Explain how to differentiate between fact and opinion in a passage.

Explain how to differentiate between fact and opinion in a passage.

• A. Opinions express beliefs or judgments and may include evaluative language.
• B. There is no difference.
• C. Facts are verifiable statements; opinions express beliefs or judgments and may include evaluative language.
• D. Facts are always more persuasive.

Answer: (C)

Differentiating fact from opinion relies on whether a statement can be checked with evidence and whether it conveys a belief or judgment. Facts are verifiable statements you can confirm or refute with data, sources, or observable events. Opinions express beliefs or judgments and often use evaluative language like “good,” “true,” “worst,” or “unfair,” reflecting a point of view rather than something that can be proven. This is why the best choice says that facts are verifiable statements and opinions express beliefs or judgments and may include evaluative language. It captures both parts: what can be verified and how a viewpoint is expressed. Others don’t fit because one describes opinions without acknowledging verifiable facts, another claims there’s no difference, and another suggests facts are always more persuasive, which isn’t necessarily true in real reading.

Differentiating fact from opinion relies on whether a statement can be checked with evidence and whether it conveys a belief or judgment. Facts are verifiable statements you can confirm or refute with data, sources, or observable events. Opinions express beliefs or judgments and often use evaluative language like “good,” “true,” “worst,” or “unfair,” reflecting a point of view rather than something that can be proven.

This is why the best choice says that facts are verifiable statements and opinions express beliefs or judgments and may include evaluative language. It captures both parts: what can be verified and how a viewpoint is expressed.

Others don’t fit because one describes opinions without acknowledging verifiable facts, another claims there’s no difference, and another suggests facts are always more persuasive, which isn’t necessarily true in real reading.