facts
facts — noun
- factssingular
- factsesplural
1. Something people accept as true because evidence clearly supports it — for insta
Something people accept as true because evidence clearly supports it — for instance, that water boils at one hundred degrees Celsius or that Taipei is the capital of Taiwan.
The report presented the facts about pollution levels in the city for residents to study.
Emma checked the historical facts before writing her school essay on the war.
collocation: check the facts
Before voting on the new school budget, the finance committee gathered all the relevant facts about each department's spending.
That regular exercise lowers blood pressure is a well-known fact among doctors and fitness trainers.
The lawyer told the jury to focus only on the facts of the case, not on emotions.
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives that show reliability, such as 'hard', 'proven', 'known', 'basic', or 'key'. The phrase 'the fact that' introduces a clause naming a true situation.
常見錯誤
2. Used in fixed phrases such as 'in fact' or 'as a matter of fact' to add a strong
Used in fixed phrases such as 'in fact' or 'as a matter of fact' to add a stronger or contrasting statement after what was just said.
I thought the exam would be very hard. In fact, it turned out to be quite easy.
phrase: in fact for contrast
Kenji said he did not like cake. As a matter of fact, he ate three slices at the party.
phrase: as a matter of fact
The weather forecast said rain, but in fact the sun came out by midday.
People often assume Trang is very shy. In fact, she loves meeting new people at community events and making friends.
The coding error looked simple at first. In point of fact, it took the engineering team three days to fix.
- actually
more common in everyday speech, slightly weaker emphasis
- indeed
more formal, often used in writing
- in reality
strongly contrasts with appearance or assumption
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the fixed phrases 'in fact', 'as a matter of fact', and 'in point of fact'. It cannot stand alone as 'fact' or 'facts' with this meaning.
常見錯誤
3. Used in the phrase 'the fact that' followed by a full clause, to stress that a s
Used in the phrase 'the fact that' followed by a full clause, to stress that a situation is genuinely true — often before stating a reaction, result, or consequence.
The fact that Adaeze finished the race surprised no one who had seen her training.
construction: the fact that + clause
Despite the fact that it rained all afternoon, the children played outside happily.
Pim was proud of the fact that his team won first place in the science contest.
The fact that over forty neighbours helped rebuild the community garden shows how much the locals care.
用法筆記
Always followed by a 'that'-clause containing a full subject and verb. This sense cannot be replaced by 'facts' (plural); it is a fixed grammatical construction with the singular 'fact'.
常見錯誤
4. A situation or truth that is unpleasant but cannot be changed or avoided — often
A situation or truth that is unpleasant but cannot be changed or avoided — often used in the fixed phrase 'a fact of life'.
Getting older is a fact of life that everyone must accept sooner or later.
phrase: fact of life
Reuben had to explain the harsh facts of life to his younger brother after their pet died.
It is a sad fact that many rare species lose their homes to deforestation each year.
Constanza accepted the fact that not every dream can turn into a real career.
- reality
broader meaning, not necessarily unpleasant
- inevitability
focuses on unavoidability rather than truth
- choice
something you can decide to do or not do
- possibility
something that may or may not happen
用法筆記
Commonly appears with the adjectives 'hard', 'harsh', 'sad', or 'unpleasant', or in the fixed form 'a fact of life'. Unlike sense 1, the focus here is on unavoidability rather than verifiability.
常見錯誤
5. Precise, operational details about a particular case or situation, gathered for
Precise, operational details about a particular case or situation, gathered for a practical purpose such as making a decision, writing a report, or settling a dispute.
The buyer asked for the hard facts about the property before making an offer.
collocation: hard facts
Nikos collected facts and figures from the experiment to support his conclusion.
collocation: facts and figures
Police officers gathered the facts of the accident by speaking to several witnesses.
Yael demanded the facts before signing any agreement with the company.
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, the emphasis is on precision and detail rather than on general truth. Common in professional contexts such as law, business, and journalism.
常見錯誤
6. Information about sex, reproduction, and how babies are born — used especially i
Information about sex, reproduction, and how babies are born — used especially in the fixed phrase 'the facts of life', which is often taught to children and teenagers.
Layla's parents gave her a simple book about the facts of life when she turned twelve.
phrase: the facts of life
The school nurse explained the facts of life to the curious group of teenagers.
Kwame learned the facts of life during a health education class at middle school.
Many children first learn the facts of life from their parents or older siblings.
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed plural phrase 'the facts of life'. Rarely used with 'fact' (singular) for this meaning.