Video summary

Super Detailed Band 9 Guide for True False Not Give in IELTS Reading

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons in the video (IELTS Reading: True / False / Not Given)

1) Global strategy: don’t do question types one-by-one

  • The speaker warns against completing only one question type at a time (e.g., doing all True/False/Not Given first, then matching).
  • Instead, to avoid re-reading passages repeatedly:
    • Do all question types for a passage simultaneously.
    • This (as claimed) helps you finish all 40 questions in under an hour.

2) Specific order for True / False / Not Given

  • For matching information: read paragraphs first, then questions.
  • For True / False / Not Given (the focus of this video):
    • Read the questions first, then read the relevant paragraphs.
    • The first pass through questions should be quick—focus on locating words.

Methodology: step-by-step approach

A) Before reading a paragraph: quick question scan

  1. Read the question quickly (don’t analyze deeply yet).
  2. Find “locating words”—words/phrases that help you jump to the answer in the passage.
    • Locating words are usually:
      • People’s names
      • Place names / geographical references
      • Book titles / document names (e.g., Bible)
      • Time references (e.g., “20th century”, “3rd BC”)
      • Or distinctive “special wording” when no names/time/places exist (e.g., “renewable source,” “raw material,” “luxury products,” “long hair,” etc.)
  3. Remember: Not Given vs True/False depends on whether the passage supports or contradicts meaning, not only on shared keywords.

B) While reading the paragraph: locate + understand meaning

  1. Read the paragraph once, but don’t only hunt for locating words—also grasp the general meaning/context, because the answer sentence may depend on surrounding information.
  2. After you locate the relevant section, re-read the question carefully (you may forget what it asked).

C) Determine the answer using reference words and paraphrase

  1. Handle reference words that hide the target idea:
    • “those,” “these,” “it,” “they,” “other aspects,” “this conclusion,” etc.
    • Trace what the pronoun/reference points to (e.g., “those” = “forest problems confined to Mediterranean countries”).
  2. Use paraphrase logic:
    • If the passage restates the question in different words → typically True.
    • If the passage contradicts the question → False.
  3. If the passage does not confirm or contradict, choose Not Given.
    • Core rule:
      • Not Given = the question and passage discuss different ideas/claims, or the missing detail is not stated.

Practical examples of locating-word choices

  • If the question includes place names: use them (e.g., “Mediterranean countries”, “Nordic countries”).
  • If the question includes time: use the time reference (e.g., “20th century”, “3rd BC”, “500 years ago”).
  • If neither is present: use distinctive content words/phrases (e.g., “renewable source,” “raw material,” “natural,” “policy,” “luxury products,” etc.).
  • If the question includes a document title: use it to jump directly (e.g., “Bible”).

How the speaker decides True / False / Not Given (conceptual rule)

  • True
    • The passage meaning matches the question, often via rephrasing.
  • False
    • The passage meaning contradicts the question (sometimes using cause-effect or “therefore” logic, or opposite claims).
  • Not Given
    • The passage does not state the required claim, even if related words appear.

Examples given in the video

  • Written record dating back to the 3rd BC
    • Question asks about a written record dating back to the 3rd BC.
    • Passage separates:
      • “archaeological material dating from the 3rd BC”
      • “written evidence” (without linking it to the 3rd BC)
    • → therefore Not Given.
  • Queen establishing a trade route
    • Question asks whether the queen established a trade route.
    • Passage only says she:
      • “brought something back to plant in her temple”
    • → therefore Not Given.

Key conclusions / final tips emphasized

  • The speaker claims “Not Given” is usually the hardest option because:
    • The question and passage may share related topics/keywords, but the passage may not confirm the specific claim.
  • Final “Not Given” justification examples emphasized:
    • “literacy” question vs passage about “distance education”
    • “establishing a trade route” question vs passage about “bringing back a plant to her temple”

Speakers / sources featured

  • Speaker/host: The unnamed instructor/YouTuber delivering the IELTS strategy lesson.
  • Sources mentioned inside the content:
    • The Bible (referenced in example questions).
  • No other external speakers are featured.

Original video