Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 229 · 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) “This House…” (b) “Breaking news…” (c) “Dear diary…” (d) “Once upon a time…”
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) must disprove the motion (c) defines the key words (d) answers the proposition
3. 3.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
4. 4.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
5. 5.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
6. 6.True or false: “This House believes a year has twelve months.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.True or false: “This House believes a week has seven days.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) speaks first (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is against the motion (b) answers the proposition (c) must prove the motion (d) must disprove the motion
10. 10.📜 A good motion must have… (a) one right answer (b) no clear meaning (c) a hidden answer (d) two sides to argue
11. 11.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) speaks first (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) must disprove the motion
12. 12.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) speaks first (c) is against the motion (d) may test the definition
13. 13.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) answers the proposition (b) may test the definition (c) must disprove the motion (d) speaks first
14. 14.True or false: “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is against the motion (b) must disprove the motion (c) may test the definition (d) says “I beg to propose”
16. 16.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
17. 17.True or false: “This House would start school an hour later.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the timekeeper (b) the last speech (c) the winner’s prize (d) the topic statement
19. 19.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
20. 20.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
21. 21.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a year has twelve months.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
22. 22.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) answers the proposition (c) is for the motion (d) speaks first
23. 23.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) is against the motion
24. 24.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
25. 25.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) is for the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) is against the motion
26. 26.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
28. 28.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is against the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) answers the proposition
29. 29.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) may test the definition (d) is against the motion
30. 30.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the proposition (b) the audience (c) the judges (d) the opposition
31. 31.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) may test the definition (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
32. 32.True or false: “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) defines the key words (c) speaks first (d) must disprove the motion
34. 34.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) is for the motion (c) speaks first (d) says “I beg to oppose”
35. 35.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes 2 + 2 = 4.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
36. 36.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) speaks first (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) may test the definition
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) may test the definition (d) speaks first
38. 38.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would give every class a pet.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
39. 39.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
40. 40.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students