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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 200 · 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? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  2. 2.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  3. 3.True or false: “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (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.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) strong (b) weak (c) proven (d) complete
  6. 6.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “I feel it” (b) “my friend agrees” (c) a count of litter (d) “dustbins are green”
  7. 7.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) ends the debate (b) links proof to the claim (c) adds a new topic (d) repeats the claim
  8. 8.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  10. 10.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) True (b) False
  11. 11.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  14. 14.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  16. 16.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🧩 What is evidence? (a) your loudest point (b) facts that back a claim (c) a guess (d) a rhyme
  18. 18.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) the point you argue (b) the judges’ marks (c) a joke (d) a number you found
  24. 24.True or false: “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.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) False (b) True
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  31. 31.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should learn first aid.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  35. 35.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  36. 36.True or false: “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Goodbye…” (c) “This shows that…” (d) “Hello, everyone…”
  39. 39.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning

Answer key

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

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