IELTS · Reading: True / False / Not Given · Karnataka, India
Reading: True / False / Not Given for the IELTS Exam — Karnataka candidates
8% of the IELTS test plan. True/False/Not Given questions test precise distinction between facts the passage states, contradicts, or does not address. They are the most-missed reading question type for non-native speakers. Calibrated for Kannadiga candidates.
Behind every published pass rate is a distribution of which topics caused most of the failures. This is one of those topics. Reading: True / False / Not Given sits at roughly 8% of the International English Language Testing System content distribution — TFNG (and YNN — Yes/No/Not Given) appears in every IELTS Academic Reading test. Many candidates lose 3–5 marks on a single passage by selecting "False" when the passage simply does not address the claim ("Not Given"). Mastering this distinction is one of the highest single-task score levers. Pass rates for the IELTS are published annually by the awarding body and vary by cohort and locale. For Karnataka candidates preparing for IELTS, the calibration of study to local context matters: Karnataka runs KCET (state engineering/medical/agriculture entrance) alongside JEE Main and NEET. Bengaluru is the top-3 city for GATE and CAT candidates.
Common failure modes
These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.
- !Marking "False" when the passage says nothing about the claim — must be "Not Given"
- !Marking "True" based on outside knowledge instead of the passage text
- !Confusing TFNG (Reading) with YNN (Yes/No/Not Given for opinion-based passages)
- !Reading too superficially and missing qualifying words like "some", "always", "primarily"
Study tips
- 1Underline keywords in the question, then locate the corresponding passage sentence; never answer from memory.
- 2Apply the 3-step rule: (1) is the claim stated? (2) is it contradicted? (3) is it absent? Map to True/False/Not Given respectively.
- 3Watch qualifiers — "all", "every", "always" in a question often mean "False" if the passage uses "some" or "many".
- 4Practice 100 TFNG questions across topic types (science, history, social science) before sitting the test.
- 5KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority) issues a separate KCET admit card — KCET, JEE Main, and NEET have non-overlapping dates so a typical student sits all three.
- 6NEET-UG is offered in Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) at all KA centres. JEE Main and GATE are English/Hindi only — confirm your medium when applying.
- 7For GATE: Karnataka hosts 12+ test cities including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi; pick a centre near your university to avoid intercity travel on test day.
Sample IELTS Reading: True / False / Not Given questions
These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real IELTS questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.
- 1
Passage states: "Many architects in the 19th century rejected Gothic Revival." Question: "All 19th-century architects rejected Gothic Revival." This claim is:
- ATrue
- BFalseCorrect
- CNot Given
- DCannot determine
Why this answer?
The passage says "many" — not "all". The question asserts a stronger universal claim that contradicts the passage. Mark False. If the passage said nothing about how many architects, the answer would be Not Given.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between TFNG and YNN?
What is the IELTS pass rate for Kannadiga candidates?
How long should Kannadiga candidates study Reading: True / False / Not Given for the IELTS?
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- Writing Task 2 for IELTS (Karnataka, India)Another IELTS topic for Kannadiga candidates
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