Read the following sentences. Identify whether it states a FACT or an OPINION.

__________1. Sunday is the best day of the week.

__________2. Your birthday comes only once in a year.

__________3. My favorite type of music is jazz.

__________4. There are 26 letters in English alphabet.

__________5. A rainbow is more beautiful than a sunset.

A fact is a statement than can be proven. They may be true or false but can be
proven by evidences such as a personal observation, reliable source,research, data,
textbooks, or from an expert.
Some examples of signal words and phrases being used in the sentence that indicates
a fact are:
 The annual report confirms…
 Scientists have recently discovered…
 According to the results of the diagnosis…
 The investigation demonstrated…
Examples:
 A human uses eyes to see.
This is a fact because it can be proven through mere observation.
 Statistically, men has larger population than women.
If there is a data or statistics about this statement, then it is a fact.
Opinion vs. Assertion
Although similar in form, an opinion is different from assertion.
An opinion is a statement that can not be proven and does not require proof. It is the
personal judgement or view of a person about an issue or a topic. Others may agree or
disagree with one’s opinion, but they cannot prove or disprove it.
Some examples of signal words and phrases being used in the sentence that indicates
a fact are:

 I think  He claimed that…

 In my opinion  It is the student’s view that…
 I believe  The record argues that…
 In my view  Many experts suspect that

It also uses the words such as mostly, usually, probably, maybe, often, some,
and in most cases.
Example:
 I think that Christmas is the best season of the year.
This is an opinion because the statement is personal as indicated by the
personal pronoun “I”.
Three Categories of Opinion Statements

CATEGORIES EXAMPLES
1. Statement of Truth The key to minimize the worsening of
It is an opinion that something is or is not COVID-19 cases is the effective
the case. implementation of protocols and contact
tracing methods.
2. Statement of Value Lock downs implemented at different
It is an opinion statement which barangays in NCR have not been effective
something does or does not have in controlling the spread of the virus.
worth.
3. Statement of Policy What students need in the current situation
 It claims that something should or is a consideration from the education
should not be done. department and policies to ease the
pressure of distance learning.

An assertion is a statement that many people claim and make. It is used to make a
declaration or to make a firm belief on a particular topic. They sound true and probable,
but they may not always apply to each person and individual. These are opinions of
many but cannot be proven. It claims universality and is presented as an absolute truth.
Example:
 All women are created equal.
This is an assertion because it is believed by many but cannot be proven.
 An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.
Many believe that fruits, specifically apple can prevent diseases but this is not
proven and uncertain.
Three Categories of Assertion

CATEGORIES EXPLANATION
1. Basic Assertion Philippines is has a rich civilization before
A statement used to express the writer's colonization. Form of government, social
feelings, beliefs, and opinions directly. This structure and the existence of ancient
type of assertion is usually used in writing writing are some of the evidence that
formal papers like thesis and dissertation. proves the advancement of the precolonial
period.
2. Emphatic Assertion Filipinos before the colonizers is really
a statement used to express empathy or
creative in their form of writing. They have
on how a person understands the feelings
and emotions of the literary author. This established the ‘baybayin’, and therefore
can be used on writing a formal or informal
they are literate already.
paper. It is usually composed of two parts:
1) the first part is the statement that
recognizes the situation or even
the feelings of the characters on
the text being read
2) the second statement where the
writer states his stand about the
situation.
3. I-Language Assertion I have learned that the social classes of
a statement used to express the feeling
and preference of the writer. It is called I- Filipinos before is divided into three: the
Language because it focuses on the writer
maharlika, the timawa, and the alipin. It is
and is using the pronoun ‘I’. This type of
assertion is recommended if the author a pride for me that they have established
wants to express negative feelings and
that social classes, but sad at the same
opinion. This is best used in writing a
review or reflection paper. It is composed time because of the differences in
of Three parts.
treatment. I prefer that these social
1) the first part contains the accurate
information from literary work, classes would not be mistreated to avoid
especially the topic the writer
social boundaries.
disagrees with (When you. . .). 
2) the second part includes the effect
or feeling of the writer towards the
topic (It affects/I feel...). 
3) the third part includes the
preference or recommendation of
the writer (Therefore, I prefer/I
want...)

Take note that an opinion came from one’s personal belief, thought and feeling, while
an assertion are statements that many people claim. They are both not proven.
Also, remember that all these opinion and assertion statements become factual
statements if proofs and evidences from researches, data, or reliable source is
presented.

Practice

(Drills & Activities/ Exercises)

Fact, Opinion, or Assertion

Read each statement carefully. Identify if it is a FACT, OPINION, or an ASSERTION.
_____1. I eat apple daily. It contains nutrients that our body needs to function well.
Therefore, you should also eat this.
_____2. Ostrich is a bird but it cannot fly.

