True/False/Cannot Say guide
True/False/Cannot Say questions give you a short passage and a statement. Your verdict must rest on what the passage asserts and nothing else: True if the passage supports it, False if the passage contradicts it, and Cannot Say if the passage settles neither — no matter how plausible the statement sounds.
The method
- Read the statement first, then find the exact part of the passage it refers to.
- Apply the closure test: is this claim inside what the passage actually says? If the passage neither supports nor contradicts it, the answer is Cannot Say.
- Check quantifiers and polarity precisely — 'some' is not 'most', and a near-synonym is not always the same claim.
- Never top up the passage with world knowledge. Only the text on the page counts.
How to solve True, False and Cannot Say questions reliably
Treat the passage as a closed world. True needs direct support or a necessary consequence; False needs a real contradiction; Cannot Say applies when the text leaves the claim open. Plausibility and outside knowledge never complete missing evidence.
The fastest accurate routine is statement first, passage second: underline the claim's subject, quantity, time and cause, then locate the matching passage sentence. Compare those four features before choosing a verdict. Words such as all, only, always, caused and will are common scope changes.
Final check before you answer
- Can you point to the sentence that supports or contradicts the whole claim?
- Did the statement strengthen some into all, may into will, or association into cause?
- If neither side is proved, choose Cannot Say instead of guessing from experience.
Common mistakes
- Answering from outside knowledge instead of the passage.
- Quantifier shift — reading 'some' as 'most' or 'all'.
- Treating a near-synonym as the same claim when it isn't co-extensive.
- Misreading a negation or polarity.
- Marking a plausible-but-unstated claim True instead of Cannot Say.
Worked examples
Three real questions from this category, moving from easy to hard, with the verified answer and the exact evidence that decides each one.
Example 1: easy
The pharmacy delivers prescriptions free of charge. Customers may speak to the pharmacist without an appointment. The pharmacy is closed on Sundays.
Statement: Prescriptions are delivered by the pharmacy at no charge.
Verified answer: True
The evidence
The pharmacy delivers prescriptions free of charge. Customers may speak to the pharmacist without an appointment. The pharmacy is closed on Sundays.
The highlighted text decides the answer.
What to notice
The passage says the pharmacy delivers prescriptions free of charge.
The rule
'Free of charge' and 'at no charge', active to passive — same fact, True.
Why the others are wrong
- False: Delivery is free, so False contradicts it.
- Cannot Say: Delivery cost is stated, so it is answerable.
Example 2: medium
Bouquets ordered before noon are delivered the same afternoon. The flowers, which arrive each morning, come from a nearby grower that uses no pesticides. Vases can be hired for events.
Statement: An order placed before midday reaches the customer that same afternoon.
Verified answer: True
The evidence
Bouquets ordered before noon are delivered the same afternoon. The flowers, which arrive each morning, come from a nearby grower that uses no pesticides. Vases can be hired for events.
The highlighted text decides the answer.
What to notice
The passage says bouquets ordered before noon are delivered the same afternoon.
The rule
'Before noon'='before midday', 'delivered'='reaches the customer' — same fact, True.
Why the others are wrong
- False: Same-afternoon delivery is stated, so False contradicts it.
- Cannot Say: The timing is stated, so it is answerable.
Example 3: hard
Riders of every level of experience are accompanied by an instructor whenever they take the horses onto the bridleway. Helmets, which are inspected regularly, are checked and fitted for all riders before they mount. Each lesson lasts an hour.
Statement: All riders, whatever their experience, are escorted by an instructor on any ride along the bridleway.
Verified answer: True
The evidence
Riders of every level of experience are accompanied by an instructor whenever they take the horses onto the bridleway. Helmets, which are inspected regularly, are checked and fitted for all riders before they mount. Each lesson lasts an hour.
The highlighted text decides the answer.
What to notice
The passage says riders of every level are accompanied by an instructor whenever they take the horses onto the bridleway.
The rule
'Of every level of experience'='whatever their experience', 'accompanied'='escorted', 'whenever they take the horses onto the bridleway'='on any ride along the bridleway' — True.
Why the others are wrong
- False: All riders are escorted, so False contradicts it.
- Cannot Say: The escort rule is stated, so it is answerable.
Frequently asked questions
When is the answer Cannot Say?
When the passage neither supports nor contradicts the statement — the information simply isn't there. Cannot Say is about the passage, not about whether the claim is true in the real world.
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Editorial responsibility: Alexander Torstensson. See the verification and corrections process.