YEAR III: PNJA V (Integrated Skills 1)

Opinions vs facts
TASK 1. Have a look at the sentences below and decide whether each statement is a statement of fact
(F) or an opinion (O).

a) ____ Teaching is a profession that requires specific skills and attitudes.

b) ____ Teaching is the most beautiful, yet underrated, profession there is.
c) ____ In many regions, there is a widespread and persistent shortage of qualified teachers,
leading to increased class sizes and a strain on the education system.
d) ____ To alleviate the teaching crisis, there should be a concerted effort to prioritize teacher
well-being.
e) ____ The teaching crisis is exacerbated by factors such as low teacher salaries, limited
professional development opportunities, and challenging working conditions, contributing to
high rates of teacher burnout and attrition.
f) ____ The teacher shortage is not limited to specific educational levels; both elementary and
secondary schools face difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified educators, resulting in
a broad-ranging impact on students' learning experiences.
g) ____ Embracing technology in education can help mitigate the impact of the teacher shortage
by offering supplementary resources and personalized learning experiences. However, I
believe it should complement, not replace, the vital role of teachers in fostering meaningful
student-teacher relationships.

TASK 2. Based on the sentences above, complete the missing gaps, which either define a fact or an
opinion.
 A(n) ____________ relies on measurable and verifiable data.
 A(n) ____________ relies on connotative language.
 Judgement and comparison words are often used in expressing a(n) _______________.
 The word “should” usually signals a(n) ________________.
 A(n) _________________ is not debatable.
 Prediction is often considered a(n) _______________.
 A(n) ________________ is often based on an assumption, while a(n) ______________ relies
on observation/research.

TASK 3. Have a look at the sentences below. Do they represent a fact or an opinion? What makes
them problematic?
a) I agree that the shortage of qualified teachers directly affects the quality of education students
receive.
b) Nowadays, many young people treat teaching as an unrewarding profession.
c) Nobody wants to be a teacher – and this is why many countries struggle with teacher shortage.