True False & Maybe Statements
<p>These questions give you a short passage or a set of facts and then present several statements. For each statement, you must decide whether it is definitely TRUE, definitely FALSE, or whether there is NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION to tell (sometimes called MAYBE or CANNOT SAY).</p>
<h2>The Three Options</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>TRUE:</strong> the statement must be correct based on the passage</li>
<li><strong>FALSE:</strong> the statement must be wrong based on the passage</li>
<li><strong>CANNOT SAY / MAYBE:</strong> the passage does not give enough information to decide either way</li>
</ul>
<h2>Worked Example</h2>
<p>Passage: "There are 30 children in Class 6B. Eighteen of them walk to school. Seven come by car. The rest cycle."</p>
<p>Statement 1: "More children walk than come by car." → TRUE (18 walk, 7 by car, 18 > 7).</p>
<p>Statement 2: "Five children cycle to school." → TRUE (30 − 18 − 7 = 5).</p>
<p>Statement 3: "Some children take the bus." → FALSE (the passage accounts for all 30 children: walk, car, or cycle. None are left for the bus).</p>
<p>Statement 4: "Class 6B has more children than Class 6A." → CANNOT SAY (the passage tells us nothing about Class 6A).</p>
<h2>How to Approach These Questions</h2>
<ol>
<li><strong>Read the passage carefully</strong> — you may need to read it two or three times</li>
<li><strong>Read the statement</strong></li>
<li><strong>Look for evidence</strong> in the passage that supports or contradicts the statement</li>
<li>If the passage directly supports it → TRUE</li>
<li>If the passage directly contradicts it → FALSE</li>
<li>If the passage says nothing about it → CANNOT SAY</li>
</ol>
<h2>The "Cannot Say" Trap</h2>
<p>The most common mistake is choosing TRUE or FALSE when the answer is actually CANNOT SAY. Just because something seems likely does not make it true. If the passage does not mention it, you cannot confirm or deny it.</p>
<p><strong>Worked Example:</strong> Passage: "Sarah scored the highest mark in the maths test." Statement: "Sarah is the best at maths in her class."</p>
<p>This seems like it should be TRUE, but the passage only tells us about ONE test. Sarah might have scored highest this time but not usually. Also, being "best at maths" covers more than test scores. Answer: CANNOT SAY.</p>
<h2>Spotting FALSE Statements</h2>
<p>Look for statements that directly contradict the passage. Watch for small changes in wording:</p>
<p>Passage says: "All pupils must wear a blazer." Statement: "Pupils can choose whether to wear a blazer." → FALSE (the passage says they MUST, not that they can choose).</p>
<p>Also watch for changes in numbers, names, or timeframes.</p>
<h2>Statements with "All," "Some," "None"</h2>
<p>These words are crucial:</p>
<ul>
<li>If the passage says "some children like football," the statement "all children like football" is CANNOT SAY (it might be true but we do not know)</li>
<li>If the passage says "all children like football," the statement "some children like football" is TRUE (if all do, then certainly some do)</li>
<li>If the passage says "no children like football," the statement "some children like football" is FALSE</li>
</ul>
<h2>Worked Example with a Longer Passage</h2>
<p>"The school library opens at 8:30 am and closes at 4:00 pm. It has over 5,000 books. Mrs Taylor is the librarian. Pupils can borrow up to three books at a time."</p>
<p>Statement: "The library has exactly 5,000 books." → FALSE (it says OVER 5,000).<br>
Statement: "The library is open for 7.5 hours." → TRUE (8:30 to 4:00 = 7.5 hours).<br>
Statement: "Mrs Taylor enjoys her job." → CANNOT SAY (we know nothing about her feelings).<br>
Statement: "A pupil can borrow 4 books." → FALSE (the limit is 3).</p>
<h2>Practice Tips</h2>
<ul>
<li>Underline key facts in the passage before looking at the statements</li>
<li>For each statement, physically point to the place in the passage that supports your answer — if you cannot point to anything, it is probably CANNOT SAY</li>
<li>Be very careful with words like "all," "some," "always," "never," "only" — they change meaning completely</li>
<li>Do not use your own knowledge or opinions — only use what the passage tells you</li>
<li>Practise with a timer: aim for about 1 minute per statement</li>
</ul>