Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 165 · 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.📜 Which words often begin a debate motion? (a) “Dear diary…” (b) “This House…” (c) “Once upon a time…” (d) “Breaking news…”
2. 2.⚖️ Which side may test the definition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
3. 3.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a year has twelve months.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
4. 4.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes every school needs a garden.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
5. 5.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) is for the motion (c) defines the key words (d) may test the definition
6. 6.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) answers the proposition (b) defines the key words (c) is for the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
7. 7.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes ice is frozen water.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
8. 8.True or false: “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) may test the definition
10. 10.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
11. 11.True or false: “This House believes board games beat screen games.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
13. 13.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) says “I beg to propose”
14. 14.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) must disprove the motion
15. 15.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) defines the key words (d) is against the motion
16. 16.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the last speech (b) the winner’s prize (c) the topic statement (d) the timekeeper
17. 17.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
18. 18.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) may test the definition (c) is for the motion (d) speaks first
19. 19.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the opposition (b) the judges (c) the audience (d) the proposition
20. 20.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
21. 21.True or false: “This House believes a week has seven days.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.True or false: “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) is against the motion
25. 25.True or false: “This House would give every class a pet.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) is against the motion (b) may test the definition (c) answers the proposition (d) must prove the motion
27. 27.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
28. 28.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
29. 29.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
30. 30.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
31. 31.True or false: “This House would replace exams with projects.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) is for the motion (c) defines the key words (d) is against the motion
33. 33.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the opposition (b) the judges (c) the audience (d) the proposition
34. 34.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would give every class a pet.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
35. 35.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make homework optional.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
36. 36.📜 A good motion must have… (a) a hidden answer (b) no clear meaning (c) two sides to argue (d) one right answer
37. 37.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) is against the motion (c) answers the proposition (d) may test the definition
38. 38.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
39. 39.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to oppose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is against the motion (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) answers the proposition

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