Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 612 · 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 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
2. 2.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
3. 3.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to oppose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
4. 4.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) must prove the motion (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
5. 5.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) answers the proposition (c) must prove the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
7. 7.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Sun rises in the east.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
8. 8.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a year has twelve months.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
9. 9.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
10. 10.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) is against the motion (c) must disprove the motion (d) is for the motion
12. 12.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.True or false: “This House believes a week has seven days.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) must disprove the motion (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
16. 16.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
17. 17.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) may test the definition (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) speaks first
19. 19.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) speaks first (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) must disprove the motion
21. 21.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes every school needs a garden.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
22. 22.True or false: “This House believes the Sun rises in the east.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the proposition (b) the opposition (c) the judges (d) the audience
24. 24.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the proposition (b) the judges (c) the audience (d) the opposition
25. 25.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) may test the definition (d) defines the key words
26. 26.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) answers the proposition (c) speaks first (d) must disprove the motion
28. 28.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
29. 29.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) defines the key words (c) answers the proposition (d) speaks first
30. 30.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes ice is frozen water.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
31. 31.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
32. 32.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the last speech (b) the winner’s prize (c) the timekeeper (d) the topic statement
33. 33.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would replace exams with projects.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
36. 36.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) may test the definition
38. 38.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
39. 39.True or false: “This House believes ice is frozen water.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.⚖️ Which side must prove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition

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