Yes, No, Not Given vs True, False, Not Given: What’s the Difference?
Kiran from Mangaluru answered a Yes/No/Not Given set as if it tested facts. The questions were about what the writer believed.
True/False/Not Given asks whether a statement agrees with the information in the text, while Yes/No/Not Given asks whether it agrees with the writer’s views or claims. The method is the same, but you look for opinion, not just information.
Facts vs Views: The Core Difference
In True/False/Not Given, the official question is “Do the following statements agree with the information in the text?”
In Yes/No/Not Given, it is “Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer?” or “…with the claims of the writer?” The labels differ too: you choose True, False or Not given for information, and Yes, No or Not given for the writer’s views.
Our True, False or Not Given 3-step method covers the first type.
The Two Question Types Compared
| Feature | True/False/Not Given | Yes/No/Not Given |
|---|---|---|
| What it tests | Recognising specific information in the text | Recognising opinions or ideas |
| TRUE / YES | The statement agrees with the information | The statement agrees with the writer’s view or claim |
| FALSE / NO | The statement contradicts the information | The statement contradicts the writer’s view or claim |
| NOT GIVEN | Neither agrees with nor contradicts the information | Neither agrees with nor contradicts the writer’s view |
| What to look for | Specific details, such as names, dates and numbers | Evaluative words, modal verbs and stance phrases |
The official Academic Reading page lists Yes/No/Not Given. The General Training Reading page does not list it. Our IELTS Reading question types overview shows where both types sit among the others.
How Writers Express Their Views
A writer can show a view without writing “in my opinion”. These signals help:
- Evaluative language: words such as flawed, essential or short-sighted show whether the writer approves of an idea.
- Modal verbs: should or must suggest a recommendation, while might or could suggest a tentative possibility.
- Stance phrases: it is clear that, arguably or a mistake reveal what the writer thinks.
Ask who holds each view. A view that the writer reports, such as “planners believe…”, is not the writer’s own unless the writer endorses it. Statements may reword the writer’s claims, so our paraphrase spotting guide is worth a look.
What NOT GIVEN Means for Writer’s Views
NOT GIVEN means the statement neither agrees with nor contradicts the writer’s view or claim. The writer may mention the topic and still give no opinion on the point. If the writer reports a debate without taking a side, a statement saying the writer backs one position is NOT GIVEN.
Practice passage (written for this post)
Urban planners routinely promote pedestrian zones as an effortless cure for traffic congestion, yet this view overlooks basic commercial realities. While pedestrianised boulevards undoubtedly reduce roadside air pollution, municipal councils make an unmistakable blunder when they ban delivery vehicles entirely. Retailers on converted avenues face rising logistics costs, and small shopkeepers suffer most. Restricting private cars during peak business hours is perfectly reasonable, but removing commercial access altogether is short-sighted and economically unsustainable. City authorities should instead introduce strict delivery time windows and subsidise electric cargo tricycles for local merchants. A balanced policy that protects small businesses offers the best route to long-term urban vitality.
Questions
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer? Choose YES, NO or NOT GIVEN.
- The writer believes that banning all delivery vehicles from pedestrian areas is an error.
- The writer accepts the planners’ view that pedestrian zones are an effortless cure for traffic congestion.
- The writer expects local merchants to welcome subsidies for electric cargo tricycles.
- The writer maintains that pedestrian zones lead to improved local air quality.
Show answers
- YES — the writer says councils make “an unmistakable blunder when they ban delivery vehicles entirely”, so the writer sees the ban as an error.
- NO — planners promote zones as “an effortless cure for traffic congestion, yet this view overlooks basic commercial realities”, so the writer rejects the planners’ view.
- NOT GIVEN — the writer says authorities should “subsidise electric cargo tricycles for local merchants” but gives no view on how merchants will react.
- YES — the writer says pedestrianised boulevards “undoubtedly reduce roadside air pollution”, which agrees with the statement.
Common Misconceptions to Avoid
Incorrect: “Answering from what most people think.”
Correct: The official instructions warn against using what you already know about the topic, so judge the statement by the text alone.
Incorrect: “Treating a fact the writer reports as the writer’s opinion.”
Correct: “The council banned vehicles” is a fact; “banning them was a blunder” is the writer’s view, shown by evaluative language.
Tip
For each view in the text, note who holds it, then check whether the writer agrees.
Key Takeaways
- Yes/No/Not Given checks the writer’s views or claims, not facts in the text.
- Evaluative words, modal verbs and phrases like it is clear that signal a view.
- A view the writer reports without endorsing is not the writer’s own.
- NOT GIVEN means the text neither agrees with nor contradicts the writer’s view.
The bottom line: On opinion questions, ask whether this writer says so, not whether you agree.