How do you distinguish fact from opinion in a text?

• A. Facts are beliefs.
• B. Facts can be proven; opinions express beliefs.
• C. Facts are opinions.
• D. Opinions can be proven.

Answer: (B)

Telling fact from opinion means looking for proof and evidence. Facts describe something in the real world and can be checked as true or false with information, data, or experiments. Opinions are what a person believes or feels about something.

So the statement that facts can be proven and opinions express beliefs is the clearest way to tell them apart. For example, “Water freezes at 0°C at sea level” is a fact you can test and confirm with measurements. “Chocolate is the best flavor” is an opinion because it reflects a personal preference, not something you can prove as true for everyone.

In a text, you can spot the difference by noting whether the sentence presents data, dates, or verifiable details (facts) or whether it uses words that show a judgment or feeling (opinions), like “I think,” “in my opinion,” or “best.” Some ideas can be supported with reasons, but they remain opinions rather than proven facts.