Fact vs Opinion in Non-fiction
The Spark
Concept
A fact is a statement that can be checked and proven to be true or false. An opinion is someone's belief, feeling or judgement — it cannot be proven. Knowing the difference helps readers evaluate what they read and think critically.
Activity
Say: Dogs make the best pets. Is that a fact or an opinion? Why? Then say: Dogs are mammals. Now which is it? Discuss how you would check a fact.
Check
After the worksheet, ask your child to find one fact and one opinion in a newspaper or magazine article.
Sort: Fact or Opinion? (Set A)
Read each statement and sort it into the correct column.
Fact or Opinion? (Set A)
Read each sentence. Circle Fact or Opinion.
I believe sharks are the most misunderstood creatures in the ocean.
Sharks have been on Earth for over 450 million years.
In my view, zoos should be banned.
Australia has the world's largest cattle station.
Summer is clearly the best time of year to visit the Gold Coast.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932.
Match: Fact or Opinion Signal Words
Draw a line to match each phrase to whether it signals a fact or an opinion.
Sort: Signal Words
Sort these phrases into fact signal words or opinion signal words.
Spot the Signal Words
Read the passage and answer the questions.
PASSAGE: The Murray-Darling River system is the longest river system in Australia, stretching over 3,750 kilometres. I believe it is also the most important river in the country. It provides water for about 40% of Australia's agricultural output. In my opinion, every Australian should learn about the river system in school. How many facts can you find in the passage?
Write the opinion signal words you found:
Could you verify whether the Murray-Darling is the most important river? Why or why not?
Write Your Own Facts and Opinions
Choose a topic you know well. Write three facts and two opinions about it. Label each sentence F or O.
My topic:
1. [ F / O ] 2. [ F / O ] 3. [ F / O ] 4. [ F / O ] 5. [ F / O ]
Can This Be Checked? (Fact Detector)
Circle YES if the statement could be checked by a scientist or researcher, or NO if it cannot.
The platypus is the most unusual animal.
The platypus lays eggs and has a duck-like bill.
Chocolate is the best flavour of ice cream.
Mount Everest is 8,849 metres tall.
Everyone should visit Uluru at least once.
Sort: Fact or Opinion? (Set B — Australian Topics)
Sort each statement into fact or opinion.
Find Facts and Opinions in an Advertisement
Read this advertisement extract. Underline the facts (F) and circle the opinions (O). Then answer the question.
ADVERTISEMENT: SunFresh Orange Juice contains 100% real oranges. It has no added sugar and provides your full daily Vitamin C dose. Most nutritionists agree it's the healthiest choice for your family. SunFresh is, without doubt, the best juice on the market. List two facts from the advertisement:
List two opinions from the advertisement:
Why might advertisers mix facts and opinions?
Hidden Opinions
Some statements look like facts but are actually opinions. Circle Hidden Opinion or Clear Fact for each.
This is the most important issue facing Australia today.
Australia's unemployment rate was 3.5% in 2023.
This is a great book for children.
The Great Wall of China stretches over 21,000 kilometres.
Climate change is the greatest threat to humanity.
Write a Balanced Paragraph
Write a short paragraph about your favourite sport. Include exactly three facts and two opinions. Label each sentence F (fact) or O (opinion).
My sport:
My paragraph:
Sort: Fact or Opinion? (Set C — Science Topics)
Sort these statements about science.
Evaluate a News Article
Read a short news article with a parent. Answer these questions.
Headline of the article:
Write two facts from the article:
Write one opinion from the article (or note if there are none):
Is this article mainly factual or opinion-based? How can you tell?
Strong Opinion or Weak Opinion?
Circle whether each opinion signal phrase expresses a strong or cautious opinion.
In my view
I am absolutely certain that
I tend to think
It is obvious that
Some might argue that
Without doubt
Fact-Opinion Mix in Persuasive Writing
Read this persuasive text extract. Find three facts and three opinions, and label them.
