Debating is an excellent way of practicing English. It forces you to present information and arguments in English, it challenges your listening comprehension, and it helps you to communicate confidently.
This episode explains the concept of a debate, talks about how debates are structures, and introduces some really useful vocabulary and phrases!
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Vocabulary
- To rebut (verb): To refute or disprove an argument or claim.
- During the debate, she managed to rebut all the opposing team’s points effectively.
- Persuade (verb): To cause someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
- The speaker used compelling evidence to persuade the audience to support her viewpoint.
- Affirmative (adjective): Agreeing with or supporting a statement or request.
- In the debate, the affirmative team argued in favour of the new policy.
- Counterargument (noun): An argument or set of reasons put forward to oppose an idea or theory developed in another argument.
- He presented a strong counterargument to challenge the main points.
- Statement (noun): A clear expression of something in speech or writing.
- Her opening statement clearly outlined the main arguments for the proposal.
- Structure (noun): The arrangement or organization of something.
- The structure of a formal debate includes opening statements, rebuttals, and closing statements.
- To present (verb): To show or display something, especially formally.
- Each debater was given five minutes to present their arguments to the panel of judges.
Debating in a Foreign Language
In 2022, I was a research student at a Japanese university, and I decided to take a few interesting Japanese language classes that I thought would be useful as a student and researcher.
One class was on casual conversation language, my favourite class was public speaking and presentation, and perhaps the most useful class was โdebating in Japanese.โ
This class was very difficult. It was slightly above my Japanese level, but I decided to challenge myself. We had to read an article in Japanese, then our teacher would split us into 3 groups. We were given roles, then had to debate (or judge a debate).
Thinking of different arguments, on a topic youโre not familiar with, in a foreign language is a great way of building your skills. Weโll talk more about debates later in this episode, but in a formal debate you often donโt get to choose whether you are arguing for or against a resolution.
The most challenging part of the debate class was comprehension. I had to listen to my oppositionโs arguments, take notes and think about โrebuttalsโ (my responses) to what they were saying, and then say those rebuttals in Japanese with no real time to prepare.
It was incredible practice and forced my brain to work overtime and use as much Japanese as possible.
As I found debating so useful a few years ago, I thought I would introduce the basics of debating in this episode and give you some useful phrases and vocabulary that you can use in formal debates and also in more casual discussions and arguments!
Debating vs Arguing vs Discussing
First, letโs talk about the differences between debating, arguing, and discussion.
Debating
Debating is a structured exchange of arguments with specific rules and a formal setting. In a debate, participants are usually divided into two sides: one supporting a resolution and the other opposing it. Each side presents their arguments, rebuts the opposing arguments, and tries to persuade an audience or a panel of judges.
In formal debates, such as those in schools or debate clubs, there are strict rules about speaking times and the order in which participants speak. This structure helps ensure that the debate is fair and that each side has an equal opportunity to present their case.
For example, in a high school debate competition, the topic might be ‘Should school uniforms be mandatory?’
The affirmative side would argue in favour of mandatory uniforms, while the negative side would argue against them. Each team would have time to present their arguments, cross-examine the other team, and make closing statements.”
Arguing
Unlike debating, arguing is often informal and can be emotionally driven. Arguments typically occur in everyday situations where people have conflicting viewpoints.
The key difference here is that arguments lack the formal structure of debates and can sometimes become heated or personal.
When people argue, they might not follow a clear structure or set of rules. Instead, they might interrupt each other, raise their voices, or use emotional appeals rather than logical arguments.
For instance, a couple might argue about how to spend their weekend, with one person wanting to stay in and relax while the other wants to go out and socialize. This argument might involve a lot of back-and-forth without a clear resolution.
You will notice that โargumentโ has two definitions here.
When you โhave an argument with your fatherโ it is typically an angry exchange of different opinions.
In a debate, essay, or when thinking of new ideas, โargumentโ instead refers to a โline of reasoningโ or โa reason given in support of an idea, action or theory.โ
In debating, when we talk about โargumentsโ, we mean your reasons and evidence rather an angry exchange with your opposition.
Discussing
I also think I should briefly mention โdiscussingโ and โdiscussions.โ
A discussion is a more neutral exchange of ideas and opinions, usually without the formal structure of a debate or the anger of an argument. Discussions aim to share information and explore different perspectives.
In a discussion, participants take turns speaking, listen to each other, and build on each other’s ideas. Discussions are common in both personal and professional settings.
For example, in a business meeting, team members might discuss the best approach for a new project. Each person contributes their thoughts, and the group works together to come to a consensus.
A key aspect of discussions is that they are cooperative rather than competitive. The goal is not to win or lose but to understand each other’s viewpoints and find common ground.
Structure of a Debate
Types of Debates
Debates can vary in format and setting, but they generally fall into two categories: formal and informal debates.
Formal debates are structured events with strict rules and guidelines. Examples include parliamentary debates, policy debates, and competitive debates in schools and universities.
In formal debates, participants follow a specific format, adhere to time limits, and often have judges who evaluate their performance.
Informal debates are more relaxed and can occur in everyday situations, such as classroom discussions or casual conversations with friends. While they may not have the same strict rules as formal debates, they still involve presenting and defending arguments.
