Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 1 of 8

Writing support Unit 6

Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Debate speech
Writing task

Your teacher has invited you to participate in a debate about beauty pageants.
Write a debate speech on the motion ‘Beauty pageants should be banned’. Write
the speech by following steps 1–3.

Step 1: Analyse
Purpose, audience and tone
Think about the task and answer the PAT questions.

PURPOSE
What is the purpose of your debate speech? Underline the best answer.
 to (justify/support/argue against) the opposing side’s arguments
 to (question/persuade/intimidate) the judges so that they will agree with your position

AUDIENCE
Who is going to listen to your debate speech?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

TONE
What tone should you use in your debate speech?
………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 2 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Text type features: Debate speech

Read the debate speech on pages 40 and 41 of your textbook again. Label the features of the
debate speech and complete the example sentences in the table below.

Part/Feature Example(s)

A …………………………… ………...……………………………………………..........................

B …………………………… I am ………..…..…………….………………….…………...............
………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................

C …………………………… The chief reason ..………....…………………………….………….

………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................

D …………………………… This emphasis on ...…………………....……………………………

………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................

E …………………………… We should educate ………………………………………………….

………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................
………...……………………………………………..........................

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 3 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Step 2: Develop
Writing skill: Presenting and structuring your arguments
Read the Skills builder box on page 58 of your textbook. Then complete the notes below.
 We should state our position in the ……………………………, e.g. I am debating for the
motion ‘Plastic surgery is harmful to society’.
 We should present our ……………………………………… in separate ………………………
and support all arguments with ………………………….. and ……………………………., e.g.
Plastic surgery is harmful to society because it narrows beauty standards.
 You can reference an ………………………………………… before your ………………………..
to help strengthen your position, especially if you provide examples or reasons
that ……………………. the opposing argument.
 We should conclude by ………………………….. our main arguments and restating our
position.
 Decide if the following are ‘Dos’ or ‘Don’ts’ when presenting and structuring your arguments.
Circle the answer.
i) State your position clearly. ( Do / Don’t )
ii) Run your arguments together. ( Do / Don’t )
iii) Support your main points with outdated facts. ( Do / Don’t )
iv) End by summing up your main arguments. ( Do / Don’t )

Language awareness: Forming negatives

Read the Language awareness box on page 59 of your textbook. Then answer the questions
below.
1 What is the purpose of using negatives?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2 What is the main way that we form negatives?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
3 Proofread the following paragraph and make sure the negative sentences are formed
correctly. Cross out the mistakes and write the correct words on the lines on the right.

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 4 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Brainstorming
To help you brainstorm ideas for your debate speech, use the following organizer.

Motion: Beauty pageants should be banned

My position
 For (Yes)  Against (No)
(Tick ONE only.)
Main argument 1

Supporting details

Main argument 2

Supporting details

Main argument 3

Supporting details

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 5 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Useful vocabulary and expressions

In addition to the words introduced on pages 44 and 45 of your textbook, you can use the
words below to write your debate speech.

Words and phrases related to beauty pageants

contestant makeup self-confidence
expectation prize swimsuit
judge scholarship talent
____________________________________________________________________________
Expressions related to beauty
bad hair day beauty is skin deep inner beauty
beautiful on the inside eye-catching not a hair out of place
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
____________________________________________________________________________
Phrases used in debates
I am in favour of/against … Many people believe that … I hope you can see that …
I strongly support/oppose … The truth is that … It is undeniable that …
It is a fact that … Do not forget that … I hope you agree that …
It is my position that … The point I am making is that …

Useful language patterns

Study the useful language patterns below. Write sentences using the language patterns.
 Using inversion to emphasize a point: negative adverb + modal/auxiliary + subject + verb
e.g. Never should a doctor recommend that a patient undergo a medically unnecessary
procedure because multitudinous patients have died needlessly.
In no way do I agree with proponents of plastic surgery that these procedures can improve
our self-esteem.
Rarely do the results of the operations turn out the way that patients expect or hope for.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
 Expressing regret or disappointment: if only + subject + verb
e.g. We start to think that if only we had been born with straighter noses or higher
cheekbones or different eyelids, our lives would have been much better.
Our society would have been much more content if only we had learnt to value inward rather
than outward beauty.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 6 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Step 3: Write
Planning
Now think about what you want to include in each part of your debate speech. Write a few
sentences using the information from your diagram and the notes below.

Motion
 What is the motion of the debate?

Argument 1
 What is your first argument?
 What reasons and facts do you have to
support it?

Argument 2
 What is your second argument?
 What reasons and facts do you have to
support it?

Argument 3
 What is your third argument?
 What reasons and facts do you have to
support it?

Conclusion
 How can you summarize your arguments?

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 7 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Drafting
Now draft your debate speech. Use your notes and the writing plan below to help you. You can
also use the words and expressions on page 5 to help you.

Greet the audience. …………………………………………………………………………………..

State the motion and
your position. …………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..

State each main

…………………………………………………………………………………..
argument in a new
paragraph. Remember …………………………………………………………………………………..
to use transitions.
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Support each argument …………………………………………………………………………………..
with facts, examples
and/or reasons. …………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
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…………………………………………………………………………………..
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…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Summarize your
arguments by restating …………………………………………………………………………………..
your main points.
…………………………………………………………………………………..
End by thanking your …………………………………………………………………………………..
listeners.
…………………………………………………………………………………..

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Oxford English (Second Edition) 3B 8 of 8
Writing support Unit 6
Name: ________________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________________

Revising and editing

Read your debate speech and reflect on how you did. Tick the appropriate boxes and add
comments in the ‘Comments’ box at the end.

Needs Satisfactory Well done

improvement
Content
Arguments for or against the motion are provided.
The main ideas are expressed clearly.
Descriptions/reasons/examples are provided.
The ideas are interesting.
Language and style
Suitable vocabulary items related to beauty are used.
Appropriate expressions, grammar and sentence
structures are used to make arguments (e.g. using
wish/if only with the past perfect tense).
An appropriate tone is adopted.
There are no mistakes in grammar, spelling,
capitalization and punctuation.
Organization
A suitable organizational framework is used.
Paragraphs are developed with supporting details.
Cohesive devices are used to establish connection
between ideas.
Features
Appropriate text type features are included.
The level of formality is appropriate.
Comments

When you have finished revising and editing your debate speech, swap it with a partner and
give each other feedback. Use the form above to help you. Make improvements as necessary.

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