Which sentence states a fact?
Katharine Graham deserved to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1998. Katharine Graham was the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
Statements of fact make claims that are based on research, observation, or experimentation. Facts can be proved with evidence.
Napoleon Bonaparte was shorter than King Louis XVI.
This statement is a fact. The statement can be verified by researching and comparing the height of each man.
Statements of opinion make claims that are based on personal judgments or perspectives. Opinions can be supported by evidence, but they cannot be definitively proved.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a better leader than King Louis XVI.
This statement is an opinion. People can have different ideas about what makes someone a "better" leader, so the statement cannot be proved.
The second sentence states a fact. It can be verified by looking up the history of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
Katharine Graham was the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
The first sentence states an opinion. Deserved indicates a personal judgment.
Katharine Graham deserved to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1998.