About this worksheet
Second graders are ready to write opinions, but many still mix up an opinion with any sentence about a topic. A fact can be checked, while an opinion tells what the writer thinks, prefers, or believes. This worksheet keeps the focus on that first sentence. Students choose opinion statements, reject facts that do not take a position, and notice wording that makes a claim clear. The items avoid long persuasive prompts because the goal is not to write a full paragraph yet. Instead, children practice recognizing the sentence that could begin an opinion piece. Parents can listen for the difference between a personal judgment and a report of information. If the sentence can be proven true or false without asking the writer, it is probably not an opinion.
What your child will learn
- Tell an opinion statement from a fact
- Choose a clear sentence that states what the writer thinks
- Use opinion words such as think, believe, and best
- Start an opinion paragraph with a position
Worked example
'Recess should be longer' is an opinion because a writer can agree or disagree. 'Recess starts after lunch' is a fact.
Common mistake
Choosing a fact about the topic because it sounds important, even though it does not tell what the writer thinks.
Helpful hint
An opinion tells what someone thinks, likes, or believes.