Introduction: Get Your "Ultimate Compass" for Reading Expository Texts!
When reading expository or argumentative texts in Japanese, have you ever felt like, "I'm losing track of what this is about midway through..." or "I can't tell where the author is actually making their main point..."?
It might seem tricky at first, but don't worry! Expository texts actually follow clear rules of text structure.
The essential keys to unlocking these rules are the relationships you will learn in this lesson: "Fact and Opinion" and "Claim and Exemplification." Once you master the knack of distinguishing between them, you will be able to navigate even long, challenging passages and grasp the author's ideas with crystal clarity!
Chapter 1: Distinguishing Between "Fact" and "Opinion"
1. What is a "Fact"?
A fact is "something that actually occurred, or something that anyone can objectively verify through data and evidence."
It does not change based on personal perception, and it can be proven true or false.
(Examples of Facts)
- "Today's high temperature was 30 degrees Celsius."
- "There are 47 prefectures in Japan."
- "This is the book I borrowed from the library yesterday."
2. What is an "Opinion"?
An opinion is "what a writer or speaker thinks, feels, or judges in their mind about a certain topic."
Because thoughts vary from person to person, there is no single "absolutely correct" answer.
(Examples of Opinions)
- "It is way too hot today and quite uncomfortable."
- "When traveling, prefectures with rich nature are the most fun to visit, I think."
- "Junior high school students must read this book."
3. Clues in Sentence Endings (Bunmatsu Hyōgen)
Paying attention to how a sentence ends (sentence-final expressions) makes it much easier to quickly determine whether a statement is a fact or an opinion.
Sentence endings signaling a Fact: "...da / de aru" (is/are), "...ta" (past events/did), "...to iu dēta ga aru" (data shows that...), etc.
Sentence endings signaling an Opinion: "...to omou / kangaeru" (I think/believe), "...ni chigainai" (must be / surely), "...hazu da" (should be / ought to), "...beki da" (must / should), "...dewa nai darō ka" (might it not be that...), etc.
[Key Takeaway] The Crucial Difference Between Fact and Opinion
Fact: Yields the same result regardless of who checks it (objective). Can be verified as "true or false."
Opinion: Thoughts and feelings inside a person's head (subjective). People can agree or disagree.
[Common Pitfall]
A frequent mistake is assuming: "Many people say this, so it must be a fact!"
For example, consider the sentence: "Smartphones are convenient tools that are indispensable to daily life." While most people would agree with this, deciding whether something is "convenient" depends on individual value judgments, making it an "opinion." On the other hand, objective data such as "Hundreds of millions of smartphones are in use worldwide" is a "fact."
[Fun Fact / Did You Know?]
Take a close look at a newspaper article: you will find that "facts" and the reporter's "opinions" are carefully separated! Even after entering society, the ability to clearly distinguish between "what happened (fact)" and "what you think about it (opinion)" in workplace reports is a skill that is highly valued.
Chapter 2: The Relationship Between "Opinion" and Supporting "Evidence"
In expository writing, an author does not simply state their opinions on a whim. To persuade readers to think, "Aha, that makes total sense!", they always provide "evidence" (konkyo).
1. Linking Opinion and Evidence
Evidence refers to the "reasons and proof that support an opinion or judgment."
An opinion and its evidence are constantly connected by cause-and-effect relationships using logical connectors such as "This is because..." or "Therefore...".
(Example)
[Evidence (Fact)] Experimental data shows that having a nutritious breakfast helps maintain concentration throughout the morning.
[Opinion (Claim)] Junior high school students ought to eat breakfast properly every morning.
2. Reliability of Evidence
Rather than accepting an author's opinion at face value, it is essential to read while asking yourself: "Is this evidence genuinely trustworthy?" and "Is there a coherent, logical link between the evidence and the opinion?" (※ We will explore deeper critical reading methods in the chapter on "Critical Reading and Evaluation").
[Key Takeaway]
Whenever you encounter an author's "opinion," make it a habit to ask: "Why do they say that? (Where is the evidence?)" as you read!
Chapter 3: The Relationship Between "Claim" and "Exemplification"
1. What are "Claim" and "Exemplification"?
The core idea that an author most wants to communicate across an entire text or within a paragraph is called the "claim" (shuchō). A claim is the author's primary "opinion."
However, when explained in words alone, a claim can often be too broad to picture easily. That is when the author brings in "exemplification" (reiji).