TEXT: Screen time is a growing concern for parents. Studies show that children aged 8–12 spend an average of five hours per day on screens. This is clearly far too much. Research has linked excessive screen time to poor sleep quality and reduced physical activity. In my view, schools should ban phones completely. There is no doubt that reducing screen time would transform children's wellbeing. Three facts:
Three opinions:
Sort: Fact or Opinion? (History Topics)
Sort these historical statements.
Rewrite: Change Opinion to Fact
Rewrite each opinion as a checkable fact by removing the opinion language and adding a verifiable detail.
Opinion: Dogs make the best pets. Fact version:
Opinion: The beach is the greatest holiday destination. Fact version:
Opinion: Reading is the most important skill. Fact version:
Analyse an Advertisement
Look at a real advertisement (TV, print or online). Answer these questions.
Product being advertised:
Two facts in the advertisement:
Two opinions in the advertisement:
Does the advertisement try to make opinions sound like facts? How?
Biased or Objective?
Circle Biased if the statement uses loaded language or Objective if it is neutral.
A mere 20% of students achieved an A.
20% of students achieved an A.
At least three children were hurt in the incident.
Three children were hurt in the incident.
Even scientists can't explain this phenomenon.
Sort: Objective or Loaded Language?
Sort each phrase by whether it is objective (neutral) or loaded (biased).
Identify Bias in a Sentence
Rewrite each biased statement as a neutral, objective fact.
A mere 40% of voters supported the bill. Neutral version:
At least 200 people protested outside the office. Neutral version:
Even the children's hospital was affected by the cuts. Neutral version:
Fact vs Opinion in Editorials
An editorial is a piece of writing that expresses the opinion of a newspaper or journalist. Read the editorial extract and answer the questions.
EDITORIAL: Australia must act urgently on climate change. While temperatures have risen 1.4 degrees since pre-industrial times — a verifiable fact — scientists warn that we are heading toward catastrophic warming. In my view, this generation of politicians has failed future Australians. There is simply no excuse for the lack of action. Two facts in the editorial:
Two opinions in the editorial:
Is this editorial balanced or one-sided? How can you tell?
Sort: Reliable or Unreliable Fact Source?
Sort each source into reliable or unreliable for verifying facts.
Evaluate a Claim
Read each claim. Decide if it is a fact or opinion, and explain how you would verify it if it is a fact.
Claim: 'Australia has more venomous snakes than any other country.' Fact or opinion? How would you verify it?
Claim: 'Australian children are the luckiest in the world.' Fact or opinion? How would you verify it?
Fact-Opinion in Informational Texts
Read this informational text about bees. Label each sentence F (fact) or O (opinion) and justify one of your choices.
TEXT: Bees are essential to human food production. [F/O: ___] They pollinate approximately 70% of the crops that feed 90% of the world. [F/O: ___] Without bees, our food supply would collapse. [F/O: ___] Bees are, without question, the most important insects on Earth. [F/O: ___] Justify one of your labels:
Sort: Strongly Stated Opinion or Neutral Fact?
Sort these statements by how they are presented.
Write a Fact-Opinion Paragraph
Write a paragraph about an Australian animal. Include exactly two facts, one opinion and one statement that uses an opinion signal phrase. Label each sentence.
Animal:
Paragraph:
Fact or Interpretation?
Circle whether each statement is a fact (verifiable data) or an interpretation (a conclusion drawn from data).
Screen time among children has increased by 30% since 2019.
The increase in screen time proves children are becoming less active.
Literacy rates in Australia are declining in some regions.
Declining literacy rates show that schools are failing students.
Separate Facts from Interpretations
Read the paragraph. Identify two facts and two interpretations (conclusions drawn from the facts).
PARAGRAPH: Plastic waste in Australia has grown by 50% over the last decade. This clearly demonstrates that Australians are becoming more irresponsible consumers. Plastic takes over 400 years to decompose in landfill. This proves that plastic pollution is the most urgent environmental crisis of our time. Two facts:
Two interpretations:
Could the same facts support a different interpretation? Explain:
Sort: Fact, Opinion or Interpretation?
