Factual Information questions are one of the most common and straightforward question types in the TOEFL Reading section. These questions test your ability to locate and confirm explicitly stated information in the passage. You are not required to make inferences or interpret deeper meanings. Instead, your job is to find facts and match them with the correct answer.
Understanding and answering factual questions correctly is essential because:
They typically appear early in the question set for each passage.
They are generally easier and quicker to answer, helping you manage time.
They serve as a foundation for answering more complex questions that follow.
They often point you to important sections of the passage that may help with other questions.
By mastering factual questions, you can build confidence and secure essential points.
“According to the passage, which of the following is true?”
“The author states that…”
“Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?”
“What does the passage say about…?”
“The passage provides information that…”
These questions always refer directly to a specific fact or detail mentioned in the passage. You must read carefully and match the right part of the text to the options.
Factual questions appear in all reading passages and often among the first 3–5 questions for each passage. Since each passage has 10 questions, you can expect 2–3 factual questions per passage.
Look for these clues:
Keywords like “states,” “mentions,” “according to,” or “is true.”
Questions that focus on who, what, where, when, or how.
No need to make inferences or draw conclusions.
Answer is directly quoted or paraphrased in the passage.
Skim the passage to get a general idea.
Scan the text for keywords that appear in the question.
Use proper nouns, dates, and specific terms to locate information quickly.
Match the keywords or phrases from the question to the exact sentence or section in the passage.
Be alert to paraphrasing—TOEFL often rephrases information in the options.
Read the entire sentence or paragraph in which the keyword appears.
Double-check that every part of the answer option matches what’s said in the passage.
Even one incorrect detail can make an option wrong.
An option may contain some correct elements but one wrong detail. This is a trap answer. Only fully accurate choices are correct.
Some answer choices include information not mentioned in the passage at all. If it sounds unfamiliar, verify before selecting it.
TOEFL sometimes gives answer choices that reverse the factual content. Always double-check the direction of the statement.
Some wrong options include the same words used in the passage but change the meaning. Don’t fall for these unless the context matches exactly.
Identify the main idea of the question. Look for keywords that will help you find the information in the passage.
Use your skimming and scanning skills to go directly to the paragraph that contains the answer.
Read 1–2 sentences before and after the keyword to fully understand the context. Don’t rely on isolated sentences.
Cross out:
Options with wrong details
Information not mentioned in the passage
Opposite or reversed facts
General statements when the question asks for something specific
Make sure the correct answer matches the exact meaning of the sentence(s) from the passage. Paraphrasing is acceptable, but the meaning must be the same.
“The Amazon rainforest is home to more than 400 billion individual trees, representing about 16,000 different species. These trees play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, which helps regulate the global climate.”
According to the passage, what role do trees in the Amazon rainforest play?
A) They are the primary source of rainfall in the region.
B) They produce energy for nearby communities.
C) They help control the Earth’s climate.
D) They prevent deforestation through natural growth.
C) They help control the Earth’s climate.
Why? The passage states that Amazon trees absorb CO₂ and produce oxygen, which helps regulate the global climate—paraphrased in choice C.
Yes, they are generally easier because the answer is explicitly stated. However, they still require careful reading to avoid trap answers.
You can expect about 2–3 factual questions in each of the 2 reading passages on the TOEFL.
No. Factual questions are based on specific information, so you only need to understand the part of the passage where the answer is located.
Choose articles from sites like National Geographic, Scientific American, or BBC History. Practice locating facts and summarizing them in your own words.
Use sample TOEFL passages and practice finding where in the text a fact is located in under 30 seconds.
When you answer a question incorrectly, go back and find out why the wrong option was tempting and why the correct option is accurate.
Some factual questions use synonyms or paraphrases. For example, the word “important” in the passage may appear as “significant” in the answer choice. Understanding these substitutions helps avoid confusion.
Factual questions ask about specific details mentioned directly in the passage.
They test your ability to locate, read, and confirm information—no inference needed.
Use keywords, context clues, and elimination strategies to find the correct answer.
Beware of trap answers that are partially true or reverse the information.
Mastering this question type boosts your TOEFL Reading score and saves valuable time.