Intro

Ask a candidate which IELTS Reading question type they fear and most answer the same: True / False / Not Given. Officially called "Identifying Information", it shows up in nearly every test and decides more band scores than any other task — because the difference between 6.5 and 7.5 is usually the five marks candidates hand to this one question type.

What the three answers actually mean

  • TRUE — the passage confirms the statement. The wording will differ (paraphrase) but the meaning must match exactly.
  • FALSE — the passage contradicts the statement. It says the opposite or something incompatible.
  • NOT GIVEN — the passage doesn't give you enough to decide either way. It may discuss the topic but never the specific claim.

The most expensive mistake in IELTS Reading is choosing FALSE when the answer is NOT GIVEN. False requires evidence of contradiction. No evidence = Not Given.

The 7-question checklist (ask before you answer)

1. What exactly does the statement claim? 2. What are its key words and ideas? 3. What synonyms or paraphrases might the passage use instead? 4. Where is the relevant section of the passage? 5. Does that section agree with the statement? → TRUE 6. Does it contradict it? → FALSE 7. Or does it simply not address it? → NOT GIVEN

The 5 traps examiners set on purpose

1. Similar words, different meaning. Candidates match vocabulary instead of meaning. Always compare the complete idea — one matching word is not an answer. 2. Extreme words. Always, never, every, only, completely in the statement should make you pause. The passage may say "usually" while the statement says "always" — that one word flips the answer. 3. Extra information. The statement sneaks in a detail the passage never mentions. That unaddressed detail usually makes the answer NOT GIVEN. 4. Opinion vs fact. A writer's opinion in the passage is not a fact about the world. Don't confuse the two when the statement quotes a claim. 5. Your own knowledge. Forget what you know. Even if a statement is true in real life, if the passage doesn't say it, the IELTS answer is NOT GIVEN.

The review habit that actually fixes it

Doing dozens of tests without review doesn't move the needle — this is the one question type where reviewing beats practicing. After every reading set, spend more time analyzing than you spent answering. For each wrong answer ask:

  • Which word misled me?
  • What paraphrase did I miss?
  • Did I confuse FALSE with NOT GIVEN, or pick TRUE on a single matching word?
  • Was the information really contradicted, or just absent?

Keep a one-line error log of every miss with the trap that caused it. Patterns appear fast — most candidates find one or two traps causing nearly all their losses.

The 7-day drill (one question type, one week)

  • Day 1: Relearn the three definitions until you can explain FALSE vs NOT GIVEN in one sentence each.
  • Day 2: Do 10 questions focusing only on meaning — ignore wording matches.
  • Day 3: Paraphrase practice: take 10 statements and list every synonym the passage could use.
  • Day 4: FALSE-only day — hunt for contradictions specifically.
  • Day 5: NOT GIVEN-only day — practice recognizing absence of information.
  • Day 6: Timed full set under real conditions.
  • Day 7: Review every mistake and update your error log.

Repeat the cycle with harder passages.

The band-score math

Reading has 40 questions and no half-point mercy: the margin between bands is 1–2 marks. For Academic Reading, Band 7.5 typically needs about 33–34 of 40 and Band 7.0 about 30–32. If you're taking General Training — the test version Canadian immigration requires — the conversion is stricter: roughly 36 correct for 7.5 and 34–35 for 7.0. Aim at the right table before you set a target. True / False / Not Given often supplies 5–7 of those 40 — more than enough to decide a whole band. Fixing this one task is the highest-leverage move in IELTS Reading preparation.

Put it to work

Free IELTS reading practice with real passage-style sets: [Try the free Reading practice →](/practice/reading) · Not sure which band you're starting from? [Take the free 4-skill diagnostic →](/diagnostic)

Fact-check anchor: the official task name is "Identifying information"; FALSE requires evidence of contradiction (no evidence = NOT GIVEN); Academic Reading band conversions: 7.5 ≈ 33–34/40, 7.0 ≈ 30–32/40 — General Training (the immigration version) is stricter: 36 for 7.5, 34–35 for 7.0, 32–33 for 6.5. Verified Oct 7 2026 — conversions hold; re-verify before quoting.