IELTS Reading Yes, No, Not Given: identify the writer’s view

Whose opinion are you being asked about?

These tasks concern the writer’s views or claims. Passages can also report opinions held by researchers, residents or critics. The fact that an opinion appears in the text does not automatically make it the writer’s own position. Read the surrounding sentences to understand whether the writer endorses, questions or merely reports the claim.

Look for evaluation as well as factual information. Phrases such as a promising approach, an unjustified assumption or a limited benefit indicate how an idea is being assessed. You do not need to agree with the position yourself; your job is to represent the passage accurately.

• Identify the person or group whose view is required.
• Compare the statement with the whole relevant claim.
• Write YES, NO or NOT GIVEN when those are the requested labels.

A worked example: compare meaning with the question

This original illustration explains the decision process. It is not an official IELTS question or a prediction of test content.

Original view-based example

Text: Although cycle lanes require investment, the author considers them a worthwhile way to make short urban journeys safer. 1. The author supports investment in cycle lanes. YES. 2. The author thinks cycle lanes are a waste of money. NO. 3. The author prefers cycling to taking a bus. NOT GIVEN: supporting cycle lanes does not reveal a personal travel preference.

A reported criticism is not necessarily the conclusion

An author may describe an objection and then reject it. Stopping at the objection can lead you to choose the opposite of the intended answer. Read contrast signals such as however and although in context, and check what the final clause actually asserts.

Do not replace this process with a search for positive or negative words. An apparently positive word can occur in a claim the author is criticising. Similarly, a question about the best solution cannot be settled by a passage that merely calls one option useful without comparing alternatives.

Practise explaining an opinion accurately

Use a short editorial paragraph from official preparation material. Write one sentence describing the writer’s view, then compare it with the answer key. Separate what is explicitly claimed from what you personally infer. Later, use the same discipline in Speaking Part 3: give your own position clearly instead of unintentionally reporting someone else’s opinion.

Read the complete IELTS Reading guide

Apply what you learn in Writing and Speaking

Turn useful expressions from your reading into your own sentences, then apply them in an original IELTS Writing response. Reading comprehension and writing performance are different skills, so keep practising both rather than assuming improvement automatically transfers.

The tools here provide AI practice feedback and band estimates for Writing and Speaking, not official results. Use a relevant original answer, review a specific weakness and try again. For Reading and Listening tests, use official preparation materials with their audio, passages and answer keys.

Related guide: IELTS Reading matching headings: find the main idea, not one detail