Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 927 · 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) must prove the motion (b) defines the key words (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) is for the motion
2. 2.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
3. 3.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must prove the motion (b) answers the proposition (c) is for the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
4. 4.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the audience (c) the opposition (d) the proposition
5. 5.⚖️ Which side is for the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
6. 6.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
7. 7.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) says “I beg to propose” (b) must prove the motion (c) may test the definition (d) speaks first
8. 8.True or false: “This House believes board games beat screen games.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) is for the motion (b) is against the motion (c) defines the key words (d) speaks first
10. 10.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) is against the motion (b) must disprove the motion (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
11. 11.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would give every class a pet.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
12. 12.⚖️ Which side defines the key words? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
13. 13.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) answers the proposition (b) defines the key words (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) must disprove the motion
14. 14.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) must prove the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) speaks first
15. 15.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make homework optional.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
16. 16.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would ban homework at weekends.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
17. 17.📜 The team that argues for the motion is called… (a) the proposition (b) the opposition (c) the judges (d) the audience
18. 18.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) defines the key words (c) must disprove the motion (d) answers the proposition
19. 19.True or false: “This House believes every school needs a garden.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) defines the key words (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) is for the motion
21. 21.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a year has twelve months.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
22. 22.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) is for the motion (c) is against the motion (d) must prove the motion
23. 23.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the timekeeper (b) the last speech (c) the winner’s prize (d) the topic statement
24. 24.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a week has seven days.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
25. 25.True or false: “This House would replace exams with projects.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
27. 27.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) answers the proposition (b) must disprove the motion (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) says “I beg to propose”
28. 28.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) may test the definition (b) must disprove the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) is against the motion
29. 29.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would replace exams with projects.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
30. 30.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) speaks first (d) is against the motion
31. 31.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
32. 32.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
33. 33.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.True or false: “This House believes a year has twelve months.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes 2 + 2 = 4.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
36. 36.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
37. 37.📜 Which words often begin a debate motion? (a) “Dear diary…” (b) “This House…” (c) “Once upon a time…” (d) “Breaking news…”
38. 38.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to oppose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
39. 39.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) speaks first (b) must prove the motion (c) must disprove the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) may test the definition (d) defines the key words

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