What each answer means
| Answer | Choose it when | Not when |
|---|---|---|
| True | The passage says it, or it must follow from what the passage says. | It is true in real life, or merely likely from the passage. |
| False | The passage says the opposite, or the statement cannot be true if the passage is. | The passage simply does not mention it. |
| Can't Tell | The passage neither confirms nor contradicts it. You would need more information. | You have not found the relevant sentence yet. |
The passage is the whole world
Judge the statement only against the passage. If the passage says something you know to be wrong, it is still true for this question. If you know something the passage does not say, it does not count.
The five traps
- A stronger word. The passage says "many" and the statement says "most"; the passage says "may" and the statement says "will". A statement that claims more than the passage is Can't Tell, not True.
- Cause slipped in. The passage says one thing happened after another. The statement says the first caused the second. Unless the passage states the cause as fact, that is Can't Tell.
- Someone's opinion presented as fact. "The manager believes sales rose because of the move" tells you what she believes, not why sales rose.
- A comparison the passage never makes. "Higher than elsewhere", "the first", "the largest": check that the passage actually compares.
- Half right. The first half of the statement matches the passage word for word, and the second half adds something new. Read to the end.
A worked example
Original example: one passage, five statements
The Harrow Street market has traded every Saturday since 1987. It began with eleven stalls selling fruit and vegetables and now has more than sixty, about a third of which sell hot food. In 2019 the council moved the market from a car park onto the street itself, which is closed to traffic for the day, and stallholders reported that takings rose in the year that followed. The market manager, Priya Rao, says the move brought in more passing shoppers, though she adds that two apartment blocks opened nearby in the same year. Stall fees have risen twice since the move.
- The market has more stalls now than when it began.
- The move onto the street caused takings to rise.
- Most of the stalls sell hot food.
- Stall fees at the market are higher than at other markets in the city.
- The market has always been held on the street itself.
Answer: True, Can't Tell, False, Can't Tell, False
1. True. Eleven stalls at the start, more than sixty now.
2. Can't Tell. Takings rose after the move, and the manager credits it, but she also names another possible reason. The passage never states the cause as fact. This is traps 2 and 3 together.
3. False. About a third sell hot food, which is not most.
4. Can't Tell. Fees have risen, but no other market is mentioned. This is trap 4.
5. False. It was in a car park until 2019.
The method, step by step
- Read the statement first, not the passage. Pick the word in it that is easiest to find: a name, a number, a date or an unusual term.
- Find that word in the passage and read the sentence it is in, with the one before and after.
- Compare claim with claim. Does the passage say this, say the opposite, or say something close but weaker?
- If you cannot find it, scan once more for a synonym. Only then choose Can't Tell. It should be a decision, not a shrug.
How long to spend
Verbal Reasoning allows 22 minutes for 44 questions: thirty seconds each, or two minutes for a passage and its four questions. True, False or Can't Tell questions should be the quick ones.
- About 20 to 25 seconds a statement once you have found your place, which leaves a little over for the four-option questions.
- Do not read the whole passage first. The first statement will take you to one part of it; the others usually to different parts.
- At two minutes on a passage, guess what is left and move on. A fresh passage is worth more than a stubborn statement.
Timing and time per question gives the checkpoints for the whole subtest.
Practise them
After each practice set, look at every one you got wrong and name the trap. Most students find that one or two traps account for nearly all their errors, which makes them easy to fix. Try free Verbal Reasoning questions, or read the full Verbal Reasoning guide.
Official sources
Dates, fees and entry rules change every year. Always confirm them on the official page before you act on them.