Welcome, Reading Detective!

In this chapter, we are going to learn how to be "Reading Detectives." When you read a text, whether it is a story, a newspaper report, or a website, you need to know if what you are reading is a fact or just what someone thinks. We also want to find out the author’s viewpoint—which is basically the "glasses" the author is wearing when they write. Are they happy about a topic? Are they trying to persuade you? Let's find out!

Section 1: Fact vs. Opinion

Knowing the difference between a fact and an opinion is a vital skill for your Reading SATs. In Years 5 and 6, you are specifically expected to be able to tell these apart in different types of texts.

What is a Fact?

A fact is something that can be proven to be true. It doesn't matter who says it; it remains the same. We can check facts using evidence, like looking in an encyclopedia, checking a map, or doing an experiment.

Examples of Facts:
- The capital of England is London.
- Water freezes at \(0\) degrees Celsius.
- There are seven days in a week.

What is an Opinion?

An opinion is a belief, a feeling, or a thought. It is what someone thinks about a subject. Opinions can change from person to person, and they cannot be "proven" right or wrong in the same way a fact can.

Examples of Opinions:
- London is the most exciting city in the world.
- Winter is better than summer because of the snow.
- Monday is the worst day of the week.

How to Spot the Difference: The "Proof Test"

If you aren't sure if a sentence is a fact or an opinion, ask yourself: "Could I prove this by looking it up or testing it?"

  • If the answer is yes, it is a fact.
  • If the answer is no (because different people might disagree), it is an opinion.

Quick Tip: Look out for adjectives! Words like beautiful, disgusting, amazing, or terrible are almost always clues that you are reading an opinion.

Key Takeaway: Facts are true for everyone and can be proven. Opinions are what someone believes and can differ between people.

Section 2: Identifying the Author's Viewpoint

An author’s viewpoint is the writer’s opinion or attitude toward the topic they are writing about. Even when writers try to be fair, their own feelings often "leak" into their writing through the words they choose.

How to Find the Viewpoint

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! You just need to look for clues in the text. Here are three things to look for:

1. Word Choice (Vocabulary)
Writers use specific words to make you feel a certain way. This is often called emotive language.
- Viewpoint A: "The brave explorers ventured into the forest." (The author admires them.)
- Viewpoint B: "The foolish trespassers wandered into the forest." (The author thinks they are making a mistake.)

2. What is Included (and what is left out)
If an author only tells you the good things about a new park and ignores the fact that it is very expensive to enter, their viewpoint is pro-park (they like it!).

3. Direct Statements
Sometimes, the author will tell you exactly what they think using phrases like:
- "It is clear that..."
- "I believe..."
- "Unsurprisingly..."

Did You Know?

When an author's viewpoint is very one-sided, we sometimes call it bias. You will often find biased viewpoints in advertisements or letters to newspapers.

Key Takeaway: To find the author's viewpoint, look at their choice of words and whether they are focusing on the positive or the negative sides of a topic.

Section 3: Fact and Opinion in the Reading Test

In your English reading test, you might be asked to "find and copy" a fact, or you might be asked to explain what the author thinks about a character or event. This links to Content Domain 2d (Inference) and 2b (Retrieval).

Common Question Types

The Tick-Box Question: You might see a table with several sentences and be asked to tick whether each one is a fact or an opinion.

The "How do you know" Question: "Give one piece of evidence that shows the author dislikes the cold weather."
Strategy: Look for negative adjectives like 'biting', 'miserable', or 'harsh'.

Step-by-Step: Answering Viewpoint Questions

  1. Read the question carefully to see whose viewpoint you are looking for (is it the author or a character?).
  2. Scan the text for keywords from the question.
  3. Look at the adjectives and verbs nearby. Are they "happy/positive" words or "sad/negative" words?
  4. Explain your answer using evidence from the text. (e.g., "I know the author thinks the journey was difficult because they used the word 'gruelling'.")

Key Takeaway: Always back up your ideas about an author's viewpoint with a quote or a specific word from the text.

Chapter Summary

  • Facts can be proven true with evidence.
  • Opinions are based on thoughts or feelings and can vary between people.
  • Author's viewpoint is the writer’s perspective or attitude.
  • Use word choices (adjectives) as clues to figure out how the author feels.
  • In exams, always distinguish between what is a proven detail (fact) and what is a suggested feeling (opinion/viewpoint).

Note: For more information on how authors use specific words to create effects, see the chapter on "Figurative language and its impact on the reader." For more on how texts are organized, see "Non-fiction and information texts."