Strawberries are the tastiest fruit. Is this fact or opinion?

Fact and Opinion

This KS2 English quiz will challenge you about fact and opinion. Fact and opinion is the difference between statement and belief. It is important to know the difference between fact and opinion, especially when you are reading a newspaper, writing a report, or perhaps researching a topic that interests you. An opinion expresses a belief or a feeling about something, while a fact is a statement that can be proved true with evidence.

Almost everyone has an opinion on everything, but that doesn’t mean what they say is factually correct or true. If you can’t verify it for yourself, don’t take it at face value.

See if you can tell the difference by trying this Fact and Opinion quiz.

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Which one of the following is an opinion?

Liverpool beat Manchester United last night.

Rugby is more enjoyable than football.

A try in rugby is worth five points.

The first match of the season was two weeks ago.

'Liverpool beat Manchester United last night' may not be true today, but it is not an opinion.

Which of these is NOT a fact?

The Houses of Parliament were destroyed by fire in 1834.

Westminster Hall was saved from the 1834 fire.

The Jewel Tower also survived the fire.

The rebuilt Houses of Parliament were not as well-designed as the buildings which burnt down.

Next time you are listening to someone, see if you can determine the facts from the opinions.

Which one of the following is NOT a fact?

Joe is wearing a blue shirt today.

Joe looks good in blue.

Blue is a primary colour.

We have run out of blue paint.

You might think Joe looks good in blue - but Joe might disagree!

Which one of the following is NOT an opinion?

My sister is not very good at sports.

What time is it?

Cats make the best pets.

Mountain climbing is an exciting activity.

A question cannot be an opinion. A question can, however, be asking for a factual statement or an opinion as an answer. 'What time is it?' requires a factual answer.

Which one of the following is a factual statement?

Canada has two official languages: English and French.

French is more difficult to learn than English is.

Can you speak French?

French is easy to learn.

Factual statements can be checked to see if they are true.

Which one of the following is a fact?

Mondays are boring.

How old are you?

The moon is beautiful.

A sundial uses the position of the sun to show the time of day.

A description of sundials is a factual statement. 'Sundials are attractive, but not very useful' would be an opinion.

Which one of the following expresses an opinion?

Is it Friday today?

My cousin's name is Edward.

Hot chocolate is delicious.

Stop shouting!

Some people might think hot chocolate is delicious, but you may think it is disgusting.

Which of the following expresses an opinion?

The gallery is free to enter.

John Piper was a British artist.

John Piper's best work is 'Wymondham, Norfolk'

Do you enjoy visiting art galleries?

John Piper had two middle names, one of which was 'Christmas'. Fact!

Which of the following is NOT a factual statement?

Custard is made of sugar, milk or cream, and egg yolks.

Custard will curdle if is boiled after the eggs are added.

After you have made a custard, it is possible to use the spare egg whites for meringues.

Custard goes well with tarts.

You might think that custard and tarts go well together - your best friend might think it's horrible.

10.

Which of these is NOT an opinion?

She said that her favourite colour is red.

Purple is a much nicer colour than red.

Purple flowers look the most delicate in the garden.

Red cars are too flashy.

Someone's feelings about the colour red are an opinion, but whether she stated the opinion is either true or false - therefore, 'she said that her favourite colour is red' is a factual statement.

Author: Sheri Smith