Distinguishing fact from

opinion
Upon completion of this lesson you will
be able to:
•Identify meanings in texts and
distinguish between fact and opinion. V
An introduction to facts and opinions
• Every day we come across lots of different types of
texts and writing. Sometimes we can trust what they
say and sometimes we cannot.
• This is because texts use facts and opinions to get
their points across.
Facts v Opinions
Facts can be all or some of the

following:
• can be proven, real for all people

and places
•can be duplicated

•can be observed, or historical

Facts v Opinions
Opinions refer to a particular

persons’ feelings, thoughts, judgements,

beliefs, estimates and can’t be proven.

In a democracy, people

show tolerance and respect for opinions

that differ from their own and rely on

rational discussion, debate and evidence

to win arguments over decision making.

Which of the following is true?
A fact is…
a) When a sentence is started with ‘in fact’ e.g. ‘In fact, I
didn’t like the taste of the meal because it was too spicy!’
b) Something that can be checked and backed up with
evidence e.g. ‘The largest country in the UK is England.’
c) A statement or advice from an expert or professional
e.g. ‘The dentist thinks I need a filling in one of my teeth.’
Read through the following statements, and tell me which are facts

and which ones are opinions -

1. Fire needs oxygen to burn

2. Margaret Thatcher was the first Woman Prime Minister in the UK

3. Brighton is the best seaside resort in the UK

4. Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch

on the 9th September 2015

5. Apple is better than Android

6. The blue whale is the largest living mammal in the world.

Stop and Think
1. In which types of books/texts can you find ‘opinions’?
• Books featuring opinions - answers could include
autobiographies, novels, journals and magazines.
2. In which types of books/texts can you find ‘facts’?
• Books featuring facts - answers could include encyclopedias,
dictionaries, text books, Guinness World Records etc.
Complete the “Identifying fact and opinion worksheet”
Distinguishing between fact and opinion
Writers often use facts and opinions interchangeably to
persuade and convince their audience.
Look at the reviews by Anna and Folk Hibernia
• What is each text reviewing?
• Which parts are fact and which are opinion?
Highlight each in a different colour.
• 3. Does a mix of fact and opinion in these reviews help
you to make up your mind about a book, film or
programme? Or would you prefer more facts or more
opinions? Discuss with others in your group.
News Report
• Look through the narrative of a news report and
complete the questions
Film review
• Watch the video of a film review, as you watch listen
out for the reviewer’s opinions. Note down any
opinions which you feel almost intermingle with fact.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (2016) Revie
w - YouTube
How did you get on?
Suggested answers could include:
• 'Though he manages to find his rhythm for the final two Harry Potter instalments,

he’s now fallen back a step…'

• 'The two disparate plot lines eventually clunk together'

• '6.5 okay'

• 'That the group never quite clicks together in the right way is a huge reason the rest

of the movie doesn’t find its footing'

• 'Yes, the Harry Potter saga was rich with tragedy and black humour'

• 'He’s now falling back a step, filling ‘Fantastic Beasts’ with static shots, dead air and

obvious use of...'

Stop and Think
Chose a topic that you feel passionate about. Using
your opinion and facts, write a short piece of text
(around 100 words) encouraging the reader that
your way of thinking is correct.
Let's Recap!
Complete Fact and Fiction Quiz
and
Recap Worksheet