Debate speech template: build your case on cue cards
A general debate case on cue cards: hook, definitions, team line, two or three arguments with evidence and impact, rebuttal space and a strong close. Works for most school formats.
Speech9 cardsAbout 3 min to speakIntermediateSchool
Reply speech and debate summary template
Cue cards for a reply or summary speech: frame the debate around two or three key questions, show why your side won each one, and finish with a clear final reason to vote for you.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Your job
A reply or summary speech is a biased review of the debate. You are not adding new arguments. You are showing the adjudicator:
- what the key questions were
- how each side answered them
- why your side's answer was better
Check your format's rules on new material.
- 2
Opening frame
"This debate came down to [two / three] key questions."
- Question 1: [e.g. Does this policy actually work?]
- Question 2: [e.g. Who is harmed, and is that fair?]
- Question 3 (optional): [___]
Frame them so your side naturally wins.
- 3
Key question 1
They said: [their best answer]
We said: [our best answer]
Why we win: "[Our evidence was more specific / their argument was never rebuilt after our rebuttal / our impact affects more people]."
- 4
Key question 2
They said: [___]
We said: [___]
Why we win: [___]
Use the past tense: "they claimed", "we showed". It reminds the adjudicator this is review, not new argument.
- 5
What they dropped
"Notice that the other team never responded to [our argument]. That point stands."
Dropped arguments are powerful in a summary, so name them clearly.
- 6
Weighing
"Even if you believe some of their case, ours matters more because [it is more likely / it affects more people / it lasts longer / it protects a basic right]."
Weighing tells the adjudicator how to decide when both sides have a point.
- 7
Final line
"At the start of this debate, we said [team line]. Every question today has proven it."
"For these reasons, we are proud to [propose / oppose]."
Slow down for the last sentence and look at the adjudicator.
- 8
Phrases for a reply speech
- "The central clash in this debate was..."
- "Our opponents' best moment was [___], but..."
- "Even on their own terms..."
- "This was never answered."
- "When you weigh these together..."
Conceding their best moment sounds fair and makes your verdict more convincing.
- 9
Prep checklist during the round
- Note every clash on the flow sheet
- Mark points they dropped
- Choose two or three questions by the second-to-last speech
- Write one weighing sentence per question
How to use this template
The reply speech, summary or final focus is your last chance to tell the adjudicator how to see the debate. Its purpose is not to repeat every point but to frame the round around a small number of key questions, show how each team answered them and explain why your answers were better. These cards follow that approach: a framing card names the questions, a card for each question compares 'they said' with 'we said', another card highlights arguments the other side left unanswered, and a weighing card explains why your impacts matter more. The final card is a checklist to use while the round is happening, so the speech is ready when your turn comes. Many formats ban new arguments here, so check your rules.
Tips
- Frame questions in neutral-sounding words that still favour your side. 'Does this help the people it targets?' is better than 'Isn't our policy great?'.
- Two well-explained questions beat four rushed ones.
- Refer to speakers by role ('their second speaker said'), so the adjudicator can find it in their notes.
- Avoid introducing new evidence; if your format allows new examples, keep them as illustrations of old arguments.
- Keep your tone calm and confident. A reply speech sounds strongest when it feels like an obvious conclusion.
Make it fit
- For a third speaker in formats without a separate reply, add a rebuttal card before the key questions.
- For a short final focus, keep one key question plus the weighing card.
- For a classroom debate, have the class vote on which key questions mattered most before the reply speeches.
- The same framing works for closing arguments in mock trials and summaries at the end of group discussions.
Updated October 28, 2026