Exemplification means "giving specific, concrete examples to make one's claim or explanation clear and easy to understand."
2. The Catch-Ball Between "Abstract" and "Concrete"
To grasp the relationship between claim and exemplification, understanding the concepts of "abstract" and "concrete" will make everything click into place!
Abstract (Claim): Broad, generalized language where the physical shape is not immediately visible. (e.g., animal, exercise, communication)
Concrete (Exemplification): Specific, individual instances that you can see or experience firsthand. (e.g., dog, soccer, morning greetings)
Expository texts fundamentally follow a rhythmic progression: they state an abstract claim, explain it in detail using concrete examples, and finally wrap up with an abstract claim once more.
3. Clues That Signal an Example (Transition Words)
When words like these appear in a text, they serve as a signal: "Here comes an example!"
- "Tatoeba..." (For example...)
- "Gutaiteki ni wa..." (Specifically...)
- "...o ichirei to shite ageyō" (Let us take ... as an example)
- "...no yō na baai ga aru" (There are cases such as...)
(Example of Text Structure)
[Claim] We must adapt the way we use language depending on the listener and the situation.
[Exemplification] For example, when hanging out with close friends, we use casual spoken language, but when speaking with adults during a work-experience program, we use polite language and honorifics (keigo).
[Summary of Claim] In this way, selecting the appropriate words to match the time and occasion is the key to building pleasant interpersonal relationships.
[Common Pitfall]
On tests, when a question asks: "Summarize the author's claim," many students mistakenly extract the example part that starts with 'For example...'!
A concrete example ("for instance...") is merely a "helper" designed to make the claim easier to grasp. The central message (the main idea) the author truly wants to convey lies in the summarizing statements (the abstract claim) before or after the example.
[Key Takeaway] How to Think While Reading Examples
While reading an example ("for instance..."), keep asking yourself: "Through this example, what general principle or claim is the author ultimately trying to make?" Constantly steering your attention back to the claim is the ultimate secret to strong reading comprehension!
Chapter 4: A Step-by-Step Guide to Reading Systematically
Here are three practical steps that will help you tackle exams and reading comprehension tasks with confidence.
Step 1: Focus on sentence endings and mentally color-code "Facts" and "Opinions"
Read with an active awareness of whether the text presents "objective data and actual events (facts)" or the "author's own thoughts (opinions)."
Step 2: Put brackets around sections starting with "For example"
When an example begins, mentally flag it: (The example starts here). Identify where the example ends and where the text returns to the author's claim (look for words like "In this way," "Therefore," etc.).
Step 3: Check how the parts connect to the whole
Step back and see how the "examples" and "evidence" in each paragraph connect to the overall central "claim" (the main idea) of the entire text (※ For a deeper dive into finding the main idea, see the chapter on "Grasping the Main Idea and Summarizing").
Chapter 5: Check Your Understanding! Quick Practice Quiz
Read the sentences below to test your new skills! The answers and explanations are right underneath.
[Question 1] Is each of the following sentences a "Fact" or an "Opinion"?
(a) Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
(b) Mount Fuji is the most beautiful mountain in Japan.
[Question 2] Choose the most appropriate word to fill in the blank [ ] from options ① and ② below.
"Human beings cannot survive without the blessings of nature. [ ], without clean water, fresh air, and food obtained from plants and animals, we could not maintain our daily lives for even a single day."
① For example (Tatoeba)
② That is precisely why (Dakarakoso)
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[Answers and Explanations]
[Answer to Q1] (a) Fact (b) Opinion
Statement (a) is a "Fact" because anyone can objectively verify it by measuring the mountain's height. Statement (b) is an "Opinion" because whether something is "beautiful" is a personal value judgment that varies from person to person.
[Answer to Q2] ① For example (Tatoeba)
Following the broad, abstract concept of "the blessings of nature," the second sentence presents concrete instances such as "water, air, and food." Therefore, ① "For example," which introduces an exemplification, is the correct choice.
Summary: Key Takeaways from This Lesson
- A fact is an "objective matter that can be confirmed by anyone," whereas an opinion represents the "author's thoughts or judgments."
- In expository texts, an author provides objective evidence to support their opinion (claim).
- Exemplification ("for example...") provides concrete material to help readers visualize an otherwise broad or abstract claim.
- When identifying the main idea or core claim, don't get trapped in the details of the examples—look at the abstract conclusion the author wants to convey through those examples!