Distinguishing Between

FACT AND OPINION

What are the differences?

OPINIONS
 An opinion is a statement that cannot
be proved or checked
 It tells what someone thinks, feels, or
believes
 Clue words for opinion statements are:
 think, feel, believe, seem
 always, never, all, none, most, least,
best, greatest, worst
FACTS
 Facts are statements that can be checked or
proved
 We can check facts by conducting some sort
of experiment, observation, or by
verifying (checking) the fact with a source
document
 Facts often contain numbers, dates, or ages
 Facts might include specific information
about a person, place or thing
HINTS FOR DECIDING IF A
STATEMENT IS FACT OR OPINION

 To recognize a FACT:
 Read each answer choice and ask yourself:
 “Can this statement be proved?”
Example: Which of these is a fact?
A. We live in the best apartment in the city.
B. I believe that summer is the best season.
C. I think that spaghetti is a delicious meal.
D. The Poughkeepsie Journal is a newspaper.
HINTS FOR DECIDING IF A
STATEMENT IS A FACT OR
OPINION

 To recognize an OPINION:
 Read each answer choice and ask
yourself “Does this statement tell what
someone thinks, feels, or believes?”
 Look in the answer choice for clue
words that signal an opinion
OPINION EXAMPLES:
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOT AN
OPINION STATEMENT?
 I think that Colorado is the best state in
which to live.
 Chocolate cake is the most delicious kind of

dessert.
 Nearly 65% of our teens are over-weight.

 Taylor Swift is the greatest singer ever!

When you’re writing….
 Remember:
 Facts are often used
to support opinions
 Good opinions are
based on facts, but
they are still opinions