Connect Across the Curriculum, continued
Literary Analysis: Evaluate Informational Text
Academic Vocabulary

  • • distinguish (di-sting-wish) verb

    To distinguish is to recognize and understand the difference between two or more things.

In order to fully understand an informational text, you need to distinguish between the kinds of details a writer uses to support his or her main idea.

  • • Facts are true statements that can be proven.

  • • Opinions are a person’s beliefs. They are not necessarily true.

  • • Inferences are connections made based on information from the writer. They seem to be true because they are supported by facts.

Practice Together

Distinguish Between Facts, Opinions, and Inferences Read the passage and distinguish between the details that support the main idea.

World War II erupted just twenty years after World War I. The U.S. entered the conflict several years later, in 1941. Baseball officials offered to stop playing the game for as long as the war lasted. They felt this would help support the country.

But President Franklin D. Roosevelt didn’t want the national pastime to stop. In a letter to baseball officials, he wrote, “I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going.” The games continued.

The chart shows some of the kinds of details in the passage. Copy it, and add the third detail from the passage. Where does it belong?

FactsOpinionsSupported Inferences
The U.S. entered World War II in 1941.Baseball officials felt that stopping games would help support the country.

Try It!

Complete the Chart With a partner, reread “Play Ball!” Find more details and see if you can distinguish if they are facts, opinions, or inferences.