You will learn
- Define fact and opinion.
- Spot opinion words.
- Check facts.
- Explain the difference.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Ask: can this be checked?
- Look for opinion words.
- Check facts in a trusted source.
- Label each statement.
Words to know
a statement that can be proven true
a statement of what someone thinks or feels
to check that something is true
favouring one side unfairly
1. Discover: The town festival
The annual yam festival began in 1962. About 5,000 people attended last year. It is the best festival in the whole country. The food stalls are far too crowded, and the music is lovely.
Ngozi sorts the sentences: began in 1962 and 5,000 people are facts she can check. Best, too crowded and lovely are opinions.
Think: How can you tell?
2. Understand: Can it be checked?
Idea 1: Facts
A fact can be proven true: dates, numbers, events. You can verify it in a trusted source.
Idea 2: Opinions
An opinion shows feelings or judgements. Signal words: best, worst, lovely, too, I think, should.
Idea 3: Be careful
A writer who gives only opinions may be biased. Check facts before you trust a text.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Fact
Name a fact.
- Can it be checked?
Answer: The festival began in 1962.
Example 2 (We do it together): Opinion
Name an opinion.
- Judgement word.
Answer: It is the best festival in the whole country.
Example 3 (You try): Signal
Name an opinion word.
Show the steps and answer
- Feeling or judgement.
Answer: best (or lovely, too crowded)
Did you know?
News reporters are trained to separate facts from opinions in their writing.
Why this matters
Separating facts from opinions protects you from being misled.
4. Explore: Fact check
Sort statements.
- Find ten statements in an article.
- Label each fact or opinion.
- Verify two facts.
- Circle opinion words.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can tell fact from opinion.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- This is a fact because ___.
- This is an opinion because ___.
- The signal word is ___.
- I can check it in ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. A statement that can be proven true is a ___.
fact
Question 2. A statement of what someone thinks is an ___.
opinion
Question 3. To check that something is true is to ___ it.
verify
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A statement that can be proven true is a ___.
- A statement of what someone thinks is an ___.
- To check that something is true is to ___ it.
- Favouring one side unfairly is being ___.
- The festival is held every ___.
Level 2: Grow
- When did the festival begin?
- How many people attended?
- Which words show opinion?
Level 3: Stretch
- Can a fact be checked?
- Is “lovely” an opinion word?
- Is every statement a fact?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Write five facts and five opinions about your school.
Show a sample answer
a fact-opinion list
Another one. Pick an article and list three facts and two opinions from it.
Show a sample answer
a completed task
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define fact and opinion.
- I can spot opinion words.
- I can check facts.
- I can explain the difference.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Ask: can this be checked?
- Look for opinion words.
- Check facts in a trusted source.
- Label each statement.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Comparing information sources. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a fact? [1 mark]
- What is an opinion? [1 mark]
- Give two opinion signal words. [2 marks]
- Write one fact and one opinion about a river. [2 marks]
- Explain how to tell a fact from an opinion. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a statement that can be proven true [1]
- a statement of what someone thinks or feels [1]
- best [1]; lovely/worst/too [1]
- a checkable fact [1]; a judgement [1]
- ask whether it can be checked [1]; look for judgement words [1]; verify facts in a trusted source [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A statement that can be proven true is a ___.
- A statement of what someone thinks is an ___.
- To check that something is true is to ___ it.
- Favouring one side unfairly is being ___.
- The festival is held every ___.
- When did the festival begin?
- How many people attended?
- Which words show opinion?
- Can a fact be checked?
- Is “lovely” an opinion word?
Homework
Pick an article and list three facts and two opinions from it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A statement that can be proven true is a ___. | fact | 1 |
| 2. A statement of what someone thinks is an ___. | opinion | 1 |
| 3. To check that something is true is to ___ it. | verify | 1 |
| 4. Favouring one side unfairly is being ___. | biased | 1 |
| 5. The festival is held every ___. | year | 1 |
| 6. When did the festival begin? | 1962 | 1 |
| 7. How many people attended? | about 5,000 | 1 |
| 8. Which words show opinion? | best, lovely, too crowded | 1 |
| 9. Can a fact be checked? | yes | 1 |
| 10. Is “lovely” an opinion word? | yes | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 fact; 2 opinion; 3 verify; 4 biased; 5 year. Level 2: 1 1962; 2 about 5,000; 3 best, lovely, too crowded. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 yes; 3 no.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Define fact and opinion | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Spot opinion words | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Check facts | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain the difference | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen while your child explains the idea.
- Ask for one new example.
- Praise effort and careful work.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: define fact and opinion; spot opinion words; check facts; explain the difference.
Prerequisite knowledge. Author’s purpose.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 4 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 4 » Reading: Literature; Grade 4 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RI.4.8 (explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text); Cambridge Primary English Stage 4 (fact and opinion). These sources informed the lesson.