HKDSE English Language Paper 1: How to Approach T / F / NG Questions

Vocabulary flashcards defining core terms, decision rules, and 16 critical reading traps for True, False, and Not Given (T/F/NG) questions in HKDSE English Language Paper 1.

True (HKDSE Reading Definition)

A statement that agrees with the information in the text and is supported by textual evidence.

False (HKDSE Reading Definition)

A statement that gives incorrect information which contradicts the information in the text, as shown by textual evidence.

Not Given (HKDSE Reading Definition)

A statement that cannot be proved correct or incorrect using textual evidence.

Textual Evidence Criterion

The principle that neither True nor False is defined by whether the same words in the given statement are used in the reading passage or not.

Absence Is Not Denial

The reading rule stating that if the text neither supports nor contradicts a claim, the answer is Not Given, not False, because both True and False require textual evidence.

Quantifier Shifts

The trap where the quantifier 'some' establishes that members of a group do something, but on its own does not establish that others do not, unless explicitly ruled out by wording such as 'only some' or 'not all'.

Different vs. Contradictory

The principle that two different claims are not contradictory if both could be true; a claim is only False if the text explicitly rules it out.

Contradictory Statements

Statements that cannot both be true or both be false, where one statement directly denies the other.

Contrary Statements

Statements that cannot both be true, but can both be false because a middle possibility exists between the two extremes.

Strength of Claim Trap

A trap involving modal verbs where possibility does not establish certainty; a stronger statement is not automatically False, but typically Not Given when the text only supports possibility.

Paraphrase in Reading

The use of different words to express the same meaning, allowing a statement to be evaluated as True by comparing meanings rather than matching words.

Agent Reversal

A reading trap that occurs when the roles of who performed an action and who received it are reversed, resulting in False when the text explicitly rules out that reversal.

Comparisons and Rankings Rule

The rule that describing an item as 'important' does not establish it as 'most important' or 'highest priority' without textual evidence ranking it against other items.

Actions vs. Motives Principle

The principle that what someone did and why they did it are separate claims; an action described in the text does not automatically prove a specific motive.

Sequence vs. Cause

The logical error of assuming that because one event followed another chronologically, the first event caused the second event to happen.

Order of Mention Principle

The rule that the sequential order in which items or topics are listed in a passage does not necessarily establish their chronological order or teaching order.

Compound Statements Rule

The rule for evaluating 'and' statements: both parts must be supported for True, one contradicted part makes the statement False, and one undecided part makes it Not Given provided nothing is contradicted.

Condition Qualifications

Explicit qualifiers such as 'only if', 'unless', and 'provided that' which must not be removed; claiming an outcome can occur without meeting a required condition contradicts the text.

Clear Inference

A logical deduction that follows necessarily from the text, allowing a statement to be supported as True without repeating the text's exact wording.

Viewpoint Attribution

The principle that one individual's personal belief or perspective does not establish the opinions, agreement, or consensus of others.

Value Words vs. Behaviour

The rule that a passage mentioning that an institution promotes a specific value or aim does not establish that every individual student or member practises that behaviour.