Which practice helps distinguish facts from opinions?

• A. Check whether the statement can be verified in reliable sources.
• B. Rely on the speaker's tone.
• C. Assume all statements are facts.
• D. Ignore evidence and rely on memory.

Answer: (A)

Distinguishing facts from opinions relies on verifying statements with evidence. A fact is a statement that can be checked and proven true through reliable information. Opinions are beliefs or judgments that reflect a person’s feelings or points of view and may not be verifiable.

To tell the difference, look for verification in reliable sources. If you can find multiple credible sources that provide data, dates, or research methods that support the claim, that supports it as factual. Reliable sources include peer‑reviewed studies, official statistics, textbooks, and reputable publications that cite their evidence so you can evaluate it yourself.

Relying on tone or memory isn’t a dependable way to judge truth, and assuming everything is factual or ignoring evidence prevents you from distinguishing. So checking reliable sources is the best way to separate facts from opinions.