# IELTS Yes No Not Given: Writer's Views Explained | topin IELTS guidesYes/No/Not Given Where IELTS Academic Reading, usually with passages that argue a point of view Answers YES, NO or NOT GIVEN for each statement Order Statements follow the order of the passage Marks One mark per statement, no penalty for a wrong answer Tests The writer's opinions, claims and attitude ## How it works You compare each statement with what the writer believes or claims. Write YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer, NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, and NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. Views the writer reports from other people count only if the writer adopts or rejects them. ## Worked example Passage: Many city councils now treat new cycle lanes as a cure for traffic congestion, but this confidence is misplaced. Lanes painted onto busy roads, with nothing to separate riders from traffic, do little to persuade nervous cyclists to leave their cars at home. What matters far more is a connected network that lets people complete a whole journey safely. Councils would do better to finish a few complete routes than to scatter short sections of lane across the city. Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer? Write YES, NO or NOT GIVEN. 1\. Building cycle lanes is enough on its own to solve congestion. 2\. Painted lanes without any barrier are unlikely to attract cautious cyclists. 3\. Cycle lanes cost less to build than bus lanes. Show the answer 1 NO, 2 YES, 3 NOT GIVEN 1 is NO: the writer reports that councils see lanes as a cure but calls this confidence misplaced, so the writer rejects the claim. 2 is YES because the writer says such lanes 'do little to persuade nervous cyclists'. 3 is NOT GIVEN: the writer never compares the cost of cycle lanes with bus lanes. ## A method for Yes/No/Not Given 1. 1 ### Skim for the writer's position first Before the statements, find the writer's overall argument, usually in the first and last paragraphs. Knowing the direction of the argument makes it much easier to judge each claim. 2. 2 ### Separate the writer's voice from reported views Phrases such as 'many people believe', 'it is often claimed' or 'councils treat' introduce other people's views. Read on to see whether the writer agrees, disagrees or stays silent. 3. 3 ### Watch the attitude words Words like misplaced, unfortunately, surprisingly, rightly and it is clear that carry the writer's opinion. They are often the whole basis for a YES or NO. 4. 4 ### Apply the contradiction test If the writer's view is the opposite of the statement, the answer is NO. If the writer never gives a view on that specific point, the answer is NOT GIVEN, even if the topic is discussed. 5. 5 ### Check strength and scope A writer who says something 'may help' has not claimed it 'will solve' the problem. Compare how strong the statement is with how strong the writer's claim is. ## Traps to avoid * Treating a view the writer reports as the writer's own opinion. * Choosing NO when the writer has simply not commented on the point. That is NOT GIVEN. * Ignoring hedging: 'may', 'in some cases' and 'tends to' limit what the writer is claiming. * Writing TRUE or FALSE on a Yes/No/Not Given set, which is marked wrong. ## Yes/No/Not Given FAQs What is the difference between Yes/No/Not Given and True/False/Not Given? Yes/No/Not Given is about the writer's views or claims. True/False/Not Given is about factual information. Use exactly the answer words given in the instructions for each set. What does Not Given mean in Yes/No/Not Given? It means it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about the statement, because the writer does not give a view on that point. Can I write TRUE instead of YES in IELTS Reading? No. If the instructions ask for YES, NO or NOT GIVEN, an answer of TRUE or FALSE is marked wrong. Do Yes/No/Not Given questions follow the passage order? Yes. The statements appear in the same order as the relevant parts of the passage. ## Try Yes/No/Not Given under real timing Your first full-length IELTS mock is free, with every section included. [Take the free mock ](/ielts/login)