What is the difference between True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given in IELTS Reading?

True/False/Not Given tests factual statements that can be verified directly against objective facts in the passage. Yes/No/Not Given tests whether a statement agrees with the writer’s expressed claims, views, or arguments.

How are hyphenated words counted in IELTS Reading completion tasks?

Under standard IELTS conventions, hyphenated compounds such as "mass-timber" or "up-to-date" count as a single word toward instructions like ONE WORD ONLY or NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

IELTS Academic Preparation · Assessment Methodology

IELTS Academic Reading: Complete Guide to Question Formats & Evidence Strategy

The IELTS Academic Reading test evaluates how accurately you can locate factual details, follow complex arguments, recognize writer opinion, and synthesize academic prose under strict word-count constraints.

1. The 12 Core IELTS Academic Question Types

Rather than testing every format on a single text, academic reading passages naturally suit specific assessment tasks. Descriptive engineering and historical passages often pair with Note Completion and True/False/Not Given, whereas analytical arguments pair with Matching Headings and Yes/No/Not Given.

True / False / Not Given

Evaluate whether a factual statement agrees with the information in the text (True), directly contradicts it (False), or is neither confirmed nor denied (Not Given).

Yes / No / Not Given

Evaluate whether a statement agrees with the views or claims of the writer (Yes), contradicts the writer’s view (No), or is not stated (Not Given).

Note, Summary & Sentence Completion

Fill in missing gaps using exact words from the passage or selections from a provided word bank while respecting strict word limits (e.g., ONE WORD ONLY).

Matching Headings & Information

Identify the main theme of each paragraph (Matching Headings) or locate which paragraph contains a specific piece of evidence, example, or cause-and-effect claim.

Matching Features & Sentence Endings

Connect researchers, historical periods, or architectural systems to their specific characteristics, or complete sentence stems accurately based on passage logic.

Multiple Choice (Single & Choose Two) & Short Answer

Select the single best analytical option, choose exactly two valid conclusions from five choices, or write a concise factual short answer.

2. Strict IELTS Word-Limit Rules Explained

One of the most common causes of lost marks in IELTS Academic Reading is exceeding the stated word limit on completion and short-answer questions:

ONE WORD ONLY: Writing two words (even adding an unnecessary article like “the turbine” when “turbine” is expected) is marked incorrect under strict instruction rules.
NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS: Your response may be one word or two words, but never three.
Hyphenated Words: Standard hyphenated compounds such as mass-timber or high-frequency count as a single word.
Passage Fidelity: For completion tasks without a word bank, the words you write must appear directly in the reading passage without altering their grammatical form.

3. False vs. Not Given: Avoiding the Classic Inference Trap

Strong academic readers often over-infer when a topic is mentioned in a paragraph. To distinguish False/No from Not Given:

When to choose FALSE or NO

The passage explicitly states the opposite fact or an incompatible quantity, direction, or relationship. You can highlight a specific sentence in the passage that proves the statement wrong.

When to choose NOT GIVEN

The passage mentions the subject or nouns in the question, but never confirms or denies the specific comparison, intention, or outcome claimed in the statement.

Practice with Interactive Passage Evidence Highlighting

Try our curated public sample passages or launch the adaptive reading workspace to practice across CEFR A1–C1 levels.

View Sample Passages Start Adaptive Practice →

1. The 12 Core IELTS Academic Question Types

True / False / Not Given

Evaluate whether a factual statement agrees with the information in the text (True), directly contradicts it (False), or is neither confirmed nor denied (Not Given).

Yes / No / Not Given

Evaluate whether a statement agrees with the views or claims of the writer (Yes), contradicts the writer’s view (No), or is not stated (Not Given).

Note, Summary & Sentence Completion

Fill in missing gaps using exact words from the passage or selections from a provided word bank while respecting strict word limits (e.g., ONE WORD ONLY).

Matching Headings & Information

Identify the main theme of each paragraph (Matching Headings) or locate which paragraph contains a specific piece of evidence, example, or cause-and-effect claim.

Matching Features & Sentence Endings

Connect researchers, historical periods, or architectural systems to their specific characteristics, or complete sentence stems accurately based on passage logic.

Multiple Choice (Single & Choose Two) & Short Answer

Select the single best analytical option, choose exactly two valid conclusions from five choices, or write a concise factual short answer.

2. Strict IELTS Word-Limit Rules Explained

One of the most common causes of lost marks in IELTS Academic Reading is exceeding the stated word limit on completion and short-answer questions:

ONE WORD ONLY: Writing two words (even adding an unnecessary article like “the turbine” when “turbine” is expected) is marked incorrect under strict instruction rules.

NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS: Your response may be one word or two words, but never three.

Hyphenated Words: Standard hyphenated compounds such as mass-timber or high-frequency count as a single word.

Passage Fidelity: For completion tasks without a word bank, the words you write must appear directly in the reading passage without altering their grammatical form.

3. False vs. Not Given: Avoiding the Classic Inference Trap

Strong academic readers often over-infer when a topic is mentioned in a paragraph. To distinguish False/No from Not Given:

When to choose FALSE or NO

The passage explicitly states the opposite fact or an incompatible quantity, direction, or relationship. You can highlight a specific sentence in the passage that proves the statement wrong.

When to choose NOT GIVEN

The passage mentions the subject or nouns in the question, but never confirms or denies the specific comparison, intention, or outcome claimed in the statement.