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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 123 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Claim → evidence → reasoning): Claim: the point being argued — often a “should” sentence. Evidence: a fact, number, record or example that can be checked. Reasoning: explains how the evidence proves the claim — it often begins “This shows that…”, “So…” or “That means…”.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “my friend agrees” (b) “I feel it” (c) a count of litter (d) “dustbins are green”
  2. 2.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our class should start a recycling corner.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  3. 3.True or false: “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  5. 5.🧩 What is evidence? (a) your loudest point (b) a guess (c) a rhyme (d) facts that back a claim
  6. 6.True or false: “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  8. 8.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) repeats the claim (b) links proof to the claim (c) adds a new topic (d) ends the debate
  10. 10.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) the judges’ marks (b) a joke (c) the point you argue (d) a number you found
  11. 11.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Goodbye…” (c) “Hello, everyone…” (d) “This shows that…”
  12. 12.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  13. 13.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) proven (b) complete (c) strong (d) weak
  14. 14.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  18. 18.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  19. 19.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  20. 20.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  21. 21.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  24. 24.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  26. 26.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should learn first aid.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  31. 31.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  33. 33.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  35. 35.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  36. 36.True or false: “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  38. 38.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

  1. a count of litter
  2. a claim
  3. False
  4. reasoning
  5. facts that back a claim
  6. True
  7. reasoning
  8. True
  9. links proof to the claim
  10. the point you argue
  11. “This shows that…”
  12. reasoning
  13. weak
  14. False
  15. True
  16. True
  17. evidence
  18. a claim
  19. a claim
  20. evidence
  21. evidence
  22. True
  23. a claim
  24. True
  25. reasoning
  26. True
  27. True
  28. False
  29. a claim
  30. a claim
  31. False
  32. a claim
  33. True
  34. reasoning
  35. reasoning
  36. True
  37. reasoning
  38. evidence
  39. False
  40. True

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