fact

fact

W1S1 [fækt] n

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1¦(true information)¦

2 the fact (that)

3 in (actual) fact

4 the fact (of the matter) is

5 the fact remains

6¦(real events/not a story)¦

7 facts and figures

8 the facts speak for themselves

9 after the fact

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[Date: 1400-1500; : Latin; Origin: factum 'thing done', from facere 'to do, make']

1.) ¦(TRUE INFORMATION)¦

a piece of information that is known to be true

▪ Newspapers have a duty to provide readers with the facts.

fact about

▪ The book is full of interesting facts about the World Cup.

fact of

▪ First of all, we need to establish the facts of the case.

it's a fact/that's a fact

(=used to emphasize that something is definitely true or that something definitely happened)

▪ The divorce rate is twice as high as in the 1950s - that's a fact.

is that a fact?

(=used to reply to a statement that you find surprising, interesting, or difficult to believe)

▪ 'She used to be a professional singer.' 'Is that a fact?'

it's a (well-known/little-known etc) fact that

▪ It's a fact that most deaths from lung cancer are caused by smoking.

▪ I know for a fact that (=used to say that something is definitely true) she earns more than I do.

get your facts right/straight

(=make sure you are right about something)

▪ Mr Craig should get his facts straight before making false allegations.

▪ Your ability to write and argue is of little use if you get your facts wrong (=are wrong about something) .

stick to the facts

(=only say what you know is true)

hard facts

(=information that is definitely true and can be proven)

▪ We need hard facts not just interesting theories.

the bare facts

(=the basic details of a situation or story)

2.) the fact (that)

used when talking about a situation and saying that it is true

▪ Our decision to build the museum in Hartlepool was influenced by the fact that there were no national museums in the North East.

▪ He refused to help me, despite the fact that I asked him several times.

given the fact (that)/in view of the fact (that)

(=used when saying that a particular fact influences your judgement about something or someone)

▪ Given the fact that this is their first game, I think they did pretty well.

due to the fact (that)/owing to the fact (that)

(=because)

▪ The school's poor exam record is largely due to the fact that it is chronically underfunded.

▪ The fact we didn't win when we were so close is very disappointing.

3.) in (actual) fact

a) used when you are adding something, especially something surprising, to emphasize what you have just said

▪ I know the mayor really well. In fact, I had dinner with her last week.

b) used to emphasize that the truth about a situation is the opposite of what has been mentioned

▪ They told me it would be cheap but in fact it cost me nearly $500.

▪ Her teachers said she was a slow learner, whereas in actual fact she was partially deaf.

4.) the fact (of the matter) is

spoken used when you are telling someone what is actually true in a particular situation, especially when this may be difficult to accept, or different from what people believe

▪ The fact of the matter is that he's just not up to the job.

5.) the fact remains

used to emphasize that what you are saying about a situation is true and people must realize this

▪ The fact remains that the number of homeless people is rising daily.

6.) ¦(REAL EVENTS/NOT A STORY)¦[U]

situations, events etc that really happened and have not been invented

≠ ↑fiction

▪ Much of the novel is based on fact.

▪ It's a news reporter's job to separate fact from fiction .

7.) facts and figures [plural]

the basic details, numbers etc concerning a particular situation or subject

▪ Here are a few facts and figures about the country.

8.) the facts speak for themselves

used to say that the things that have happened or the things someone has done show clearly that something is true

9.) after the fact

after something has happened or been done, especially after a mistake has been made

→as a matter of fact at ↑matter¹ (4), face facts at ↑face² (2), in point of fact at ↑point¹ (17)

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WORD CHOICE: in fact, as a matter of fact, the fact is

Use in fact or as a matter of fact to say more about a previous statement : Antibiotics will not help. In fact, they may make symptoms worse. |The album is brilliant - their best ever, as a matter of fact.

You can also use in fact or as a matter of fact to correct what has been said : They had met but were not, in fact, friends. | 'You've never been there, have you?' 'As a matter of fact I have.'

Use the fact is to introduce your main point or to say what the real truth is : Many women are constantly dieting. The fact is, most diets do not work. |The fact is, he's just no good at his job.

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