Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 144 · 40 questions

Debater's tip (Two sides, one motion): Motion: the statement being debated, often starting “This House believes…” or “This House would…”. Proposition: for the motion, speaks first, defines the key words, ends “I beg to propose”. Opposition: against it, answers the proposition, ends “I beg to oppose”. Good debate topics for students have two real sides; a plain fact is not debatable.

1. 1.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the opposition (c) the audience (d) the proposition
2. 2.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
3. 3.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) may test the definition (b) defines the key words (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) is for the motion
4. 4.📜 A good motion must have… (a) a hidden answer (b) one right answer (c) two sides to argue (d) no clear meaning
5. 5.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
6. 6.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the winner’s prize (b) the last speech (c) the topic statement (d) the timekeeper
7. 7.📜 Which words often begin a debate motion? (a) “Breaking news…” (b) “This House…” (c) “Once upon a time…” (d) “Dear diary…”
8. 8.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
9. 9.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes every school needs a garden.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
10. 10.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
11. 11.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) answers the proposition (d) is against the motion
12. 12.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) speaks first (c) defines the key words (d) answers the proposition
13. 13.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) defines the key words
14. 14.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
16. 16.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
17. 17.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) answers the proposition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) is for the motion (d) is against the motion
18. 18.True or false: “This House believes the Sun rises in the east.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.⚖️ Which side must prove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
20. 20.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) is against the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) must disprove the motion
22. 22.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Sun rises in the east.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
23. 23.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) defines the key words (b) speaks first (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
24. 24.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) is against the motion (b) is for the motion (c) speaks first (d) says “I beg to propose”
25. 25.True or false: “This House believes board games beat screen games.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) is against the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
28. 28.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a week has seven days.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
29. 29.True or false: “This House believes a year has twelve months.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) is for the motion (b) defines the key words (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) says “I beg to oppose”
31. 31.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
32. 32.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.True or false: “This House would give every class a pet.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
35. 35.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
36. 36.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the audience (b) the proposition (c) the judges (d) the opposition
37. 37.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) may test the definition (c) defines the key words (d) answers the proposition
38. 38.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes ice is frozen water.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
39. 39.True or false: “This House would start school an hour later.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) must disprove the motion (c) speaks first (d) says “I beg to propose”

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