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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 301 · 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? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  2. 2.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Hello, everyone…” (b) “Once upon a time…” (c) “Goodbye…” (d) “This shows that…”
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  5. 5.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  7. 7.🧩 What is evidence? (a) a rhyme (b) a guess (c) your loudest point (d) facts that back a claim
  8. 8.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) a number you found (b) a joke (c) the point you argue (d) the judges’ marks
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  10. 10.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  11. 11.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should learn first aid.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  14. 14.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  18. 18.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  19. 19.True or false: “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “my friend agrees” (b) “dustbins are green” (c) a count of litter (d) “I feel it”
  24. 24.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  25. 25.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) complete (b) strong (c) proven (d) weak
  28. 28.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) ends the debate (b) repeats the claim (c) adds a new topic (d) links proof to the claim
  32. 32.🧩 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
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  36. 36.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  37. 37.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  38. 38.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  39. 39.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  40. 40.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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