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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 204 · 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 suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  2. 2.🧩 What is evidence? (a) a rhyme (b) a guess (c) your loudest point (d) facts that back a claim
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  5. 5.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  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) False (b) True
  7. 7.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  8. 8.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  10. 10.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  11. 11.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  12. 12.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  15. 15.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should learn first aid.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  16. 16.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Hello, everyone…” (c) “Goodbye…” (d) “This shows that…”
  18. 18.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  19. 19.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) repeats the claim (b) ends the debate (c) adds a new topic (d) links proof to the claim
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) complete (b) proven (c) strong (d) weak
  26. 26.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  27. 27.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) the judges’ marks (b) a joke (c) the point you argue (d) a number you found
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our class should start a recycling corner.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  37. 37.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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