What best distinguishes a fact from a claim in a text?

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The main idea here is how to tell a statement that can be checked against reality from one that reflects belief or interpretation. A fact is a statement that can be verified as true or false with evidence or observation. In a text, facts are things you could check—dates, measurements, documented events, or observable occurrences. A claim, by contrast, is an assertion about something that may express an opinion, interpretation, or argument; it can be supported with reasons or evidence, but it isn’t itself proven simply by existing in the text. So the best choice is the one that describes a statement that can be demonstrated true or false through evidence.

For context, an opinion stated without evidence isn’t a fact, and a claim about something that’s always true in every context isn’t accurate because truth can depend on circumstances. A personal belief is a belief, not necessarily a verifiable fact.