Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 759 · 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 2 + 2 = 4.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
2. 2.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a year has twelve months.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
3. 3.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
4. 4.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) must disprove the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) says “I beg to propose”
5. 5.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) may test the definition (c) must prove the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
6. 6.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
7. 7.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) must prove the motion (c) must disprove the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
8. 8.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
10. 10.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
11. 11.True or false: “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would replace exams with projects.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
13. 13.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
14. 14.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the audience (c) the proposition (d) the opposition
15. 15.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) may test the definition (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
16. 16.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) is against the motion (d) is for the motion
17. 17.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
18. 18.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
19. 19.True or false: “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.⚖️ Which side must prove the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
21. 21.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) is against the motion (c) defines the key words (d) answers the proposition
22. 22.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) must disprove the motion (d) is against the motion
23. 23.True or false: “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would give every class a pet.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
25. 25.📜 A good motion must have… (a) two sides to argue (b) a hidden answer (c) no clear meaning (d) one right answer
26. 26.True or false: “This House would give every class a pet.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
28. 28.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
29. 29.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) may test the definition (c) speaks first (d) is for the motion
30. 30.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the proposition (c) the opposition (d) the audience
31. 31.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) defines the key words (b) answers the proposition (c) must disprove the motion (d) is against the motion
32. 32.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
33. 33.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) must disprove the motion (c) is against the motion (d) says “I beg to oppose”
34. 34.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is against the motion (c) is for the motion (d) answers the proposition
35. 35.📜 Which words often begin a debate motion? (a) “Breaking news…” (b) “Dear diary…” (c) “This House…” (d) “Once upon a time…”
36. 36.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make homework optional.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) must disprove the motion (c) defines the key words (d) must prove the motion
38. 38.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
39. 39.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) speaks first (d) answers the proposition
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) answers the proposition (d) is against the motion

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