Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
5.11B*
Determine the facts in text and verify them through established methods.
5th Grade Reading - Determining Fact and Opinion Lesson
Fact and Opinion
Good readers can tell the difference between a fact and an opinion in a text. Being able to tell them apart helps the reader better understand the topic.
Fact: A fact is a true statement.
It can be proven by looking up the information in a book or a good source on the Internet.
A fact can be verified (proven to be true).
Factual statements often have numbers, dates, and other information that can be researched.
In the following example, the facts about the spider monkey can be looked up in a text book. They are true statements.
Example: Spider monkeys have long, thin arms. They can use their tail to grab things. They mostly eat fruits.
Opinion: An opinion is what the author feels or thinks about the subject.
It is not based on facts.
An opinion cannot be verified.
Each person has a different opinion about a subject.
Authors often use adjectives to share opinions.
In the following example, the statements about the spider monkey show what the author thinks about them. The words and phrases in bold make the statements opinions.
Example: Spider monkeys are spooky to look at. The females love their babies more than the males because they carry the babies on their backs.
5th Grade Reading - Determining Fact and Opinion Lesson