Sort each statement into its category.
Media Fact Detective
Practise spotting facts and opinions in real-world media.
- 1Watch a short news clip together and call out 'fact' or 'opinion' after each key statement.
- 2Find a letters-to-the-editor section in a newspaper and highlight all opinion signal words.
- 3Read a product advertisement and sort every sentence into fact, opinion or interpretation.
- 4Write your own 'balanced' paragraph on a topic — include exactly three facts and two opinions, clearly labelled.
Fact-Check a Quote
Read this quote from an imaginary politician. Identify which parts are facts and which are opinions.
QUOTE: 'Our new education policy is the best reform in 50 years. Test scores have risen 12% since its introduction. Children are clearly more engaged in learning than ever before. Our government has invested $500 million in new school technology — an amount that proves our commitment to excellence.' Two facts:
Two opinions or interpretations:
What questions would a fact-checker ask about this quote?
Sort: Fact or Opinion in a Speech?
Politicians often mix facts and opinions. Sort these statements.
Write an Opinion That Sounds Like a Fact
Try writing two opinions that don't use obvious signal words — they should sound like facts but actually cannot be verified. Then explain how a reader would identify them as opinions.
Opinion 1 that sounds like a fact:
Opinion 2 that sounds like a fact:
How would a critical reader identify these as opinions?
Write Both Sides of an Argument
Choose one statement: 'All schools should have school gardens.' Write two paragraphs — one arguing FOR and one against — using at least two facts and one opinion in each paragraph.
FOR paragraph:
AGAINST paragraph:
Which Fact Best Supports the Opinion?
Choose the fact that best supports each opinion.
Opinion: 'Children should spend more time outdoors.'
Opinion: 'Australia should invest more in renewable energy.'
Opinion With Supporting Facts
Choose an opinion from the box. Write a PEEL paragraph using your opinion as the Point and at least two facts as Evidence. Topics: more parks in cities / school uniforms / reducing plastic / more PE in schools.
My opinion (Point):
My paragraph:
Label the facts and opinions in your paragraph:
Sort: Fact-Based or Opinion-Based Texts?
Which type of text is mainly fact-based or mainly opinion-based?
Analyse a Fact-Opinion Mix in the Wild
Find a real text (article, flyer, advertisement or webpage) that mixes facts and opinions. Paste or describe it here, then analyse it.
Text source/title:
Three facts from the text:
Three opinions from the text:
Is the text balanced or does it lean one way? How can you tell?
Media Literacy: Evaluate a Social Media Post
Read this imaginary social media post and evaluate the claims.
POST: 'BREAKING: Scientists say chocolate cures cancer! Researchers found that patients who ate chocolate had better recovery rates. Everyone should eat chocolate every day! Share this NOW.' What facts, if any, are in this post?
What claims cannot be verified?
Would you share this post? Why or why not?
Sort: Reliable Evidence or Weak Evidence?
Sort each type of evidence by reliability.
Fact-Opinion in Your Own Persuasive Writing
Write a persuasive paragraph arguing for or against: 'Schools should be longer.' Use at least two real or plausible facts and clearly signal your opinions. Then label every sentence F, O or I.
My paragraph:
Labels:
Real-World Fact-Opinion Challenge
Apply fact-opinion skills in everyday life this week.
- 1During dinner, play 'fact or opinion' — each person states something and others decide which it is.
- 2Watch the evening news together and identify three facts and two opinions.
- 3Find a product advertisement and fact-check every claim it makes.
- 4Write a one-page 'balanced report' on a topic you care about — include both facts and clearly flagged opinions.
Critical Analysis: Newspaper Opinion Column
Find a real opinion column or editorial in a newspaper or online. Read it and complete this analysis.
Title and author:
Main opinion (argument) of the piece:
Two facts used as evidence:
Are the facts used fairly, or do they seem cherry-picked? Explain:
Is the writer's argument convincing? Why or why not?
