Identifying Information – IELTS Reading Task

This is one of the task candidates will be encountering in the IELTS reading test, this is also one of the task that candidates find confusing.  When do we use Not Given is the question we get so often.

This task is used to assess the candidate’s ability to find particular information found in the passage, this does not mean you have to memorize the passage to be able to discern whether an answer is True, False or Not Given; there is always a technique candidates can implore to help them pass any exam.

Here are some such techniques that could help you navigate through your Identifying information task in the IELTS reading:

·         Scan and Mark – the tip about scanning the passage still holds true, although I would also write what the general information of the paragraph is; this marking of the paragraph will give me an easier time to find any specific information I may need to verify.

·         Match statements or information – if you did the above advice, this particular advice will not take long and can be done whenever any doubt arises. Be careful when trying to match statements or information, the exact same words or phrase may not be used.

·         When to answer False – when the question states an information or statement opposite or contrary to what is mentioned in the passage.

·         When to answer Not Given – when the information or statement was never explicitly mentioned in the passage. Whether the information or statement may or may not be true is inconsequential.

·         When to answer True – when the information or statement was explicitly mentioned in the passage

NOTE: Candidates should understand that any knowledge they have on the topic outside the passage should not play any part when deciding on their answer.

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