English · B1 · vocabulary · 5 minutes
News and media literacy
Describe sources, evidence, bias, and the difference between fact and claim.
Understand the choice
Media literacy needs language for both content and reliability. A report may be accurate while its headline is misleading, or broad coverage may repeat a rumour without verifying it.
Core rule: A source supports or contradicts a claim; evidence is normally uncountable, while a piece of evidence names one item.
Notice it in context
The headline makes a dramatic claim, but the source provides little evidence.
El titular hace una afirmación dramática, pero la fuente aporta pocas pruebas.
Makes a claim is a fixed verb–noun combination; little selects uncountable evidence.
The editor changed the headline after checking the source.
The person responsible for publication revised the title after verifying its origin.
Editor, headline, and source describe an editorial decision.
Wide coverage can repeat a rumour and reinforce bias.
Extensive reporting may spread an unverified story and strengthen one-sided judgment.
Coverage, rumour, and bias appear in a caution about repetition.
What to remember
- News is uncountable in English: some news, a news story, not a news.
- Biased is the adjective; bias is the noun and can also be a verb.
Common trap: Do not call a claim a fact until the available evidence justifies that description.