IELTS Reading: Skimming, Scanning & True/False/Not Given Mastery
Master IELTS Reading's hardest question types — True/False/Not Given, matching headings, and scanning techniques. With worked examples.
▶ Free College Predictor & study-abroad toolsThe Reading section structure
Three long passages, 40 questions, 60 minutes. Question types include multiple choice, True/False/Not Given, matching headings, gap-fill and short-answer. Each passage is 650–850 words covering academic topics. You must manage time — aim to spend no more than 20 minutes per passage.
Skimming and scanning basics
Skimming = read the first sentence of each paragraph for the gist. Scanning = search the text for a keyword to find the relevant sentence. Do NOT read every word. For a True/False/Not Given question, scan for the keyword and read around it carefully.
True/False/Not Given — the biggest trap
'Not Given' means the answer is not mentioned in the text (not that it's false). Most people choose False when they should choose Not Given. Read the question, scan for the relevant sentence, then decide: does the text affirm it (True), deny it (False), or say nothing about it (Not Given).
Matching headings strategy
Skim each paragraph for its main idea, then match to a heading. Common traps: headings that sound related but don't match the paragraph's focus. Read the paragraph fully first, summarise it in your head, then pick the closest heading.
Build speed + accuracy
Time yourself doing passages. If you finish in 15 minutes but get 6 questions wrong, you're reading too fast. If you finish in 25 minutes with only 1 wrong, you're close to the target pace.
Drill the hardest types free
LandingPrep has free IELTS Reading passages with True/False/Not Given and matching headings questions, with detailed answer explanations to clarify the difference between False and Not Given.