What the labels really mean

• True - the passage directly agrees with the statement or confirms it using the same meaning.
• False - the passage clearly contradicts the statement.
• Not Given - the passage does not tell you enough to confirm or reject the statement.

Golden rule: Your answer must come from the passage, not your knowledge.

Core differences at a glance

• True vs Not Given - True needs a clear match in meaning. If part of the claim is missing, choose Not Given.
• False vs Not Given - False needs an explicit conflict. If the text is silent or only partly related, choose Not Given.
• True vs False - Both require evidence in the text. One agrees, the other disagrees.

The 5 step decision system

1. Underline the claim - mark the subject, verb, and numbers or quantifiers.
2. Scan in order - these items usually follow the passage order.
3. Match meaning, not words - watch for synonyms and paraphrase.
4. Test the core - ask: does the text confirm, contradict, or not address the full claim
5. Decide
   • Confirmed fully → True
   • Clearly opposite → False
   • Partly stated or silent → Not Given

Evidence rules that save marks

• Evidence must be explicit in the passage.
• Quantifiers matter: all, most, many, some, only, always, never. A change from most to some flips True to False.
• Time and place tags matter. If the statement generalizes but the text limits to a time or location, that can be False or Not Given.
• No inference leaps. If you need to assume, pick Not Given.

High value paraphrase signals

• cause → reason, due to, leads to
• more than → over, above, in excess of
• fewer → under, below
• necessary → essential, required
• started → began, launched
• increased → rose, grew, climbed

Mini passage and drills

Passage
Line 1: The city library opened a new wing in 2022 to expand study space.
Line 2: Most visitors use the wing during evenings, especially on weekdays.
Line 3: The wing has 120 seats, phone lockers, and a silent area.
Line 4: Weekend opening hours have not changed since 2019.

Statements

1. The library expanded its study area in 2022.
2. The new wing is busiest on weekends.
3. There are more than one hundred seats in the wing.
4. Weekend hours increased after 2019.
5. The new wing includes printers.

Keys with reasons

1. True - opened a new wing to expand study space.
2. False - evenings on weekdays, not weekends.
3. True - 120 seats means more than 100.
4. False - have not changed since 2019.
5. Not Given - printers are not mentioned.

Fast decision tree

Read claim → Find matching lines

• If the text confirms the whole claim → True
• If the text denies or gives the opposite → False
• If the text is silent on any essential part → Not Given

Essential parts checklist
Subject correct - Action correct - Numbers correct - Time and place correct - Conditions correct

Typical traps and fixes

• Absolute words: always, never, only. If the text says often or usually, the statement with always is likely False.
• Wrong scope: Text says in the pilot study, statement says all studies → may be False.
• Half match: Two details match, one missing → Not Given.
• World knowledge: ignore what you know outside the passage.

Error tags for review

• QN - quantifier mistake
• TM - time mismatch
• SC - scope mismatch
• HM - half match marked True
• NG - afraid to choose Not Given

Timing plan per set of 6 to 7 items

• 60 to 90 s skim the passage topic sentences
• 45 s per item follow in order and apply the decision steps
• Last 60 s check absolutes, numbers, and names

Rapid checklist before you move on

• Did I compare meaning, not just words
• Did I verify numbers and dates
• Did I check quantifiers
• Is my evidence explicit in the text
• If any part is missing, did I choose Not Given

Yes No Not Given variant

Used with opinions or claims by a person.

• Yes - the writer or speaker agrees with the statement.
• No - the writer or speaker disagrees.
• Not Given - no clear opinion stated.
  Follow the same 5 step system, but track who holds the view.

Practice set - science note

Passage
Line 1: The trial found that a low salt diet lowered average blood pressure in adults.
Line 2: The effect was strongest in participants over 60.
Line 3: The study did not measure long term heart outcomes.

Statements
A) The diet reduced blood pressure in the study.
B) The reduction was greatest in teenagers.
C) The trial proved that heart attacks will fall.

Keys
A) True - lowered average blood pressure.
B) False - strongest over 60, not teenagers.
C) Not Given - heart outcomes not measured.

Build your unique study system

1. Keep a claim map: for each statement, write subject-action-number-time-place on one line.
2. Maintain a paraphrase bank: add new synonym pairs after every passage.
3. Track error tags and write one fix rule per session.
4. Practice order scanning: answer statements in the sequence they appear.
5. Do a final NG sweep: for any item without full evidence, switch to Not Given.

Final advice

Slow down to verify the core of each claim. Match meaning, respect quantifiers, and demand explicit evidence. When the text does not fully talk about the claim, choose Not Given with confidence. Consistent use of the decision steps turns this task into a scoring area.