Why This Question Type Is So Difficult

The confusion is almost always between False and Not Given.

The Core Distinction

True — the text directly confirms the statement. False — the text directly contradicts the statement. Not Given — the text neither confirms NOR contradicts the statement. The information simply is not there.

The trap: students mark “False” when the text just doesn’t mention something. That is Not Given, not False.

The Three-Step Method

Step 1: Find the section of the text that relates to the statement.

Use keywords from the statement to scan — never read the whole passage.

Step 2: Compare the statement to what the text actually says.

Read that section carefully. What does the text say? What does the statement say?

Comparison Test

After reading the relevant section, ask: “Does the text SAY THE OPPOSITE of this statement?” If yes → False. If the text just doesn’t mention it → Not Given.

Step 3: Make your decision.

Scenario Answer
Text says the same thing TRUE
Text says the opposite thing FALSE
Text says nothing about it NOT GIVEN
Text mentions the topic but not this specific claim NOT GIVEN

The Specific Language Trap

Watch for Comparatives and Superlatives

Statement: Product X is the most popular in the market. Text: Product X is popular with younger consumers. Answer: NOT GIVEN — the text says it is popular, but never says it is the most popular.

Subtle differences in language matter enormously in this question type:

  • “always” vs “often” — NOT GIVEN if text only says “often”
  • “all” vs “most” — NOT GIVEN if text only says “most”
  • “increased” vs “was high” — NOT GIVEN if text says “was high” but not that it increased

Practice Drill

For every True/False/NG question, underline:

  1. The key noun/topic in the statement
  2. The specific claim being made about that noun

Find the noun in the text, then check whether the specific claim is confirmed, contradicted, or absent.

Never Guess Based on General Knowledge

The answer must come from the TEXT — not from what you know about the world. Even if you personally know a statement is false, the answer is based only on what the passage says.

The Not Given option is not a trick — it is testing whether you can distinguish between what a text implies and what it actually states.