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Debate Worksheet: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Debate lesson 1: Claim, evidence and reasoning · Set 96 · 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.🧩 What is the claim in an argument? (a) the point you argue (b) a joke (c) a number you found (d) the judges’ marks
  2. 2.🧩 Which words often start a piece of reasoning? (a) “Goodbye…” (b) “Once upon a time…” (c) “This shows that…” (d) “Hello, everyone…”
  3. 3.🧩 An argument with a claim but no evidence is… (a) proven (b) weak (c) strong (d) complete
  4. 4.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every child should learn to swim.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  5. 5.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “School canteens should serve more fruit.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  6. 6.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” (a) a claim (b) evidence (c) reasoning
  7. 7.🧩 Which is the best evidence for “Our school needs more dustbins”? (a) “dustbins are green” (b) “my friend agrees” (c) a count of litter (d) “I feel it”
  8. 8.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “This tells us that beginners learn swimming quickly with a little practice.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  10. 10.True or false: “School canteens should serve more fruit.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🧩 What is evidence? (a) your loudest point (b) a rhyme (c) a guess (d) facts that back a claim
  12. 12.True or false: “Students should plant one tree every year.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Our school should have a library period every day.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  15. 15.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Every school should have a daily sports period.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  16. 16.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Students should plant one tree every year.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  17. 17.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.True or false: “Children should help with chores at home.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Last year, Class 7 planted 40 saplings and 35 are still growing.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  21. 21.True or false: “Every child should learn to swim.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: “This suggests that chores teach children to plan their time.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: “The canteen sold 300 fruit cups in the week they cost ₹10.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “Children should help with chores at home.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So a recycling corner could stop much of that waste.” (a) evidence (b) a claim (c) reasoning
  27. 27.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “A class diary shows children who did chores finished homework on time more often.” (a) reasoning (b) a claim (c) evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means students who know first aid could help at once.” (a) reasoning (b) evidence (c) a claim
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “So planting trees really does make our campus greener.” (a) a claim (b) reasoning (c) evidence
  33. 33.🧩 What does reasoning do? (a) repeats the claim (b) links proof to the claim (c) adds a new topic (d) ends the debate
  34. 34.🧩 Claim, evidence or reasoning? “That means daily exercise really does make students fitter.” (a) evidence (b) reasoning (c) a claim
  35. 35.True or false: “Our school should have a library period every day.” is a claim — the point being argued. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: “Students should learn first aid.” is reasoning — it links the evidence to the point. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “Our swimming coach’s register shows 18 of 20 beginners could float within a month.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: “The school nurse recorded 25 small cuts and scrapes last term.” is evidence — a fact that backs the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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