Name:_____________________ Section: ______________________

QUARTER 2- LESSON 3 OPINION OR ASSERTION

Fact refers to something true or real which can be proven by evidences, documents, data or
statistics. A fact is a verifiable statement.

Opinion is defined as a view, judgment, or appraisal drawn from facts. It is usually a concept or
impression based on factual evidence. Opinions can change often and usually reflect one person.
For example, the sentence “The Philippines is one of the best tourist destinations on the planet” may
be considered an opinion which may be drawn from facts and data showing the number of tourists
coming in and out of the country on a specific period as compared to the records of other countries.

Assertion is a declaration or expression of strong belief towards a particular topic, often without
evidence. It usually includes forceful or confident and positive statements regarding a belief or a
fact. In contrast to an opinion, an assertion, which is usually subjective, expresses vindication,
mostly with no support or evidences. For example, the sentence “The Philippines is the happiest
country in the world” is an assertion because it is subjective and not founded on factual evidences.
In English, an assertion is usually formulated after activities like exploring reading materials, such
as stories or poems, or viewing a play.

Opinion Words and Phrases

There are what we call opinion markers that give away a statement as an opinion or assertion.
These are words and phrases usually employed in making these kinds of judgment:

INTRODUCTORY WORDS AND PHRASES OPINION CLUES

I feel Must/ Cannot

I think All
I believe Unfair
I assume Terrible
My favorite Favorite
In my opinion Definitely
It is my belief Good/Bad
I am convinced Worthwhile
Without question... For/Against
It could be said that... Beautiful/Ugly
I am sure that... Always/Never
The best for me Inferior/Superior
I strongly believe Awful/Wonderful
I am confident that Oppose/Support
Speaking for myself Better/Best/Worst
From my point of view Enjoyable/Horrible
Based on what I know Delicious/Disgusting
I know you will have to agree that

A. Basic Assertion is a type of assertion that directly expresses the writer’s feelings and beliefs
through simple statements. This type is usually used in standing up for personal beliefs. It’s usually
a simple “I want” or “I feel” statement.

Example: “I want to finish all the activities in my module even how hard these are.”

B. Empathic Assertion involves expressing empathy and expounding on how the writer
understands the feelings and emotions of the literary author. This conveys some sensitivity to the
other person. It usually contains two parts- a recognition of the other person’s situation or feelings,
followed by a statement in which you stand up for your rights.

Example: “I know you are very busy, but I need you to help me with these activities.”

C. I-Language Assertion expresses the feelings and preferences of the writer. This type is called I-
Language because the writer usually uses the pronoun ‘I’ in asserting disagreement. This is
especially useful for expressing negative feelings. It involves a 3-part statement:

When you do . . . (describe the behavior).

The effects are . . . (describe how the behavior concretely affects you).

I’d prefer. . . (describe what you want).

Example: “When you speak harshly, I cannot work with you because I feel annoyed. Therefore, I
want you to speak nicely and then help me with my activities.”

D. Escalating Assertion: This occurs when the other person fails to respond to your basic assertion
and continues to violate your rights. You gradually escalate the assertion and become increasingly
firm. It may even include the mention of some type of resulting action on your part, made only after
several basic assertive statements.

Example: “If you don’t help me with my activities, I’ll tell mom about it.

Learning Task 1: Underline the term that best completes the meaning of each sentence. Choose
from the options provided inside the parentheses. Write your answers in 1 whole sheet pad paper

1. An expression of strong belief towards a particular topic is called a/an (fact / opinion /
assertion).
2. It is best to formulate literary assertions (before / while / after) reading a literary work.
3. A/An (fact / opinion / assertion) is any view or judgment drawn from facts.
4. A type of literary assertion that directly expresses beliefs or opinions about something is
known as (basic / empathic / i-Language) assertion.
5. A/An (fact / opinion / assertion) is written to convey the writer’s ideas or feelings towards a
certain work of literature.

Learning Task 2: FACT AND OPINION

Identify whether the following statements are facts or opinions. Write F for fact and O for opinion.

_____1. As of June 30, 2019, the Philippines is divided into 17 regions.

_____2. Novel Corona virus is the worst virus ever hit the Philippines.
_____3. As of October 14, 2020 there are 2,924 confirmed cases of COVID 19 in Dasmarinas City,
Cavite.
_____4. According to the 2015 census, Dasmarinas has a population of 659,019 people.
_____5. I believe that COVID 19 can be treated with hot steam and warm water gurgle.

Learning Task 3: Each statement in Column A gives a fact and each sentence in Column B gives
an opinion. Match the appropriate response to the correct truthful statement.

Column A Column B
 ____ 1. My classmate lost the envelope
containing the portfolios of his group
members.
____ 2. Our colleague has never been late
to school.
____ 3. The student received the top
award for academic excellence this
quarter.
1. I am convinced that he/she is
getting bored.
2. In my opinion, he/she is bright.
3. I think he/she is hardworking.
4. I feel like he/she is careless.
5. I strongly believe that he/she is
responsible.

____ 4. The class president is always in

charge when there is a class project.

____ 5. My seatmate left before the

program was over.

Learning Task 4: Re-write the following sentences and turn them into opinions by including
opinion markers.

Example: Do not run away from your problems. I believe that you should never run away from your
problems.

1. Be brave in facing challenges in your academic life.

___________________________________________________________________________
2. There are different people who will give you advice.
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Before you decide, study all your options.
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Look at the advantages and disadvantages of your choices.
___________________________________________________________________________
5. There are no regrets in life, only lessons.
___________________________________________________________________________

Learning Task 5: Identify the type of assertion shown in the following sentences. Write BA if it is Basic
Assertion, EMPA if it is Emphatic Assertion, ESCA if it is Escalating Assertion and I-LA if it is Language Assertion.

1. Doing homework and studying for exams are worthwhile activities.

2. Whenever I’m about to give up, I feel disappointed about myself. Thus, I see to it that I don’t recklessly make bad
decisions.
3. I know you feel awful about what happened during your speech delivery, because I’ve been through the same
thing and I want you to know that it’s okay not to be okay.
4. I am confident that if you don’t pay attention to what your parents say, you will end up feeling terrible.
5. In my opinion, you outgrow your immaturity and develop a sense of responsibility when you face failures.