True, False or Not Given: reading the claim precisely
A reliable method for one of the most misunderstood Reading question types.
বাংলায় সারাংশ (Bangla summary)
FALSE ও NOT GIVEN-এর পার্থক্য এবং ধাপে ধাপে উত্তর খোঁজার পদ্ধতি।
By the end of this lesson you can
- Tell the difference between FALSE (the passage contradicts) and NOT GIVEN (the passage is silent)
- Locate the relevant sentence using keywords and paraphrases
- Avoid answering from general knowledge
What the three answers mean
TRUE means the passage states the same information as the statement, usually in different words.
FALSE means the passage states something that contradicts the statement — both cannot be true at the same time.
NOT GIVEN means the passage does not say whether the statement is true or false. It may mention the topic, but it never answers the specific claim.
A four-step method
1. Underline the claim in the statement: who or what, and exactly what is said about it. Watch qualifiers such as all, most, only, always, never, more than.
2. Find the part of the passage about the same subject. The passage will usually paraphrase, so look for synonyms rather than identical words.
3. Compare the claim with the passage sentence word by word. Ask: does the passage say this, say the opposite, or say nothing about this exact point?
4. Answer only from the passage. What you know about the topic from outside does not count.
Worked example
Passage: The library opened a second reading room in 2019, which is now used mainly by students preparing for exams.
Statement A: The second reading room was added before 2020. → TRUE (2019 is before 2020).
Statement B: The second reading room is used only by students. → FALSE (mainly is not only).
Statement C: The second reading room is quieter than the first. → NOT GIVEN (noise is never compared).
Statement B fails on a single qualifier. Qualifiers are where most FALSE answers hide.
Guided practice
Passage: Most visitors to the coastal path walk the northern section, although the southern section has better views of the cliffs. Decide TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.