Fact or opinion?
When you read, watch or listen, you’ll find two kinds of statements: facts and opinions. Telling them apart helps you think clearly and avoid being fooled.
What is a fact?
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false. You can check it with evidence: measuring, counting, observing, or looking it up in a reliable source.
- Ottawa is the capital of Canada.
- Water freezes at 0°C.
- There are 50 states in the United States.
- The Rocky Mountains are in western North America.
You can check each one!
What is an opinion?
An opinion is what someone thinks, feels or believes. It can’t be proven true or false, because people can disagree.
- Summer is the best season.
- Hockey is more exciting than soccer.
- Toronto is the most beautiful city in Canada.
- Everyone should learn to play the piano.
Opinions aren’t wrong. Everyone has them! But they’re different from facts.
Signal words for opinions
Some words are clues, or signal words, that a statement may be an opinion.
| Opinion signal words | Example |
|---|---|
| best, worst | That’s the best movie ever. |
| should, must, ought to | Kids should have longer recess. |
| I think, I believe, I feel | I think it will rain tomorrow. |
| beautiful, ugly, boring, fun, delicious | Broccoli is delicious. |
| always, never (sometimes) | Cats are always better than dogs. |
| greatest, amazing, terrible | It was an amazing game. |
Facts often include numbers, dates, names and places that can be checked.
Tricky statements
Some sentences mix facts and opinions.
Canada, which has ten provinces, is the best country in the world.
- Fact: Canada has ten provinces.
- Opinion: it is the best country in the world.
Some statements sound like facts but are false. The Moon is made of cheese is a statement that can be checked, and it’s false. Something can be "fact-checkable" and still be wrong!
Informed opinions
An informed opinion is an opinion supported by facts and reasons. It’s stronger than an opinion with no support.
Opinion: Our town should build a new park.
Informed opinion: Our town should build a new park, because the nearest park is 5 km away, many families with young children live here, and studies show outdoor play helps kids stay healthy.
Why it matters
- Advertisements mix facts and opinions to make you want to buy things: "The yummiest cereal!" is an opinion.
- News should report facts, while opinion columns share views.
- Social media posts often present opinions as if they were facts.
- Social studies: historians use facts as evidence and form opinions, or interpretations, about what they mean.
How to check a fact
- Ask: Can this be proven?
- Look it up in a reliable source, like an encyclopedia, a government website or a trusted news source.
- Check more than one source.
- Ask an expert, such as a teacher or librarian.
Try it yourself
Decide whether each is a fact or an opinion:
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean.
- Pizza is the best food.
- Canada Day is on July 1.
- Winter is too cold.
- Abraham Lincoln was the 16th U.S. president.
Then write two facts and two opinions about your town.
Answers: fact, opinion, fact, opinion, fact.
Quick recap
- A fact can be proven true or false using evidence.
- An opinion is a belief or feeling that can’t be proven.
- Signal words like best, should and I think often signal opinions.
- Some statements mix facts and opinions.
- Informed opinions are supported by facts and reasons.