Fact and Opinion

FACTS  Can be proven  Real for all people and places  Can be duplicated  Can be observed  100% true

Opinion  A particular person’s feeling, thought, judgment, belief, estimate  Or anything that is not 100% true and  Can’t be proven

Tip for spotting Opinions  An “opinion statement” contains value language – for example good, difficult, easy, beautiful, or should.

Fact or Opinion?  All people must breathe to live.  All people love basketball.  Blue is the best color.  Abraham Lincoln was a President of the United States.

Fact or Opinion?  Broccoli is a green vegetable.  Broccoli is the best vegetable.  Fire needs oxygen to burn.  Pizza tastes great.

Can you think of some sources where facts can be found and checked?

Here are a few:  Encyclopedia  Dictionary  Almanac  Atlas  Test book  Guinness Book of World Records

Can you think of some sources where opinions can be found?

Here are a few:  Autobiographies  Biographies  Self-help books  Novels  Journals  Advertisements

What about newspapers?  FACT or  OPINION?

It depends…. Some sections are factual:  Sports scores  Rainfall measurement  Birth announcements  Obituaries  Calendar of events  Wedding announcements

Some are opinion:  Weather forecast  Editorials  Letters to the editor  Restaurant reviews  Advice columns  Movie reviews  Advertisements

Facts and opinions  What about the internet? Talk this over with your class… ************* Now that you know the difference, be sure to check the facts.