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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 149 · 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.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  2. 2.🧩 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
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  4. 4.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “my friend agrees” (b) “I feel it” (c) “dustbins are green” (d) a count of litter
  5. 5.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  6. 6.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  7. 7.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Goodbye…” (b) “Hello, everyone…” (c) “Once upon a time…” (d) “This shows that…”
  9. 9.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  12. 12.True or false: “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  14. 14.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  15. 15.🧩 What is evidence? (a) your loudest point (b) a guess (c) facts that back a claim (d) a rhyme
  16. 16.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) adds a new topic (b) links proof to the claim (c) ends the debate (d) repeats the claim
  17. 17.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  18. 18.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  19. 19.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  20. 20.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) a number you found (b) the judges’ marks (c) a joke (d) the point you argue
  21. 21.True or false: “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) strong (b) weak (c) proven (d) complete
  23. 23.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  24. 24.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  28. 28.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  29. 29.True or false: “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  32. 32.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  33. 33.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our class should start a recycling corner.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  35. 35.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  36. 36.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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