Virginia Reading 8th Grade SOL Practice Test

A factual statement is something that can be verified. This means you can check it against evidence, data, or reliable sources to determine whether it’s true or false. Facts are about what can be demonstrated or measured, not about personal opinion or imagination. That’s why verification is the key idea here.

In contrast, statements that express a belief reflect a personal opinion, statements that are biased show a slant or favoritism, and statements drawn from imagination are not grounded in evidence and are fictional. For example, “Water boils at 100°C at sea level” can be verified with measurement, while “Chocolate is the best flavor” is a belief, and “Dragons exist” comes from imagination.