Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 898 · 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.📜 A good motion must have… (a) one right answer (b) a hidden answer (c) no clear meaning (d) two sides to argue
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) may test the definition (c) speaks first (d) is against the motion
3. 3.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a week has seven days.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
4. 4.True or false: “This House believes summer holidays are too long.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.📜 Which words often begin a debate motion? (a) “Dear diary…” (b) “This House…” (c) “Breaking news…” (d) “Once upon a time…”
6. 6.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) is for the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
7. 7.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would start school an hour later.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
8. 8.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the opposition (c) the proposition (d) the audience
9. 9.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
10. 10.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make homework optional.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
11. 11.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
12. 12.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) speaks first (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
13. 13.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) must disprove the motion (c) speaks first (d) says “I beg to propose”
14. 14.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) must prove the motion (d) is against the motion
15. 15.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) is against the motion
16. 16.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Sun rises in the east.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) says “I beg to oppose” (b) may test the definition (c) is for the motion (d) is against the motion
18. 18.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) defines the key words (c) is for the motion (d) is against the motion
19. 19.True or false: “This House would start school an hour later.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) must disprove the motion (b) must prove the motion (c) is against the motion (d) may test the definition
21. 21.True or false: “This House believes a week has seven days.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the opposition (b) the audience (c) the judges (d) the proposition
23. 23.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
25. 25.True or false: “This House believes board games beat screen games.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
27. 27.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes every school needs a garden.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
29. 29.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
30. 30.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) answers the proposition (b) may test the definition (c) is against the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
31. 31.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
32. 32.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
33. 33.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes ice is frozen water.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
35. 35.⚖️ Which side must prove the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
36. 36.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) must prove the motion (d) speaks first
37. 37.True or false: “This House believes every school needs a garden.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the last speech (b) the topic statement (c) the winner’s prize (d) the timekeeper
39. 39.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) is against the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) is for the motion
40. 40.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable

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