Key Features of a Debate
Most debates share some common key features that help structure the exchange of ideas.
The resolution or motion is the statement or topic being debated. It is usually phrased as a proposition, such as ‘Social media has a positive impact on society.‘ The resolution provides a clear focus for the debate and defines what is being argued.
In a debate, there are typically two sides: the affirmative and the negative. The affirmative side supports the resolution and presents arguments in favour of it. The negative side opposes the resolution and presents counterarguments.
In the previous resolution, the affirmative side will argue that social media has a positive impact on society, and the negative side will argue that social media does not have a positive impact on society.
Each side begins with an opening statement, where they introduce their main arguments. The opening statements set the stage for the debate and outline the key points each side will discuss.
After the opening statements, each side has the opportunity to respond to the opponent’s arguments. This is known as the rebuttal phase. During rebuttals, debaters aim to refute the opposing side’s points and strengthen their own case.
If there are three people on each team, the debate might look like this.
The first affirmative debater will speak first, clearly setting out their teamโs interpretation of the topics, defining concepts, and providing arguments.
The first negative debater will try to shape the debate in the way they considered it, challenge any definitions if they have different ideas, rebut the opposition arguments.
Then the second speakers will use their turns to rebut the previous speaker and introduce new arguments. The third speakers will rebut the second speakers and any strong attacks and will conclude their teamsโ positions.
In some debate formats, there is a cross-examination phase where debaters can ask questions to the opposing side. This helps to clarify arguments, expose weaknesses, and gather more information.
At the end of the debate, each side delivers a closing statement. This is a summary of their main points and a final attempt to persuade the audience or judges. The closing statements should reinforce the key arguments and address any remaining issues.
Roles in a Debate
There are three main roles in a debate.
The main participants are the debaters who present arguments and counterarguments. Debaters need to research their topic, organize their points, and deliver their speeches confidently.
The moderators ensure that the debate follows the rules and stays on track. They manage the speaking times, introduce the speakers, and sometimes pose questions to the debaters.
In formal debates, judges evaluate the performance of the debaters based on criteria such as argument strength, delivery, and rebuttal effectiveness. Judges decide the winner of the debate.
Sometimes there are no judges (if it is a more informal debate or a political debate) and sometimes the moderators and judges are the same people.
Language of Debating
I think it would be useful to introduce some language and phrases for debating. I actually covered arguing vocabulary extensively in the previous โhow to argueโ episode (260) if you want more vocabulary!
First, letโs think about the basic structure of a good debating argument.
Argument Structure
A good debating argument has three different steps.
First is the โclaim.โ This is a clear and direct statement of your argument.
Second is โevidenceโ. You could use statistics, quotes, personal anecdotes, or something similar to support and prove your claim.
Third is the โimpactโ or โsignificance.โ Explain how the evidence you presented supports your claim and why it is important!
For example, using the resolution from earlier (social media has a positive impact on society) and this structure, you could say this:
Social media has a positive impact on society by encouraging global communication and connectivity.
For example, a study by the Pew Research Centre found that 72% of adults in the United States use social media to connect with friends and family, share information, and stay updated on current events.
This widespread use of social media enhances global connectivity, allowing individuals to maintain relationships, exchange cultural insights, and stay informed about global issues, ultimately promoting a more interconnected and informed society.
Phrases for Debating
Now, letโs quickly go through some useful vocabulary that you can use in debates and also when presenting arguments in other situations (writing or arguing etc).
When introducing an argument, we can use phrases like;
- “I firmly believe that…”
- “Our position is that…”
- “We contend that…”
If you want to support an argument with evidence;
- “For example, according to…”
- “Research shows that…”
- “This is evident from…”
When countering or rebutting an argument;
- “On the contrary, evidence shows that…”
- “However, we must consider…”
- “In response to that point, itโs important to note that…”
And when concluding or summarising your arguments;
- “In summary, the evidence clearly indicates…”
- “Therefore, we strongly advocate for…”
- “To conclude, we have demonstrated that…”
Additionally, here are some common expressions that can be useful in various parts of a debate.
To elaborate or clarify:
- “Let me elaborate…”
- “To clarify…”
- “What I mean is…”
To emphasize a point:
- “Itโs crucial to understand that…”
- “Significantly…”
- “Iโd like to stress that…”
To acknowledge the opponent’s point:
- “While itโs true that…”
- “Although we recognize…”
- “Despite the fact that…”
To transition between points:
- “Additionally…”
- “Moving on to our next point…”
- “Furthermore…”
Final Thought
Today, we’ve explored the differences between debating, arguing, and discussing, looked into the structure, format and key features of a debate, and learned essential debating vocabulary.
Hopefully, using this knowledge, you’re now able to debate confidently and effectively, using clear claims, supporting evidence, and impactful conclusions.
Perhaps I could start a Thinking in English debate club in the future!
What do you think? Have you ever taken part in a debate? Are you good at arguing?
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“Debating” was the first episode of your podcast I listened to, and since then I have been listening to “Thinking in English” every day. Thank you for the opportunity to learn IN English instead of just trying to learn the language. Your podcast is so interesting and clever and inspirational!
Amazing! Thank you for listening ๐