Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 286 · 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.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a year has twelve months.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
2. 2.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
3. 3.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Sun rises in the east.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
4. 4.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) must prove the motion (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
5. 5.📜 A good motion must have… (a) one right answer (b) two sides to argue (c) no clear meaning (d) a hidden answer
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) defines the key words (c) may test the definition (d) is against the motion
7. 7.True or false: “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.True or false: “This House believes every school needs a garden.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) must prove the motion (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
10. 10.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
12. 12.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) is against the motion (c) answers the proposition (d) must disprove the motion
13. 13.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) answers the proposition (c) may test the definition (d) must disprove the motion
14. 14.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
15. 15.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
16. 16.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) may test the definition (c) is against the motion (d) says “I beg to oppose”
17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) may test the definition (d) defines the key words
18. 18.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) answers the proposition (c) is against the motion (d) defines the key words
19. 19.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) speaks first (b) must disprove the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) must prove the motion
20. 20.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is for the motion (c) is against the motion (d) may test the definition
21. 21.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a week has seven days.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
22. 22.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the opposition (c) the proposition (d) the audience
23. 23.True or false: “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) must disprove the motion (c) speaks first (d) is against the motion
26. 26.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
29. 29.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would start school an hour later.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
30. 30.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
31. 31.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
32. 32.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) speaks first (d) defines the key words
33. 33.True or false: “This House would give every class a pet.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
35. 35.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is against the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) must prove the motion
38. 38.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the topic statement (b) the winner’s prize (c) the timekeeper (d) the last speech
39. 39.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) is against the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) speaks first
40. 40.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the opposition (b) the judges (c) the audience (d) the proposition

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