IETLS Reading
True, False, Not Given
Lesson objectives
In this lesson we will be…
• Learn how to answer True/False/Not Given
questions
• Learning strategies and skills
• Practice answering the True/False/Not Given
questions
Summary Completion
What is required in this type of questions?
The summary completion task requires you to choose the right
word to fill the gap from a selection of words.
What do you need to know?
There are two variations of this question task type where you
either select words directly from the text, or where you select
words from a list of answers.
What abilities does it test?
The summary completion task often appears in the IELTS
Academic Reading test. It assesses your ability to understand
details within the text and to identify the main idea and will
usually be on one part of the text rather than the whole text.
Difference between True/False/Not
Given & Yes/No/Not Given questions
Test takers get confused between True/False/Not Given questions
and Yes/No/Not Given questions.
• It’s all about the type of information contained in the text.
• True/False/Not Given – the text will contain factual
information about a topic.
• Yes/No/Not Given – the text will contain the opinions, views or
beliefs of the writer or other people who are mentioned.
Tips for answering IELTS
Reading True/False/Not Given
questions
• The answers appear in the same order in the text as the order of the statements.
• You don’t need to read the whole text.
• There will be at least one of each answer type – True, False, Not Given. So, if you don’t have at least
one of each when you’ve completed the question, you’ve made a mistake.
• Watch out for distractors. Be aware that the test setters love to use ‘distractors’ to really test you. A
prime example is qualifying words such as:
These single words can completely change the meaning
of a sentence.
E.g. Jake often meets up with her friends after work.
Jake occasionally meets up with her friends after
work.
In T/F/NG questions, the meaning of the statement must be
an exact match with the information in the text to be TRUE.
Tips for answering IELTS
Reading True/False/Not Given
questions
• Also be on the lookout for qualifying words that express possibility or
doubt such as:
Again, they can totally alter the meaning of a statement.
E.g. Scientists now claim that several different species
of humans evolved on the earth.
Scientists now know that several different species
of humans evolved on the earth.
Tips for answering IELTS
Reading True/False/Not Given
questions
• The statements won’t be a word-for-word match to the information in
the text. They will contain synonyms and paraphrasing. It’s the
meaning that you are trying to match.
• If you happen to know from your own knowledge that a particular
statement is correct, i.e. TRUE, but this is not stated in the text, your
answer must be NOT GIVEN.
• Remember that at least one answer will be NG. This means that you
will be searching for information that is not there.
What are the strategies to successfully
answer True/False/Not Given questions?
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What are the strategies to successfully
answer True/False/Not Given questions?
• Skim the text and identify the topic sentences. Look at first and last
sentences of each paragraph
• Read the statements and try to understand the meaning of each.
• Think about possible synonyms that might appear in the text and note any
qualifying words in the statements such as, all, some, always, often.
• Underline keywords. You won’t necessarily find the exact words in the text
due to the extensive use of synonyms and paraphrasing in T/F/NG questions
but enough will be present to make doing this worthwhile.
• Scan the text for key words. When you have highlighted your key words and
information, then look at the text and scan quickly to find the same words,
or words with similar meaning (synonyms).
Practice
The life and work of Marie Curie
Marie Curie is probably the most famous woman scientist who has ever lived. Born Maria Sklodowska in Poland
in 1867, she is famous for her work on radioactivity, and was twice a winner of the Nobel Prize. With her
husband, Pierre Curie, and Henri Becquerel, she was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics, and was then
sole winner of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
From childhood, Marie was remarkable for her prodigious memory, and at the age of 16 won a gold medal on
completion of her secondary education. Because her father lost his savings through bad investment, she then
had to take work as a teacher. From her earnings she was able to finance her sister Bronia's medical studies in
Paris, on the understanding that Bronia would, in turn, later help her to get an education.
In 1891 this promise was fulfilled and Marie went to Paris and began to study at the Sorbonne (the University
of Paris). She often worked far into the night and lived on little more than bread and butter and tea. She came
first in the examination in the physical sciences in 1893, and in 1894 was placed second in the examination in
mathematical sciences. It was not until the spring of that year that she was introduced to Pierre Curie.
