Fact vs.

Opinion

A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false.

Fact Identifiers: dates, science, numbers, historical events, nonfiction

Examples: Today is Thursday, March 3, 2016.

The name of this elementary school is Mitchell Elementary.

An opinion is a personal belief about something that cannot be proven.

Opinion Identifiers: believe, feel, think, most, should, never, everyone, always, best,

favorite, “feeling words”

Examples:North View Elementary is the best school ever!

Purple is my favorite color.

It is important to know whether or not an author is stating a fact or an opinion,

because it may influence your thinking.

Remember, you cannot change a fact, but you can change an opinion.

Prove Our Knowledge: ✔• Could you argue why an opinion can

never be a fact?

• Can you distinguish between a fact

and an opinion?

• Could you propose a way to prove if

something is a fact?