Debate topics
Good debate practice means arguing the side you disagree with too. Pick a topic, argue for it for one minute, then argue against it for another.
A little surprise. A minute to speak.
Pull the lever to find your next topic.
Make a point, give an example, and bring it back to your point.
Practicing without a recording
How to answer: PREP
For opinions and debates: say where you stand, then prove it.
- 1Point. Your answer in one sentence.
- 2Reason. The main reason you believe it.
- 3Example. One specific story, number or case.
- 4Point. Restate your answer in new words.
Pull the lever first, then see how a strong answer could sound.
How to practice debating alone
You don't need an opponent to get better at arguing. You need to argue both sides.
Argue the side you disagree with
Pull a topic and argue for it for one minute, then against it for another. Arguing the side you don't believe is the fastest way to find the weak spots in your own position and to stop sounding one-sided.
Use point, reason, example, point
Every argument in a debate should follow the same shape: your claim, why it's true, a concrete example, and the claim again. It keeps you from drifting and makes your rebuttals easy to follow.
The strongest examples are specific and checkable. "When Portugal decriminalized drug use in 2001" carries more weight than "some countries have tried this."
All 71 debate topics
Easy20
- Is it better to be an early bird or a night owl?
- Are cats better pets than dogs?
- Is it better to save money or spend it on experiences?
- Should homework be banned?
- Is it better to live in the city or the countryside?
- Should every country have a four-day school week?
- Is summer or winter the better season?
- Would you rather be famous or anonymous?
- Is it better to rent or buy a home?
- Should fast food come with health warnings?
- Breakfast for dinner is objectively superior.
- Convince me that pineapple belongs on pizza.
- The movie is always better than the book.
- Coffee is overrated.
- Mondays are actually the best day of the week.
- You do not need a college degree to be successful.
- Hot dogs are sandwiches.
- Winter is the best season for productivity.
- Naps should be mandatory at work.
- We should abolish daylight saving time.
Medium26
- Should all drugs be decriminalized?
- Is it ethical to eat meat?
- Should billionaires exist?
- Is it possible to have a truly unbiased news source?
- Should college education be free for everyone?
- Does art require suffering?
- Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos?
- Should athletes be role models?
- Is tradition more important than progress?
- Should there be limits on free speech?
- Remote work is making people worse communicators.
- What is the most overrated city in the world?
- Most self-help books are a waste of time.
- The best music was made before the year 2000.
- Networking is just a fancy word for using people.
- Grades do not reflect intelligence.
- Side hustles are ruining hobbies.
- Most meetings could be emails.
- We romanticize the past too much.
- Multitasking is a myth.
- What is the purpose of art?
- Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
- Is luck more important than hard work?
- Is social media making us more narcissistic?
- Should people be required to vote?
- Is ignorance really bliss?
Hard25
- Is economic growth compatible with environmental sustainability?
- Social media has done more good than harm.
- Money can buy happiness. Defend this position.
- University education is no longer worth the cost.
- Should space exploration be funded by taxes or private companies?
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Do the ends justify the means?
- Should we colonize Mars even if it harms the planet?
- Is free will an illusion?
- Can war ever be justified?
- The concept of work-life balance is a corporate lie.
- Meritocracy is the biggest myth of our generation.
- Social media influencers are the new televangelists.
- Most innovation is actually just repackaging old ideas.
- Hustle culture is just capitalism disguised as self-improvement.
- Nostalgia is a form of denial.
- We are less connected than ever despite technology.
- The pursuit of happiness is making people miserable.
- Democracy only works when the population is educated.
- Charity is often more about the giver than the receiver.
- Is perfection achievable or just an illusion?
- Argue for or against mandatory military service.
- Should we celebrate Columbus Day?
- Should the internet be censored?
- What is the biggest lie society tells us?
Questions
What makes a good debate topic?
A clear yes-or-no question where both sides have real evidence, like whether voting should be mandatory or whether social media does more harm than good.
How long should a debate speech be?
School debate speeches range from three to eight minutes. For practice, one to two minutes per side is enough to build the habit.
What are hot takes?
Short, deliberately bold opinions. They're good practice because they push you to defend a position with confidence, even one you don't hold.
More speech topics
Persuasive speech topics
- Schools should start an hour later.
- Every student should learn to cook before graduating.
- Homework should be optional in elementary school.
Informative speech topics
- How to make a great cup of coffee.
- How bees make honey.
- Why we dream.
Impromptu speech topics
- What is one habit you wish you could build?
- What would you do with an extra hour every day?
- What skill should every person learn before age 20?
Table Topics questions
- What is one habit you wish you could build?
- What would you do with an extra hour every day?
- What skill should every person learn before age 20?
1 minute speech topics
- What is one habit you wish you could build?
- What would you do with an extra hour every day?
- What skill should every person learn before age 20?
Conversation starters
- What's something you've changed your mind about recently?
- What's the best thing that happened to you this week?
- If you could live anywhere for a year, where would it be?
Speech timer
- What is one habit you wish you could build?
- What would you do with an extra hour every day?
- What skill should every person learn before age 20?