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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 897 · 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: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  3. 3.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) a joke (b) the judges’ marks (c) a number you found (d) the point you argue
  4. 4.🧩 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
  5. 5.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  6. 6.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Hello, everyone…” (b) “Once upon a time…” (c) “Goodbye…” (d) “This shows that…”
  7. 7.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  8. 8.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  9. 9.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) a count of litter (b) “my friend agrees” (c) “I feel it” (d) “dustbins are green”
  10. 10.🧩 What is evidence? (a) a guess (b) a rhyme (c) your loudest point (d) facts that back a claim
  11. 11.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our PE register shows fitness scores rose after daily games were tried for a term.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  12. 12.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  13. 13.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) proven (b) complete (c) strong (d) weak
  17. 17.True or false: “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) adds a new topic (b) repeats the claim (c) ends the debate (d) links proof to the claim
  19. 19.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  20. 20.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should learn first aid.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  21. 21.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.True or false: “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  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.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This shows that giving time to read helps students read more.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “In our class survey, 30 of 40 students said they read more when given time.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  31. 31.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  32. 32.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) True (b) False
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our eco club counted 200 plastic bottles thrown away in one week.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  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 school should have a daily sports period.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Every school should have a daily sports period.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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