Why Part 4 Is the Hardest
Part 4 gives you a long passage where the author presents viewpoints — opinions, arguments, perspectives. The questions ask things like:
- "What is the author's opinion about...?" - "Which statement would the author most likely agree with?" - "According to the passage, what is the main argument against...?"
These questions are hard because the passage contains BOTH facts and opinions, and you need to tell them apart. Many candidates mix them up and lose marks on questions they "understood" the passage well enough to answer.
Signal Words for Opinions
Opinions are marked by specific language:
Belief words: "I believe," "in my opinion," "it seems," "arguably," "it appears that" Value judgments: "important," "essential," "unfortunate," "problematic," "impressive," "disappointing" Modal hedging: "should," "ought to," "could be," "might," "may" Comparatives: "better," "worse," "more effective," "the best approach"
Facts use neutral, verifiable language: "According to the 2024 report," "Statistics show," "The study found," "In 2023, the company reported..."
When a question asks for the author's opinion, scan for signal words. If a sentence contains "should" or "important" or "unfortunately," it's expressing an opinion — and it's probably the answer.
The Author vs. Other People
Part 4 passages often present multiple viewpoints:
- The author's own opinion - Quoted opinions from other people - General public opinion - Expert opinions
A common trap: the question asks what the author thinks, but you select what someone quoted in the passage thinks. Always verify: "Is this the author speaking, or is the author reporting someone else's view?"
Tip: The author's own opinion usually appears in the first paragraph (thesis) and last paragraph (conclusion). Quoted opinions appear in the middle paragraphs as supporting or opposing evidence.
The Viewpoint Question Framework
For every viewpoint question:
1. Identify whose viewpoint the question asks about (author? a quoted expert? the general public?) 2. Locate the relevant section where that person's view is expressed 3. Find signal words (belief, judgment, modal) to confirm it's an opinion, not a fact 4. Match to the answer that paraphrases the viewpoint most accurately
Practice this on news opinion articles — editorial pieces from CBC, Toronto Star, or BBC regularly present viewpoints in the same way CELPIP passages do.