How can you tell the difference between a positive and a normative statement?

A positive statement is a statement that can be supported or refuted by evidence. For example, 'VAT is rising' is a statement that can be proved by comparing the tax rate from previous years to the current year. However, a normative statement is a value judgement. This means that they are subjective and are based on an opinion rather than actual evidence. These type of statements tend to include words like 'should', 'could', and 'unfair'.