Sort: Strong Argument or Weak Argument?
Sort each argument quality into strong or weak.
Write a Balanced Report
Write a balanced, two-paragraph report on the topic 'Social media and young people'. Paragraph 1: facts only. Paragraph 2: your opinion, clearly signalled. Label every sentence F, O or I.
Paragraph 1 — Facts:
Paragraph 2 — Your opinion:
Write With a Counter-Argument
Write a persuasive paragraph on 'Homework should be banned'. Include: your opinion, two supporting facts, one counter-argument, and a refutation of that counter-argument.
My paragraph:
Label the counter-argument (CA) and refutation (R):
Sort: Types of Evidence in Persuasive Writing
Sort each type of evidence from most to least reliable by placing it in the correct column.
Evaluate Your Own Argument
Look back at a persuasive paragraph you have written. Answer these self-evaluation questions.
Did you use at least two verifiable facts? List them:
Did you signal your opinions clearly? Give an example:
Did you include a counter-argument? If not, add one now:
How could you make your argument more convincing?
Fact-Opinion Analysis: A Political Speech
Read this imaginary political speech extract. Identify facts, opinions and interpretations.
SPEECH: 'Our government has created 100,000 new jobs this year. This proves we are the strongest economic managers in Australian history. Unemployment is now at 3.2% — the lowest in 30 years. Critics claim our policies are too expensive, but clearly the results speak for themselves.' Facts:
Opinions:
Interpretations (conclusions drawn from facts):
What questions would a critical listener ask about the claims in this speech?
Research-Based Persuasive Writing
Choose a topic you are interested in. Research two or three facts about it using reliable sources. Write a persuasive paragraph using those facts as evidence for your opinion. Label every sentence F, O or I.
My topic:
Sources I used:
My paragraph:
Sort: Ethical Use of Facts in Writing
Sort each writing behaviour into ethical or unethical.
Evaluate a Fact-Heavy Text
Read a chapter or article from an information text (science, history or geography). Answer these analysis questions.
Text title and subject:
Does the text contain any opinions or interpretations, or is it purely factual?
Does the author use any hedging language? Give an example:
Is there any evidence of bias in how the facts are presented?
Final Synthesis: Fact, Opinion, and Critical Thinking
Write a reflection on what you have learned about facts and opinions.
What is the difference between a fact and an interpretation?
Why is it important to be able to identify opinions in what you read?
Give an example of when a fact could be used misleadingly:
How will you apply these skills in your own reading and writing?
Fact-Opinion in Your Reading Life
Think about something you have read recently — a book, article, or webpage. Answer these questions.
What did you read?
Did it contain mainly facts, opinions, or both?
Did the author signal their opinions clearly?
Did anything seem misleading or biased? Explain:
Sort: Fact-Opinion Skill Levels
Sort each skill into beginner, developing or advanced.
Write a Fact-Checked Argument
Choose a topic from the list: food waste / ocean pollution / social media / homework. Write a full persuasive paragraph that: is based on at least two verifiable facts, clearly signals your opinion, includes a counter-argument, uses hedging language at least once, and labels sentences F, O or I.
My topic:
My paragraph:
Labels:
Compare: Two Texts on the Same Topic
Find two short texts on the same topic — one factual (e.g. a Wikipedia article) and one opinionated (e.g. a blog post or editorial). Compare them.
Topic:
Text 1 title and type:
Text 2 title and type:
How does the language differ between the two texts?
Which is more useful for finding facts? Which is more useful for forming an opinion?
Match Term to Definition (Final Review)
Draw a line to match each critical thinking term to its correct definition.
Critical Reader Challenge
Become a critical reader of everything you encounter this week.
- 1Watch a political advertisement with a parent and identify every fact and opinion in it.
- 2Read one newspaper editorial and one news report on the same topic — list the differences in language.
- 3Fact-check one claim from social media this week using a reliable source.
- 4Write a letter to an imaginary editor correcting a biased article with accurate facts.