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ESL forum > Message board > fact or opinion    

fact or opinion



edrodmedina
United States

fact or opinion
 
Hey gang! I �m going to be working on fact or opinions with my 2nd grade students. The definition that keeps popping up in their text and elsewhere is that a fact is a statement that can be proven true or false. My question is, if a statement is proven false how can it still be a fact? Ed

25 Jan 2014      





Jayho
Australia

Hi Ed
 
It comes down to whether you can prove something as true or false.  If it is false, then it is a fact that it is false because it can be proven that the truth is blah blah blah. An opinion can�t be proven and is often related to emotions (so look for the emotion words in the statement).
 
e.g. a spider has six legs is a fact because it can be proven that a spider has eight legs (we can look at a spider and count the legs (providing he hasn�t lost any!))
a spider is scary is an opinion because it can�t be proven that spiders are scary.  Some people actually love spiders (arachnophiles?) (and this is a fact because if we google it we will find proof)
 
BTW, I can highly recommend these activity cards which I have been using for several years now, and mostly with adults.  I made four laminated sets for group work, in different colours, and they have been one of my most used resources.  BBC Skillswise also has a good set of resources.
 
Cheers
 
Jayho

25 Jan 2014     



edrodmedina
United States

Thanks Jay. I really like the cards. I guess what I �m having a problem with is calling something that is untrue a "fact", but I think I get it.

25 Jan 2014     



cunliffe
United Kingdom

Ed, I see what you mean. Can we say they are factual statements since they are not facts if they are false? 
Great link, Jayho, thanks. 

26 Jan 2014