The Most Common Trap: "Can't Tell" vs "False"

While the Can't Tell vs True error is more common, the Can't Tell vs False error is equally costly. This error occurs when a statement seems wrong — either because it conflicts with your expectations or because it appears to conflict with the passage — but the passage does not actually contradict it. This lesson trains you to distinguish between genuine contradiction (False) and the absence of confirmation (Can't Tell).

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The Core Distinction

Scenario	Correct Answer
The passage says something that conflicts with the statement	False
The passage does not address the topic of the statement	Can't Tell
The statement seems wrong but the passage does not contradict it	Can't Tell
The statement seems unlikely but the passage is silent	Can't Tell

The key question: Does the passage contain specific information that is incompatible with the statement?

• Yes → False
• No → Can't Tell (even if the statement seems absurd)

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Why This Error Occurs

Reason 1: Using External Knowledge to Contradict

You know the statement is factually incorrect, so you select False — but the passage does not address the topic.

Passage: "The pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, based in Denmark, has seen its share price rise significantly following the success of its diabetes and obesity medications."

Statement: "Novo Nordisk is based in Sweden."

Your knowledge says: False — Novo Nordisk is based in Denmark, and the passage even says so.

Wait — the passage does say Denmark. In this case, it IS False. But consider:

Statement: "Novo Nordisk was founded in the 1920s."

Your knowledge says: True (or False, depending on what you think). But what does the passage say about when the company was founded? Nothing. Answer: Can't Tell.

Reason 2: Confusing "Not Confirmed" with "Contradicted"

The passage supports one thing but does not address the alternative. You assume the alternative must be false.

Passage: "The study was conducted at three hospitals in Manchester."

Statement: "The study was also conducted in Birmingham."

Your reasoning: The passage says Manchester, not Birmingham. So False.

Correct answer: Can't Tell. The passage says the study was conducted in Manchester. It does not say the study was only conducted in Manchester. The study might have included other locations not mentioned. Unless the passage uses limiting language ("only in Manchester", "exclusively in Manchester"), we cannot determine whether Birmingham was involved.

Critical Rule: The absence of mention is not the same as exclusion — unless the passage uses words like "only", "exclusively", "solely", or "no other."

Reason 3: Emotional Rejection

The statement describes something you find implausible or morally objectionable, which triggers a "False" response.

Passage: "The country's government has invested heavily in education, with spending rising by 25% over the past five years."

Statement: "The government does not value education."

Your feeling: Of course they value it — they increased spending by 25%!

But consider: Does a 25% increase in spending prove that the government "values" education? "Valuing" is a subjective judgement. The spending increase might be due to court orders, international pressure, or inflation-driven cost increases — not genuine valuing. Furthermore, "values" might mean something more than just spending money.

Answer: This is borderline. In most UCAT contexts, a 25% increase in spending would be treated as evidence of valuing education, making the statement False. But strictly, the passage describes spending, not attitudes. This is the kind of question where you must use your judgement about how strictly the test is applying the logical standard.

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The "Does the Passage Contradict This?" Test

For every statement where you are tempted to select False, apply this test:

Can I find a specific sentence in the passage that is logically incompatible with the statement?

• If yes → False
• If no → Can't Tell

"Logically incompatible" means: if the passage sentence is true, the statement cannot be true.

Applying the Test

Passage: "The bridge was designed by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and completed in 1864."

Statement 1: "The bridge was completed in 1850."

• Test: The passage says 1864. If 1864 is true, 1850 cannot also be true. → False.