English Language Arts
Grade 11
15 min
Identify an author's statement of opinion
Identify an author's statement of opinion
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Differentiate between verifiable facts and subjective opinions within complex non-fiction and literary texts.
Identify specific signal words, phrases, and punctuation that indicate an author's opinion.
Analyze an author's tone and diction to uncover implicit statements of opinion.
Evaluate how an author's opinion contributes to the central argument or theme of a work.
Articulate the author's main opinion in a given passage and support their identification with textual evidence.
Distinguish between an author's opinion and a character's opinion within a literary narrative.
Have you ever read an article and thought, 'Wait, is that a fact or just what the writer thinks?' 🤔 Learning to spot the difference is a critical...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Statement of OpinionA statement that expresses a belief, feeling, judgment, or value. It is subjective and cannot be proven true or false with objective evidence.Henry David Thoreau's 'Walden' is the most profound work in the American Transcendentalist movement.
Statement of FactA statement that can be objectively verified or proven true or false through evidence, data, or observation.Henry David Thoreau lived at Walden Pond for two years, two months, and two days.
BiasA prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. An author's opinions often reveal their underlying bias.An essay that only presents evidence supporting the greatness of industrial progress while ignoring...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Verifiability Test
Ask: 'Can this statement be proven true or false with objective evidence?' If the answer is no, it is likely an opinion. If yes, it is a fact.
This is the foundational test to distinguish fact from opinion. A statement like 'The Great Gatsby sold poorly upon its initial release' can be verified with sales records (fact). A statement like 'The Great Gatsby is the greatest American novel' cannot be verified (opinion).
The Signal Word Scan
Look for words that express judgment, value, or belief. These include adjectives (best, worst, beautiful), adverbs (unfortunately, clearly), and modal verbs (should, must, ought to).
Authors often use specific words to flag their opinions. Scanning a text for these 'judgment words'...
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Challenging
An author argues against a new highway. They write: 'The proposed route will destroy pristine wetlands. The construction will create unbearable noise for residents. The supposed economic benefits are wildly exaggerated.' What is the author's central, synthesizing opinion that encompasses these individual points?
A.The construction of the new highway is an ill-conceived and harmful project.
B.The economic benefits of the highway have not been accurately calculated.
C.The highway will be a source of noise pollution for nearby residents.
D.The highway's route goes through an area of pristine wetlands.
Challenging
In an argument, an author states, 'The current tax code is needlessly complex and should be simplified.' In terms of argument structure, what function does the opinion 'should be simplified' serve?
A.It serves as a piece of verifiable evidence.
B.It serves as a counterargument to the author's own point.
C.It serves as the central claim or thesis of the argument.
D.It serves as a neutral observation of the tax code.
Challenging
Read the excerpt from a novel: The narrator observes, 'My father, a man of rigid principles, always said, 'A promise made is a debt unpaid.' I, however, have always found that some promises are best broken, especially those made in youthful ignorance.' What does this passage illustrate?
A.The narrator and the author share the same opinion as the father.
B.clear distinction between a character's opinion (the father's) and the narrator's (authorial voice's) opinion.
C.That all characters in the novel believe promises should be broken.
D.That the statement 'a promise made is a debt unpaid' is a verifiable fact.
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