What Yes / No / Not Given questions test
These questions target the writer’s stance. "Yes" means the statement agrees with the writer’s opinion or claim. "No" means the statement contradicts the writer’s view. "Not Given" means the writer never expresses an opinion on that point, so you cannot say whether they would agree or disagree.
Step-by-step strategy
- 1Identify the claim in the statement and, crucially, whose opinion it represents — these passages often quote several people, so track who is speaking.
- 2Scan the passage for opinion signals: verbs like "argues", "believes", "suggests", "claims", and phrases such as "in the author’s view".
- 3Read the relevant sentences and decide whether the writer would agree (Yes), disagree (No), or has simply not offered a view (Not Given).
- 4Distinguish the writer’s own opinion from opinions they merely report — the answer follows the writer’s position, not a quoted third party unless the writer endorses it.
Common traps to avoid
- Treating a reported opinion (someone else’s view mentioned by the writer) as the writer’s own conclusion.
- Choosing "No" when the writer is neutral or silent — that is Not Given.
- Missing hedging language ("may", "could", "it is possible") that softens a claim so it no longer matches an absolute statement.
- Assuming the writer must hold an opinion just because the topic is discussed.
Timing advice
Budget roughly a minute per question. Opinion questions reward careful reading over speed, so spend your time understanding the writer’s attitude in the target sentences rather than skimming for keywords.