Fact and Opinion — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. In a review, 'The book has 240 pages' is a fact.
Numbers found in published sources are verifiable, so they count as facts.
2. In a review, 'The book is the most exciting story ever' is an opinion.
Sweeping ranking statements reflect taste and cannot be verified across all readers.
3. When a reviewer writes 'I loved the ending', the signal phrase shows opinion.
First-person feeling phrases mark personal viewpoint instead of shared, checkable evidence.
4. A restaurant menu lists prices, so the prices are facts.
Printed, observable details from a source are facts because they can be checked directly.
5. Saying 'The pasta tastes amazing' is an opinion because taste is personal.
Taste judgments differ from person to person, so they are opinions, not verified facts.
6. A reviewer writes the chef trained for ten years, which is a fact.
Verifiable details about a person's background are facts when supported by sources.
7. The phrase 'should win an award' is a signal of an opinion.
Wishes and recommendations are opinions because they show what someone wants, not what is true.
8. When a review reports a sold-out show, the sold-out claim is a fact.
Records and receipts make sales claims checkable, placing them in the fact category.
9. Calling a movie 'terrible' is an opinion word, not a fact.
Strong negative judgments reflect personal taste and cannot be verified by shared evidence.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
I think this novel is the greatest
→ The novel sold one million copies last year
The novel sold one million copies last year
The chef should be famous
→ The chef has worked at five award-winning restaurants
The chef has worked at five award-winning restaurants
The pasta tastes wonderful
→ The pasta uses fresh tomatoes from a local farm
The pasta uses fresh tomatoes from a local farm
This is the worst movie ever made
→ The movie earned a low score on a review website
The movie earned a low score on a review website
Replacing feelings with checkable details transforms opinions into facts and helps readers judge claims using evidence.