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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 62 · 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.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our class should start a recycling corner.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  5. 5.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  6. 6.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) strong (b) weak (c) complete (d) proven
  7. 7.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  8. 8.🧩 What is evidence? (a) a rhyme (b) your loudest point (c) a guess (d) facts that back a claim
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  10. 10.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) repeats the claim (b) links proof to the claim (c) adds a new topic (d) ends the debate
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “dustbins are green” (b) “I feel it” (c) “my friend agrees” (d) a count of litter
  15. 15.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  19. 19.🧩 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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Hello, everyone…” (c) “Goodbye…” (d) “This shows that…”
  22. 22.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  23. 23.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  27. 27.True or false: “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  31. 31.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  32. 32.True or false: “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that students choose fruit when it is easy to buy.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) a joke (b) a number you found (c) the point you argue (d) the judges’ marks
  39. 39.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  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. False
  2. False
  3. a claim
  4. evidence
  5. reasoning
  6. weak
  7. evidence
  8. facts that back a claim
  9. a claim
  10. links proof to the claim
  11. True
  12. True
  13. False
  14. a count of litter
  15. evidence
  16. False
  17. True
  18. a claim
  19. evidence
  20. True
  21. “This shows that…”
  22. evidence
  23. False
  24. a claim
  25. False
  26. a claim
  27. False
  28. False
  29. True
  30. reasoning
  31. reasoning
  32. False
  33. False
  34. reasoning
  35. False
  36. False
  37. False
  38. the point you argue
  39. False
  40. True

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