Reading · Unit 3: Core strategies
R31: True/False/Not Given with tricky words: some, all, only, always
Target band 6.5 to 7
In True/False/Not Given, one small word can flip the answer. The passage says some students. The statement says all students. The passage says may. The statement says will. If you read too fast, these look the same. At band 7 and above, catching these tiny words is what separates right from wrong.
Why this matters
IELTS writers build statements carefully. They take a sentence from the passage and change one small word. That one word decides whether the answer is TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN. These are called qualifiers. Learning to spot them is one of the fastest ways to improve in this question type.
The main qualifiers
| Type | Words to watch |
|---|---|
| How many | all, most, many, some, a few, none |
| How often | always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never |
| How certain | will, definitely, may, might, could, possibly |
| Limits | only, mainly, mostly, just, the first, the largest |
| Change | increase, decrease, remain the same |
| Comparison | more than, less than, as much as, the same as |
How qualifiers change the answer
Passage: Some scientists believe the drug could help patients with memory loss.
| Statement | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Some scientists think the drug may help memory loss patients. | TRUE | Same meaning |
| All scientists agree the drug helps memory loss patients. | FALSE | Some became all, and could became helps |
| The drug will definitely cure memory loss. | FALSE | Could help is not will definitely cure |
| The drug is cheaper than other treatments. | NOT GIVEN | Price isn't mentioned |
A worked example
Most visitors to the national park arrive in summer, although the park is open all year. The only way to reach the main lake is on foot, and the walk usually takes about two hours. Wild bears are sometimes seen near the lake, but they have never attacked a visitor here.
True, False or Not Given?
- The park closes in winter.
- All visitors come in summer.
- There is a road to the main lake.
- Bears are always seen near the lake.
- Bears have never attacked people in the park.
- The walk to the lake is difficult.
Show the answers
- FALSE. "open all year"
- FALSE. "Most visitors", not all.
- FALSE. "The only way... is on foot."
- FALSE. "sometimes seen", not always.
- TRUE. "they have never attacked a visitor here."
- NOT GIVEN. It takes two hours, but the passage doesn't say it's difficult.
A simple habit
When you read a statement, circle or highlight every qualifier. Then find the matching sentence in the passage and check whether its qualifier is the same, stronger, weaker or missing.
Honest note
Real test statements can be more subtle than these. If you spend more than 90 seconds deciding between two answers, make your best choice and move on (R14).
Your task today
Take a True/False/Not Given block. Highlight every qualifier in the statements before you look at the passage.