Debate · lesson 17 of 24 · free

How a group discussion works — Debate and group discussion

In a group discussion (GD), 6 to 10 people sit in a circle and discuss one topic, usually for 10 to 20 minutes. There are no fixed sides and no set order — members speak when they have a useful point, taking turns politely. An evaluator watches how each person thinks, listens and works with the group. Good GD topics for students are open questions such as “How can our school waste less food?”; a quiz question with one right answer is not a GD topic.

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Debater's tip

Explore together — “a GD is a team looking at one topic from many sides”

  1. Debate: fixed sides, a set order, fixed time per speaker, a motion, a winner. GD: no sides, no set order, a topic to explore together.
  2. A good GD topic can be seen in different ways; a fact question (“How many legs does a spider have?”) cannot be discussed.
  3. Sharing time: minutes ÷ members; discussion time = total − thinking time − summary time.

Use it for: Class discussions, club meetings, GD rounds in school selections, college admissions and interviews.

Worked example: ⭕ Debate or group discussion: no fixed sides? → a group discussion

  1. In a debate, the proposition and opposition are fixed; in a GD, everyone is free to see the topic their own way.
  2. So “no fixed sides” is a feature of a group discussion.

Check: Practise aloud: with 3 family members, hold a 5-minute GD on “How can we make our city cleaner?” — everyone speaks at least twice ✓

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✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

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🏁 Lesson 17 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the ⭕ Circle Talker badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 8 lessons of Part 3 · Group discussion. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Group Discussion Worksheet: How a GD Works

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