IELTS Reading Yes No Not Given vs True False Not Given
Learn the real difference between Yes/No/Not Given and True/False/Not Given in IELTS Reading: opinion vs fact, qualifier traps, a decision table, worked examples and a practice loop.
The one difference that matters
Yes/No/Not Given and True/False/Not Given use the same three-way logic, but they test different things. True/False/Not Given checks facts: does the passage confirm, contradict, or say nothing about a factual statement? Yes/No/Not Given checks the writer's views and claims: does the writer agree, disagree, or give no opinion on the idea in the statement?
Your first move is to read the instruction line. If it says YES / NO / NOT GIVEN, you are judging the writer's attitude. If it says TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN, you are judging information. The reading skills are almost identical, but the wrong mindset costs marks: in a Yes/No task, a fact stated in the passage is not enough. You need the writer to endorse or reject the claim.
Facts
True / False / Not Given
The statement is a piece of information. Compare it with what the passage says is true in the world of the text.
- •TRUE: the passage confirms it
- •FALSE: the passage contradicts it
- •NOT GIVEN: the passage never addresses it
Opinions
Yes / No / Not Given
The statement is a view or claim. Compare it with what the writer believes, not with what other people in the text believe.
- •YES: the writer clearly agrees
- •NO: the writer clearly disagrees
- •NOT GIVEN: the writer gives no view on it
For the factual version in depth, read the True/False/Not Given guide. This page focuses on what changes when the question is about opinion.
Writer's view vs other people's views
The most common Yes/No error is answering with someone else's opinion. Academic passages are full of quoted experts, critics and researchers. A statement may match what a professor says, but if the writer then disagrees, the answer is NO. If the writer only reports the professor and never takes a side, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
Look for the writer's voice: words like 'however', 'in my view', 'it seems clear', 'unfortunately', 'remarkably', 'we should', 'there is little doubt'. These signal where the writer moves from reporting to judging.
| Passage extract | Statement | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Some economists argue that remote work lowers productivity. The evidence, however, points the other way. | The writer believes remote work reduces productivity. | NO | 'The evidence points the other way' is the writer's own judgement. |
| Critics have called the policy unfair. Supporters say it is overdue. | The writer thinks the policy is unfair. | NOT GIVEN | Both sides are reported. The writer picks neither. |
| It is hard to see how the scheme could succeed without wider public support. | The writer doubts the scheme can succeed without public support. | YES | 'Hard to see how' is a clear negative view, matching 'doubts'. |
Qualifiers that flip the answer
Small words decide most Yes/No questions. Writers hedge with 'may', 'might', 'often', 'some', 'tends to', and question writers deliberately turn those into absolutes such as 'will', 'always', 'all', 'never'. Mark the qualifier in the statement before you scan the passage.
| Passage says | Statement says | Likely answer | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| may improve | will improve | NO or NOT GIVEN | Certainty changed. Check whether the writer rules it out. |
| many scientists | all scientists | NO | Quantity widened to an absolute. |
| rarely | never | NO | Rare still allows exceptions. |
| it is probably unwise | the writer believes it is unwise | YES | Hedged, but the direction of opinion matches. |
| early results look promising | the writer is sure it will work | NO | Promising is not certain. |
A decision routine you can run in 40 seconds
- 1Underline the claim and its qualifierExample statement: 'The writer thinks urban farming will solve food shortages.' Claim: solve food shortages. Qualifier: will, thinks.
- 2Find the paragraph by topic words and synonymsQuestions follow the passage order in this task type. Use the previous answer's location as your starting point so you do not rescan the whole text.
- 3Read the writer's sentences, not the quotesSkip over attributed views ('Smith claims') unless the writer reacts to them in the next sentence.
- 4Compare meaning, not wordingAsk: does the writer say this, say the opposite, or say nothing either way?
- 5If you find nothing after 40 seconds, mark NOT GIVEN and move onSearching for a sentence that does not exist is the biggest time sink in this task. Flag it and return only if time remains.
Traps that cost band 6 candidates marks
- Real-world knowledge: you may know the statement is true, but the answer depends only on the passage.
- Topic match, claim missing: the passage mentions the same subject but never makes the specific claim. That is NOT GIVEN, not NO.
- Confusing NO with NOT GIVEN: NO needs a direct contradiction or clear rejection. If you are guessing the writer would disagree, it is NOT GIVEN.
- Stopping at the first match: the writer may soften the idea two sentences later. Read to the end of the paragraph.
- Treating a described fact as an opinion: if the instruction says YES/NO but the sentence reports a plain fact, look for whether the writer evaluates it.
Practice loop for the next 7 days
- Day 1-2: do one Yes/No/Not Given set from Reading practice untimed. For every answer, write the exact sentence that proves it.
- Day 3: redo only the questions you marked NOT GIVEN and check that each one is truly absent, not just hard to find.
- Day 4-5: do two timed sets of 13 questions in 15 minutes. Keep a tally of errors: qualifier, other person's opinion, NO vs NOT GIVEN.
- Day 6: practise the other task type with the True/False/Not Given guide so the two mindsets stay separate.
- Day 7: sit a full reading section in a mock test and use the score calculator to see how many Yes/No marks you need for your target band.
Because the type is often placed in a harder passage, timing matters too. See Reading timing and question types for how to budget minutes around it.
Practise next
Is Yes/No/Not Given harder than True/False/Not Given?+
Most candidates find it slightly harder because opinions are less direct than facts. Once you separate the writer's view from quoted views, the accuracy usually jumps. Practise both in Reading practice.
Can both types appear in the same test?+
Yes, but rarely in the same passage. A full test may include one of each across three passages. Always reread the instruction line before starting a new set.
What does NOT GIVEN really mean?+
It means the passage does not provide enough information to say yes or no. It is not a sign that you missed something. Fixing this habit is covered in the True/False/Not Given guide.
Are the answers in passage order?+
Yes. For both Yes/No/Not Given and True/False/Not Given the statements follow the order of the passage, so use each located answer as a marker for the next one.
How many of these questions can I afford to miss for band 7?+
Band 7 Academic Reading needs about 30 out of 40 overall, so you can drop roughly 10 questions in total. Check the exact conversion with the score calculator.