Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 473 · 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) “Breaking news…” (b) “Dear diary…” (c) “This House…” (d) “Once upon a time…”
2. 2.True or false: “This House would give every class a pet.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.📜 A good motion must have… (a) a hidden answer (b) one right answer (c) no clear meaning (d) two sides to argue
4. 4.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
5. 5.True or false: “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) may test the definition (c) must prove the motion (d) speaks first
7. 7.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) is for the motion (b) must disprove the motion (c) answers the proposition (d) says “I beg to oppose”
8. 8.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
9. 9.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) answers the proposition (b) is for the motion (c) defines the key words (d) speaks first
10. 10.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
11. 11.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) speaks first (b) must prove the motion (c) may test the definition (d) is for the motion
12. 12.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) must prove the motion (d) speaks first
13. 13.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
16. 16.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) defines the key words (c) is for the motion (d) is against the motion
18. 18.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
19. 19.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
20. 20.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
21. 21.⚖️ Which side may test the definition? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
22. 22.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
23. 23.True or false: “This House would start school an hour later.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) defines the key words (c) may test the definition (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) False (b) True
26. 26.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the audience (b) the opposition (c) the proposition (d) the judges
27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) must disprove the motion
28. 28.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
29. 29.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
30. 30.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the opposition (c) the proposition (d) the audience
31. 31.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) is against the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) must disprove the motion
32. 32.True or false: “This House believes every school needs a garden.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
34. 34.True or false: “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.⚖️ Which side must prove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
36. 36.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a week has seven days.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
37. 37.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to oppose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
38. 38.True or false: “This House believes a year has twelve months.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) may test the definition (d) must disprove the motion

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