_____3. Basketball is better than playing soccer.

_____4. The best ice cream flavor that I have tasted is chocolate.

_____5. Cellphone is the greatest invention ever.

Talk with your partner. Create different assertions using the topic below. Create one
statement for each category of assertion.
Topic: Excessive use of social media by the teenagers
Basic Assertion:

1. ___________________________________________________________________

Emphatic Assertion:

2. ___________________________________________________________________

I-Language Assertion:

3. ___________________________________________________________________
To stop the next pandemic, we need to unravel the
origins of COVID-19
David A. Relman

We find ourselves ten months into one of the most catastrophic global health events of
our lifetime and, disturbingly, we still do not know how it began. What’s even more
troubling is that despite the critical importance of this question, efforts to investigate the
origins of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus and
of the associated disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), have become mired in
politics, poorly supported assumptions and assertions, and incomplete information.

SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus whose apparent closest relatives, RaTG13 and

RmYN02, are reported to have been collected from bats in 2013 and 2019, respectively,
in Yunnan Province, China (1). COVID-19 was first reported in December 2019 more than
1,000 miles away in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. Beyond these facts, the “origin
story” is missing many key details, including a plausible and suitably detailed recent
evolutionary history of the virus, the identity and provenance of its most recent ancestors,
and surprisingly, the place, time, and mechanism of transmission of the first human
infection. Even though a definitive answer may not be forthcoming, and even though an
objective analysis requires addressing some uncomfortable possibilities, it is crucial that
we pursue this question. Preventing the next pandemic depends on understanding the
origins of this one.

Some have argued that a deliberate engineering scenario is unlikely because one would
not have had the insight a priori to design the current pandemic virus (3). This argument
fails to acknowledge the possibility that two or more as yet undisclosed ancestors (i.e.,
more proximal ancestors than RaTG13 and RmYN02) had already been discovered and
were being studied in a laboratory—for example, one with the SARS-CoV-2 backbone
and spike protein receptor-binding domain, and the other with the SARS-CoV-2 polybasic
furin cleavage site. It would have been a logical next step to wonder about the properties
of a recombinant virus and then create it in the laboratory. Alternatively, the complete
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/47/29246

From the article above, list down below the statements that expresses a fact,
statements that expresses opinion, and statements that expresses an assertion.

Fact:

4. ___________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________

Opinion:

1. ___________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________

Assertion:

1. ___________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________
Read and examine the two articles below. Answer the following questions.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/pluginfile.php/1428769/mod_oucontent/oucontent/75902/368abf46/e142932f/blt
l_l2_s2_image11.png
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/pluginfile.php/1428769/mod_oucontent/oucontent/75902/368abf46/f064175a/blt
l_l2_s2_image12.png

1. What is the difference between two articles?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2. Which contains more facts? How do you say so?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3. Which contains more opinions? How do you say so?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

4. Which article do you think is more reliable? Why?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Read the statements. Identify whether it is a FACT, OPINION, or an

ASSERTION. Write your answers on the blank provided before the number. Then, on
the space provided below the statement, explain why you come up with that answer.

STATEMENT FACT, OPINION, or EXPLANATION

ASSERTION
1. To ease the poverty in
our country, I think the best
solution is to provide more
job opportunities to the
people.
2. Mammals do not lay
eggs.
3. All of the students are
struggling in the current
distance learning mode in
education.
4. Many believe that men
are stronger than women.
5. The recent statistics of
Department of Health
confirms that there is a
sudden rise in the number
of COVID-19 cases,
especially in NCR.
 Enrichment
What Can I Do?
(Application–Enrichment/Extension/ additional activity)

Complete the two-column table below by writing down your 3 opinions and 3
assertions about the topic below. Formulate statements using signal words or
phrases.

OPINIONS ASSERTIONS

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Formulate one sentence stating a FACT, one statement of OPINION, and one
statement of ASSERTION about the current pandemic we are facing-- the COVID-19.
use signal words or phrases in formulating a sentence.
FACT:

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

OPINION:

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

ASSERTION:

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Look for an article in a magazine or newspaper available in your home. Write down the
statements which expresses a fact, an opinion, and an assertion. Give at least two in
each.

FACT OPINION ASSERTION

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.
Listen to the audio using the link below. Determine if the following statements are a
FACT or an OPINION based on the audio passage. Underline the correct answer.

Link: https://www.liveworksheets.com/tk1071811pi

Activity:

1. A tardigrade is very strong.

FACT OPINION

2. It can live without food or water for 30 years.

FACT OPINION

3. The name ‘water bear’ is the best.

FACT OPINION

4. Tardigrades can live under the sea.

FACT OPINION

5. They are the most incredible animals on the Earth.

FACT OPINION

MY LEARNINGS

Complete the statements below to summarize what have you learned from the lesson.
Factual statements are important for us because ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________.

We should determine whether the statement is a true or a false because ____________

_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.

Opinions can be helpful when _____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________.

Assertions are _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________.
ANSWER KEY:

1. Assertion

2. Fact

3. Opinion

4. Opinion

5. Opinion

1. Opinion

2. Fact

3. Opinion

4. Fact

5. Opinion

References:
“To stop the next pandemic, we need to unravel the origins of COVID-19”
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/47/29246

News Articles:

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/pluginfile.php/1428769/mod_oucontent/oucontent/
75902/368abf46/e142932f/bltl_l2_s2_image11.png

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/pluginfile.php/1428769/mod_oucontent/oucontent/
75902/368abf46/f064175a/bltl_l2_s2_image12.png

Listening Activity:

https://www.liveworksheets.com/tk1071811pi