Adapted with permission from Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2007 by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
1. Marie Curie’s husband was a joint winner of both Marie’s Nobel Prizes.
2. Marie became interested in science when she was a child.
3. Marie was able to attend the Sorbonne because of her sister’s financial contribution.
The life and work of Marie Curie
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Marie Curie’s husband was a joint
winner of both Marie’s Nobel Prizes.
We can see the following facts:
• Marie was twice a winner of the Nobel Prize.
• With her husband, Pierre Curie, and Henri Becquerel, she was
awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics
• She was then sole winner of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
The answer is FALSE as Pierre Curie was a joint
winner with one of her Nobel Prizes (1903), she
was a 'sole' winner for the other (1911) - the 'only'
winner.
Marie became interested in science
when she was a child.
We can see the following facts:
• as a child she had a great memory
• at 16 she won a gold medal for her secondary education
These are the only facts related to her childhood, there
is no mention of science, or her interest in this subject when
she was a child, so because there is no information, the answer
must be NOT GIVEN.
Marie was able to attend the Sorbonne
because of her sister’s financial contribution
We can see the following facts:
• Her father lost his savings through bad investment
• She then had to take work as a teacher
• She was able to finance (pay for) her sister Bronia’s medical studies in Paris, on the
understanding that Bronia would, in turn, later help her to get an education
• In 1891 this promise was fulfilled, and Marie went to Paris and began to study at the Sorbonne
We read that Marie could attend the Sorbonne because her
sister paid for her education. When we scan the text, we read
that her father lost his money (savings) so Marie worked as a
teacher. We see a key word 'finance' and see that Marie helped
her sister with her medical studies. We then read that her sister
would later help Marie to get an education. This was a promise,
or in other words, an understanding. So, Marie went to the
Sorbonne because Bronia paid for it. The answer is TRUE.
Liz. (n.d.). True false not given: IELTS reading practice lessons. https://ieltsliz.com/true-false-not-
given-ielts-reading-practice/
Practice: Pyramid The most famous pyramid is the Great Pyramid of Giza which is actually only one of
Building over a hundred surviving pyramids. There is a long-standing question about how
the pyramids were built given the lack of technology over 4,000 years ago but
scientists are piecing together the puzzle. The blocks which make up the pyramids
were hewn from quarries and then transported to the pyramids for construction.
Decide if the statements below are True, False or Not Given This was an incredible feat considering the distance that the raw materials had to
travel and their enormous weight. The transportation of the materials was either by
according to the information in the passage. river using a boat or by land using a wooden sledge. Given the softness of the
ground, the wheel would have been of little use had it been invented at that time. It
1. The controversy over the method used in the construction is believed that the sand in front of the sledge was wet with water in order to
of the pyramids has been solved by scientists. facilitate the movement of the sledge and reduce friction. These sledges were pulled
manually or sometimes by using beasts of burden depending on the ease at which
2. It is possible that Ancient Egyptians could have lubricated the sledges could move over the ground. Interestingly, two thousand years after the
paths to aid transportation by sledge. pyramid building era of the Ancient Egyptians, the Romans moved stones using
3. Sleds were dragged by animals not humans. similar techniques at Baalbek. Once the blocks arrived at the pyramid construction
site, it is thought they were moved into place using a ramp and pulley system.
4. The Romans learned the techniques of moving huge stones
from the Ancient Egyptians. The Old Kingdom period in Ancient Egyptian history is also known as the pyramid
5. The building work of the Ancient Egyptians is unrivalled. building era. The Ancient Egyptians achieved the most remarkable feats of building
work which have still not been surpassed, particularly given the primitive
6. Many people believe that magic may have been used by the technology used to build them. There is nothing remotely mystical or magical about
Ancient Egyptians to build the pyramids. how the pyramids were built as is commonly thought. Further still, while popular
7. The Great Pyramid was built using slave labour. belief is that the Great Pyramid was built using slave labour, this theory has since
8. It took more than one attempt to get the construction of been debunked. The first building made in a pyramid shape is thought to be the
Stepped Pyramid which consists of six steps placed on top of each other in a
the pyramids right. pyramid shape to create the world's first superstructure. The credit to finally
achieving a smooth sided pyramid goes to Imhotep, an architect commissioned by
King Sneferu. The pyramids were not an instant achievement, but the achievement
of trial and error.
Pyramid Building
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