Year 5 English: Fact, opinion and bias
Part of the Year 5 English reading non-fiction: retrieving, summarising and fact or opinion chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Fact, opinion and bias
Should Our School Have a Garden? (a persuasive article)
The problem. Our school has a large playground and very little green space. The school council has asked whether we should build a garden. This article gives some facts, then some opinions.
Fact. A garden gives pupils the chance to grow vegetables, learn about the seasons and watch insects. The school council's survey found that 84 of the 120 pupils who replied wanted a garden.
Opinion. A garden is the best idea the school council has had in years. Anyone who says gardens are boring has never grown a sunflower.
Fact. The council estimates that the garden would cost £1,200 to build. The parent association has promised to pay for it.
Bias. Only a silly school would turn down a chance to be green and happy.
Key ideas
- A fact can be checked and proved true or false.
- An opinion is what someone thinks or feels, and cannot be proved.
- Bias is when a writer shows only one side, or uses loaded words to push the reader towards a view.
- Look for words such as best, silly, boring: they often show opinion or bias.
Method. Can it be proved true?
- Check it. Best is a judgement, and different people think differently.judgement
- Decide. It is an opinion.opinion
- Write the answer. opinion
Check. Opinion. ✓
Method. Can it be checked?
- Check it. A cost estimate can be checked against a price list or a quote.checked
- Decide. It is a fact, stated as an estimate.fact
- Write the answer. fact
Check. Fact. ✓
Method. Look for loaded words that push a view.
- Read both. The second states a survey result.survey
- Read the first. Silly pushes the reader to one view, so it is biased.silly
- Write the answer. Only a silly school would turn down a chance
Check. The first sentence shows bias. ✓
Exercise 10E Practice: fact, opinion and bias
Method. Can you check that gardens let pupils grow vegetables?
- Check it. It can be checked: gardens can be used to grow vegetables.checked
- Decide. It is a fact.fact
- Write the answer. fact
Check. Fact. ✓
Method. Think about whether it can be proved.
- Check it. Boring is a judgement, so it cannot be proved.judgement
- Decide. It is an opinion.opinion
- Write the answer. opinion
Check. Opinion. ✓
Method. Can it be checked against the survey?
- Check it. A survey count can be checked.checked
- Decide. It is a fact.fact
- Write the answer. fact
Check. Fact. ✓
Method. Look for a loaded word.
- Look at the words. Silly is an insult, not a fact.insult
- Choose. Silly shows bias.silly
- Write the answer. silly
Check. Silly. ✓
Method. Look for a judgement word.
- Look at the words. Best is a judgement.judgement
- Write the word. Best.best
- Write the answer. best
Check. Best. ✓
Method. Can you check whether the promise was made?
- Check it. A promise can be checked by asking the association.checked
- Decide. It is stated as a fact.fact
- Write the answer. fact
Check. Fact. ✓
Method. Look for a sentence that leaves out the other side.
- Find the sentence. Only a silly school would turn down a chance.Only a silly
- Write the words. Only a silly.Only a silly
- Write the answer. Only a silly
Check. Only a silly. ✓
Method. Remove the loaded word.
- Remove the insult. Silly is removed.removed
- Rewrite. A school that turns down a chance would miss out.would miss out
- Write the answer. A school that turns down a chance would miss out.
Check. A neutral version. ✓
Method. Look for a judgement.
- Look. Boring is a judgement word.boring
- Write. Boring.boring
- Write the answer. boring
Check. Boring. ✓
Method. Check that the fact can be proved and the opinion cannot.
- Fact. Lunch is served at a fixed time, which can be checked.fixed time
- Opinion and reason. The pasta is best, because it fills you up.best, because
- Write the answer. Fact: lunches are served at 12.15. Opinion: the pasta is the best choice, because it fills you up.
Check. Fact and opinion are separated. ✓
Method. Take a side, then give a reason and listen to the other side.
- For. Children can learn about plants and insects.learn about
- Against. The garden costs about £1,200.£1,200
- Write the answer. For: children learn about plants. Against: a garden costs money that could be used elsewhere.
Check. Both sides are given. ✓
Method. Think about the purpose of a persuasive article.
- Look at the purpose. The article is persuasive, so it tries to change minds.persuasive
- Find the example. Silly is a loaded word.silly
- Write the answer. the writer wants the reader to agree, so uses words such as silly to push the reader to one view
Check. The writer is biased. ✓