candidates often mix up NOT GIVEN and FALSE, so here is a closer check of each NOT GIVEN answer.
- Statement 5: Beans being most popular tells us nothing about the order of flowers and tomatoes. Flowers could be second or last. Nothing in the passage confirms or rules out the statement.
- Statement 9: It is tempting to think "the scheme grew, so borrowers increased". But the passage only says varieties increased and workshop attendance grew. It says nothing about borrower numbers in any year.
- Statement 10: The volunteers are mentioned in one clause with no background at all. You cannot say they are or are not former borrowers.
Common traps in True False Not Given
- Using your own knowledge. Even if a statement is true in real life, the answer depends only on the passage.
- Matching words, not meaning. A statement can repeat words from the passage and still be FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- Missing limiting words. "Some", "most", "all", "only" and "every" change the meaning. In statement 9, "every year" is the key detail.
- Calling a missing comparison FALSE. If the passage does not compare two things, a statement comparing them is NOT GIVEN, as in statement 5.
- Spending too long. If you have searched carefully and cannot find the information, choose NOT GIVEN and move on.
Practise now: Try True False Not Given questions in a full timed test: Academic Reading Test 1, Test 2 or General Training Reading Test 1, then check every NOT GIVEN answer using the method above.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between FALSE and NOT GIVEN in IELTS?
FALSE means the passage clearly says the opposite of the statement. NOT GIVEN means the passage does not contain the information, so you cannot tell whether the statement is right or wrong.
Are True False Not Given answers in order?
In practice they usually follow the order of the passage, so the next answer is normally further on in the text. ielts.org states this rule for multiple choice but not for this question type, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee.
Can I write T, F and NG instead of full words?
Follow the instructions on the question paper exactly. If the instructions say to write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN, writing the full words is the safest choice.
What is the difference between True False Not Given and Yes No Not Given?
True False Not Given checks facts in the passage. Yes No Not Given checks the views or claims of the writer. The method for deciding is the same.
How many True False Not Given questions are in IELTS Reading?
There is no fixed number. It depends on the test version. Some tests have several sets and others have only one or none.
Should I use my general knowledge to answer?
No. Only the passage matters. A statement may be true in real life but still be FALSE or NOT GIVEN according to the text.