A fact can be checked, an opinion is a judgement, and an inference is a conclusion you draw from evidence. Ask three questions before you label a statement.
This lesson follows locating supporting evidence efficiently in extended reading. The skill also helps in writing, because strong arguments need facts to back opinions.
What are the three questions?
- Can this be checked or measured? If yes, it is a fact.
- Is it a judgement that someone could disagree with? If yes, it is an opinion.
- Does the text not say it, but strongly suggest it? If yes, it is an inference.
Worked example: the new library
This is an original passage.
The new library at SMK Bukit Indah opened on Monday. It has 60 computers and stays open until 6 pm. The principal, Puan Salmah, said it was “the best thing to happen to the school in years”. Since it opened, the canteen has been quieter at lunch.
- “Opened on Monday” and “60 computers” are facts: they can be checked.
- “The best thing to happen to the school in years” is an opinion: it is a judgement, even though an official said it.
- “Students are spending lunch in the library” is an inference: the text does not say it, but a quieter canteen after the opening suggests it.
Phrase an inference with care, for example “probably” or “it seems that”, because the text does not prove it.
The mistake: trusting the quote
A student sees that a named principal said the words and labels the sentence a fact. The name and the title feel like proof.
| Statement | Label | Test |
|---|---|---|
| The library is “the best thing in years” | Opinion | Others could disagree |
| Puan Salmah said this | Fact | You can check that she said it |
That she said it is a fact. What she said is an opinion. When a question asks about the statement itself, label what was said.
Check yourself
The bus service to Kampung Baru now runs every 20 minutes. Some residents think it is finally reliable. The number of empty seats has dropped this month.
Label each sentence: fact, opinion or inference. Then state one inference the passage supports.
Answer
Sentence 1: fact, because the schedule can be checked.
Sentence 2: opinion, because “reliable” is a judgement residents hold.
Sentence 3: fact, because seats can be counted.
A supported inference: more people are using the bus, because empty seats have dropped. It is an inference, not a fact, because the passage does not say why.
What to study next
The next lesson, tracking references across paragraphs, shows how to follow words such as “this” and “they” so you read the right claim. Also see understanding writer attitude without over-interpreting for where inference and tone meet.
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