Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 435 · 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 triangle has three sides.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
2. 2.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
4. 4.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is against the motion (c) may test the definition (d) is for the motion
5. 5.True or false: “This House believes every school needs a garden.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
7. 7.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) must disprove the motion
8. 8.📜 A good motion must have… (a) one right answer (b) a hidden answer (c) two sides to argue (d) no clear meaning
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) speaks first (c) is against the motion (d) says “I beg to oppose”
10. 10.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) is for the motion (d) may test the definition
11. 11.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) defines the key words (d) is against the motion
12. 12.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
13. 13.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) must disprove the motion (d) defines the key words
14. 14.True or false: “This House believes a week has seven days.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) speaks first (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) is for the motion
17. 17.True or false: “This House believes 2 + 2 = 4.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the opposition (b) the proposition (c) the audience (d) the judges
19. 19.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) must disprove the motion (c) is against the motion (d) may test the definition
20. 20.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) must disprove the motion (c) speaks first (d) is for the motion
21. 21.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the last speech (b) the winner’s prize (c) the topic statement (d) the timekeeper
22. 22.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would give every class a pet.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
23. 23.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) speaks first (c) is against the motion (d) answers the proposition
24. 24.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
25. 25.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) answers the proposition (c) is against the motion (d) defines the key words
26. 26.True or false: “This House would give every class a pet.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
28. 28.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) may test the definition (c) is for the motion (d) must prove the motion
29. 29.True or false: “This House believes a year has twelve months.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes every school needs a garden.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
31. 31.⚖️ Which side may test the definition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
32. 32.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
33. 33.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the proposition (b) the audience (c) the opposition (d) the judges
34. 34.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make homework optional.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
35. 35.True or false: “This House believes ice is frozen water.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) is against the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) speaks first
37. 37.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
38. 38.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
39. 39.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) may test the definition (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) says “I beg to oppose”

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