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How to answer True, False, Not Given questions...
ScottsEnglish
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In the IELTS test, you will almost certainly have to answer a True, False, Not Given question.
Why do students have problems with these kinds of questions? The most common reason is they get confused between 'No' and 'Not Given'. Let's try a couple of example questions.
Excerpt text from Reading Passage:
The kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata) also called Japanese arrowroot was deliberately imported from Japan to the United States in 1876.
Question:
The Kudzu vine was accidentally brought from Japan to the United states.
We see that the excerpt text uses the word 'deliberately' which means 'intentionally, on purpose'. On the other hand, the question uses the word 'accidentally'. Intentionally and accidentally are opposite in meaning so the answer to the question is 'False'.
Excerpt text from Reading Passage:
The kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata) also called Japanese arrowroot was deliberately imported from Japan to the United States in 1876.
Question:
The kudzu vine was imported via ship from Japan to the United States.
We see that the excerpt text states that kudzu was imported from Japan to the United States but we do not know how it was imported because it has not been mentioned. In other words how it was imported is not given.
Why do students have problems with these kinds of questions? The most common reason is they get confused between 'No' and 'Not Given'. Let's try a couple of example questions.
Excerpt text from Reading Passage:
The kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata) also called Japanese arrowroot was deliberately imported from Japan to the United States in 1876.
Question:
The Kudzu vine was accidentally brought from Japan to the United states.
We see that the excerpt text uses the word 'deliberately' which means 'intentionally, on purpose'. On the other hand, the question uses the word 'accidentally'. Intentionally and accidentally are opposite in meaning so the answer to the question is 'False'.
The key to knowing if an answer is 'False' is to carefully compare the key word(s) in the question with the word(s) in the text. If the two words being compared are opposite to or oppose each other (eg: black-white, up-down, in-out, deliberately-accidentally) then the answer will always be 'False'.
Now, let's try another question.Excerpt text from Reading Passage:
The kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata) also called Japanese arrowroot was deliberately imported from Japan to the United States in 1876.
Question:
The kudzu vine was imported via ship from Japan to the United States.
We see that the excerpt text states that kudzu was imported from Japan to the United States but we do not know how it was imported because it has not been mentioned. In other words how it was imported is not given.
The key to know if an answer is 'Not Given' is to carefully read each word in the question and then compare them with the words in the text. If the ideas in the question contain extra, added information which is not in the text, then the answer will be 'Not Given'.
Now, what about Yes, No, Not Given? Can the same approach be used for Yes, No, Not Given questions? The answer is 'yes'. So, what's the difference between 'True, False, Not Given' and 'Yes, No, Not Given' questions?Well, when the questions are about facts in the text, you'll have to decide whether the information is 'True, False or Not Given". When the passage is about opinions rather than facts, you'll be asked whether each statement agrees with the views given by the writer, and you'll have to answer 'Yes, No or Not Given".
For extra True, False, Not Given practice, go here.