Separating Facts From Opinions

Separating Facts From Opinions

     According to Webster's Dictionary a fact is "anything that is done or happens; anything actually existent; any statement strictly true; truth; reality."
Three examples of facts that are concrete and that could be documented include:

1.The house was painted on November 18, 1999.
2.Today is Saturday.
3.My son had a temperature of one hundred and two degrees this morning.

Whereas an opinion is defined as "indicating a belief, view, sentiment, conception."Obvious indicators of opinion are when sentences include words such as:

"Generally, it is thought" , "I believe that", "It is a sad day when."

For example, how the three facts above can be changed to opinions would be to add a belief or view. For example:

 • The house was painted recently on November 18, 1999, so it looks as good as new.
 • Today is Saturday and Mark always sleeps in on Saturdays, so that is why he is late for the game.
 • There was no way for me to go to school because my son had a temperature of one hundred and two degrees this morning.