Telling fact from opinion sounds easy until an exam text dresses an opinion up as a fact. This free Level 2 worksheet moves from simple sorting to the harder skill the Reading paper actually tests: spotting bias in a text and explaining which of two sources is more reliable, with evidence.
Free to download, print and share for personal or classroom use. Answers included.
What’s in this worksheet
- Rules box: fact, opinion and bias defined, with the traps (‘experts agree that…’)
- Part 1 – ten statements to label F or O (10 marks)
- Part 2 – four sentences written to sound like facts: underline the giveaway word (4 marks)
- Part 3 – a residents’ Facebook post and a council information page on the same scheme: identify bias, compare how each uses the same statistic, judge reliability (8 marks)
- Full answers with the reasoning examiners expect
Common mistakes on this topic
From our tutors’ marking and the most recent examiner reports – check your work against these:
- Assuming anything with a number in it is a fact. “A handful of cycling fanatics” contains no checkable number – it is opinion.
- Saying a text is “biased” without quoting the words that show it.
- Saying a text is reliable “because it’s from the council” – give a reason from the text itself (balance, figures, neutral language).
How to use it
- Print the worksheet (or work on screen) and attempt every question without looking at the answers. Give yourself a rough time limit – Level 2 exams are tight.
- Mark your work against the answer page. For maths, check the method as well as the final number; method marks are where most of the marks are.
- Read the ‘common mistakes’ notes below and check whether any of them happened to you. Then redo the questions you got wrong a day later.
Related free resources
- Functional Skills English Level 2 Language Features Worksheet
- Functional Skills English Level 2 Persuasive Writing Techniques Worksheet
- Functional Skills Level 2 Article and Report Writing Frame (with Model Report)
- All free Functional Skills English Level 2 resources
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?
A fact can be checked and proved true or false – it usually contains numbers, dates, names or measurable things. An opinion is a belief or judgement; look for words like best, worst, should, clearly, terrible. A statement can be false and still be a fact, because it can be checked.
How do you tell if a text is biased?
Look for one-sided arguments, loaded or emotive words, insults aimed at the other side, and evidence that is dismissed rather than answered. A biased text can still contain facts – it just chooses which ones to show you.
How do I answer ‘which text is more reliable’ questions?
Compare four things: who wrote it and why, whether it gives both sides, whether its facts can be checked, and the type of language used. Give reasons from the text itself, not just ‘because it is from the council’.
Want a tutor to mark your work? Not sure where you stand? Take the free 15-minute mini mock test. Ready to get qualified? Our live 10-week Functional Skills Level 2 English course runs in small groups with a mock exam included, and the 5-day revision course is there if your exam is close.