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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 475 · 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) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  2. 2.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) the point you argue (b) a joke (c) a number you found (d) the judges’ marks
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  5. 5.True or false: “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  7. 7.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  8. 8.🧩 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”
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  10. 10.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) proven (b) strong (c) weak (d) complete
  13. 13.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “Our class should start a recycling corner.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our class should start a recycling corner.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  20. 20.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  21. 21.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  22. 22.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  23. 23.🧩 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
  24. 24.True or false: “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” 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) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  26. 26.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  31. 31.🧩 What is evidence? (a) a rhyme (b) facts that back a claim (c) your loudest point (d) a guess
  32. 32.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  34. 34.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “This shows that…” (b) “Once upon a time…” (c) “Hello, everyone…” (d) “Goodbye…”
  36. 36.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) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) ends the debate (b) adds a new topic (c) links proof to the claim (d) repeats the claim
  39. 39.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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