What is the difference between a fact and an opinion in a passage?

What is the difference between a fact and an opinion in a passage?

• A. A fact is a verifiable statement; an opinion expresses a belief or judgment.
• B. An opinion is based on data.
• C. A fact is subjective.
• D. Opinions can be proven.

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested here is how to tell a fact from an opinion by looking at verifiability. A fact is a statement that can be checked and proven true or false using evidence, records, or direct observation. An opinion, on the other hand, expresses a belief, judgment, or feeling about something and reflects a person's viewpoint rather than something that can be objectively verified. That’s why the stated distinction fits best: a fact is verifiable, while an opinion expresses a belief or judgment. For example, “The officer-clock tower is 120 feet tall” is something you can measure or confirm with a set of records—it's a fact. “This precinct is the safest in the city” is an opinion; it reflects a judgment about safety and might vary based on how you interpret data or what criteria you use. The other options don’t fit as cleanly. An opinion isn’t necessarily based on data, since opinions can stem from personal beliefs or interpretations that aren’t purely data-driven. A fact isn’t subjective—facts are objective and verifiable. And opinions aren’t proven in the same way facts are; they can be argued with evidence, but they aren’t proven in the objective sense.

The main idea tested here is how to tell a fact from an opinion by looking at verifiability. A fact is a statement that can be checked and proven true or false using evidence, records, or direct observation. An opinion, on the other hand, expresses a belief, judgment, or feeling about something and reflects a person's viewpoint rather than something that can be objectively verified.

That’s why the stated distinction fits best: a fact is verifiable, while an opinion expresses a belief or judgment. For example, “The officer-clock tower is 120 feet tall” is something you can measure or confirm with a set of records—it's a fact. “This precinct is the safest in the city” is an opinion; it reflects a judgment about safety and might vary based on how you interpret data or what criteria you use.

The other options don’t fit as cleanly. An opinion isn’t necessarily based on data, since opinions can stem from personal beliefs or interpretations that aren’t purely data-driven. A fact isn’t subjective—facts are objective and verifiable. And opinions aren’t proven in the same way facts are; they can be argued with evidence, but they aren’t proven in the objective sense.