True / False / Can't Tell

T/F/CT questions give you a statement (not a question) and three options:

• True - the passage supports this statement
• False - the passage contradicts this statement
• Can't Tell - the passage doesn't address this (not enough information)

These make up ~40-50% of VR questions and appear in 2-3 of your 11 sets. They're the bread and butter of VR.

Five steps, target 10-15 seconds per statement:

1. Read the statement. Understand what it means - rephrase in your own words if needed. Don't just read the words.
2. Pick your keyword. Same rules as Lesson 1.2: proper nouns, numbers, dates, distinctive terms.
3. Scan the passage. Eyes move through the text looking only for your keyword or a related term.
4. Read 2-3 sentences. The sentence containing the keyword plus one before and one after.
5. Apply MOO. Match → True. Opposite → False. Outside → Can't Tell.

Compare the statement to what the passage says, then apply the matching rule:

The golden rule of Can't Tell: If you find yourself reasoning beyond what the passage says - bringing in real-world knowledge, making assumptions, or connecting dots the passage doesn't connect - it's Can't Tell.

This trips up more students than anything else. Here's the one-line rule:

If the passage doesn't address it at all, it's Can't Tell. If the passage says the opposite, it's False.

False requires evidence against the statement - the passage must actively contradict it. Can't Tell means the passage is silent on the topic. Think of it this way: you can't call someone a liar if they never spoke.

Example 1: Direct Match (True)

Passage excerpt: "Since the early Macbooks, Apple has always been amongst the most creative and loved companies."

Statement: "Apple is considered one of the best laptop designers in the world."

Example 2: Subtle Contradiction (False)

Passage excerpt: "As many foreign footballers now enjoy playing in England, Portuguese international Ronaldo followed his fellow countryman Tiago to play for Manchester United."

Statement: "Ronaldo was the first foreign footballer to play for Manchester United."

Trap: The statement sounds plausible. But "followed his fellow countryman" directly contradicts "first."

Example 3: Outside Knowledge Trap (Can't Tell)

Passage excerpt: "A volcano on Earth is a vent or fissure in the planet's crust through which lava, ash, rock and gases erupt."

Statement: "Volcanoes are a threat to human lives."

This is the classic Can't Tell trap. Your brain screams "obviously true!" but the passage doesn't address it. Ignore outside knowledge.

Example 4: Two-Part Statement Trap (False)

Passage excerpt: "Lord Eden Dell's family has owned a valued Picasso painting since 1750. He inherited the county from his father upon his death."

Statement: "Lord Eden Dell has owned the land since 1750."

Critical trap: One part of the statement is true, giving a false sense of security. Always check EVERY part of the statement against the passage.

These patterns appear repeatedly in T/F/CT. Memorise them.

Trap 1: Superlative vs Comparative

Passage: "Ahmed has a higher salary than his colleagues."
Statement: "Ahmed has the highest salary in the team."
Answer: Can't Tell
Why: "higher" (comparative) ≠ "highest" (superlative). Someone else could earn even more.

Trap 2: Qualifier Mismatch

Passage: "Exercise can improve mental health."
Statement: "Exercise will definitely improve mental health."
Answer: Can't Tell
Why: "can" (possibility) ≠ "will definitely" (certainty).

Trap 3: Future Tense

Passage: "The technology shows promise for treating cancer."
Statement: "This technology will cure cancer."
Answer: Can't Tell
Why: "shows promise" ≠ "will cure". No passage can guarantee the future.

Trap 4: Reversed Logic

Passage: "All doctors are university graduates."
Statement: "All university graduates are doctors."
Answer: False
Why: Logic doesn't reverse - A → B does not mean B → A.

1. Confusing False and Can't Tell - If the passage says nothing about the topic, it's Can't Tell, not False. False requires the passage to say the opposite.
2. Using outside knowledge - "Everyone knows volcanoes are dangerous" -> irrelevant if the passage doesn't say it.
3. Only checking half the statement - Always verify every claim in the statement, especially two-part statements.
4. Spending too long - If you can't resolve it in 15 seconds, make your best guess and move on. These are worth the same as every other question.

Next lesson: Applying the same scanning technique to "According to the passage" questions - where you have 4 answer options instead of 3.