IELTS Reading Yes No Not Given: Practice Questions, Rules & Tips
Yes No Not Given looks almost the same as True False Not Given, and that is exactly why it catches so many students out. Here you are not checking facts. You are deciding whether a statement matches what the writer thinks.
Below you will find what each answer means, how it differs from True False Not Given, 36 practice questions with explanations and a full exam-style task, so you can see why each answer is right.
What Yes, No and Not Given mean
Compare each statement with the writer's views or claims. What you think, or what is true in real life, does not count.
| Answer | Choose it when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| YES | The statement agrees with the writer's opinion or claim. | Text: In my view, the new park is a great success. Statement: The writer is pleased with the park. |
| NO | The statement goes against what the writer thinks. | Text: In my view, the new park is a great success. Statement: The writer thinks the park is a failure. |
| NOT GIVEN | You cannot tell what the writer thinks about this. | Text: In my view, the new park is a great success. Statement: The writer visits the park every week. |
The statements follow the order of the text, and the writer's views are usually signalled by words such as I believe, in my view, I suspect, it is clear that, unfortunately, should.
Yes No Not Given vs True False Not Given
The method is the same; the question is different. True False Not Given asks about facts: does the text give this information? Yes No Not Given asks about opinions: does the writer think this? You will see Yes No Not Given with texts that argue a point, such as reviews, opinion articles and the longer Section 3 texts.
A text often reports other people's views before giving the writer's own: Some people argue that homework is a waste of time. I disagree.
“The writer thinks homework is a waste of time.” → NO. The first sentence is someone else's opinion; I disagree is the writer's.
Small words matter here too. If the writer says something is true in almost every case, a statement that says always goes against their view.
Yes No Not Given practice
Read what the writer says, then decide about the statement. After each answer you will see the correct one and why, while the next question appears. Each round picks 15 of 36 questions at random, so play a few rounds. Tip: press Y, N or G on your keyboard.
Now try a full exam-style task
In the test, Yes No Not Given usually comes with a longer opinion text, like the one below. Give yourself about 5 minutes, write down your answers, and then open How to answer to check them step by step.
Questions 1–6
Read the text below and answer Questions 1–6.
Do we still need printed books?
Every few years someone announces the death of the printed book, and every few years the book survives. When e-readers became popular in the early 2010s, many publishers expected paper to disappear within a decade. It has not, and in my view the reasons say a great deal about how people actually read.
There is no doubt that e-books have real advantages. A single device can hold thousands of titles, text size can be adjusted for readers with poor eyesight, and a new book can be bought in seconds. For travellers and students, these are not small benefits.
Yet a printed book offers something a screen cannot easily copy. Readers often remember where on the page a passage appeared, and several studies suggest that people understand long, complex texts slightly better on paper. I suspect this is one reason why so many students still print important articles before they study them.
It would be wrong, however, to see the two as rivals. Most keen readers I know use both: an e-reader on the train, a paperback in bed. The real threat to reading is not the e-book but the endless stream of short videos competing for our attention, and that is a far harder problem to solve.
Questions 1–6
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the text?
In boxes 1–6 on your answer sheet, write
How to answer: step by step
- YES Publishers expected paper to disappear, but it has not, and every few years the book survives. The writer clearly thinks those predictions were wrong.
- NO For travellers and students, these are not small benefits. The writer says the opposite of “minor”.
- NOT GIVEN Buying a book in seconds is mentioned, but prices are not. You cannot tell what the writer thinks about cost.
- YES People understand long, complex texts slightly better on paper. “May help some readers” is a careful paraphrase of that view.
- NOT GIVEN The writer explains why students print articles, but never says whether they should stop. Explaining a habit is not judging it.
- YES The real threat to reading is not the e-book but the endless stream of short videos. The same view in different words.
Did you notice? Both NOT GIVEN statements sound like things the writer might think. That is the trap: the question is not whether it sounds likely, but whether the writer actually says it.
6 tips for Yes No Not Given questions
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1
Look for the writer's voice
I believe, in my view, I suspect, should, unfortunately: these words show you where the writer's own opinion is.
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2
Separate the writer from others
Some people argue, critics say, it is often claimed introduce other people's views. The writer may agree or disagree with them.
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3
Check the strength of the claim
A writer who says often or in most cases does not agree with a statement that says always or all.
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4
Don't fill the gaps
If the writer criticises something, it does not mean they want it banned. If they do not say it, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
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5
Use the order
The answers follow the order of the text, so the answer to question 4 comes after question 3. Use that to find your place quickly.
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6
Write YES or NO, not TRUE or FALSE
The words must match the question type. TRUE in a Yes No Not Given task is marked wrong, even if the meaning is right.
Yes No Not Given FAQ
Quick answers to the questions students ask most.
What is the difference between Yes No Not Given and True False Not Given?
True False Not Given asks whether the text gives a piece of information (facts). Yes No Not Given asks whether a statement agrees with the writer's views or claims (opinions). The way you answer is the same.
Can I write Y, N and NG?
Yes. On the answer sheet you can write YES, NO and NOT GIVEN or the short forms Y, N and NG. Do not write TRUE or FALSE, because those belong to a different question type.
Is Yes No Not Given in the General Training test?
It is more common in Academic Reading, but it can appear in General Training too, usually with the longer Section 3 text, which often includes opinions.
What is the difference between No and Not Given?
NO means the writer thinks the opposite of the statement. NOT GIVEN means the writer does not say what they think about it, so you cannot tell.
Are the answers in order?
Yes. The statements follow the order of the text, so the answer to each question comes after the previous one.
Want to know the other question types too? See all 11 IELTS Reading question types with examples, or practise True False Not Given and matching headings.
Ready for the whole test? Free IELTS General Reading practice test with answers