debating
debating — noun
1. the organized activity in which people present arguments for and against a parti
the organized activity in which people present arguments for and against a particular topic, often guided by a set of rules
Debating teaches students how to build strong arguments for their positions.
gerund as subject noun
The school debating team won first place in the regional competition.
collocation: debating team
Many universities offer debating clubs where students practice public speaking.
Two hours of intense debating gave the audience a clearer view of the issue.
- debate
the countable noun form; 'a debate' vs 'the activity of debating'
- discussion
broader and less formal; does not require opposing sides
用法筆記
Commonly paired with words like team, club, competition, and skills. Unlike general discussion, debating implies a structured format with opposing sides.
常見錯誤
debating — verb
- debatingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- debatings3rd person singular
- debatinging-ing form
- debatingedpast simple
1. to take part in a structured discussion in which people express different opinio
to take part in a structured discussion in which people express different opinions about a topic, especially in a formal setting
Parliament is debating the new education bill this afternoon.
debate + noun phrase (formal context)
The two candidates debated tax policy for over an hour on live television.
debate + topic
Ava and Rafael debated whether the school should require uniforms.
Scientists around the world continue to debate the long-term effects of the new drug.
The committee debated the proposal thoroughly before calling for a vote.
- discuss
more neutral and less structured than debate; does not imply opposing sides
- argue
often suggests emotional disagreement rather than a formal exchange
- deliberate
emphasizes careful, slow consideration, often in a group
- agree
to have the same opinion, the opposite of debating opposing views
文法句型
debate + noun phrase (topic/issue)
debate + whether/wh-clause
debate + about/over + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used in institutional settings such as government, education, law, and media. Can be transitive ('debate a topic') or intransitive ('they debated for hours').
常見錯誤
2. to think carefully about different possibilities or choices before reaching a de
to think carefully about different possibilities or choices before reaching a decision
Darius is still debating whether to study medicine or engineering at university.
debate whether + to-infinitive
Erik debated for weeks before deciding to sell his old motorcycle.
debate + prepositional phrase of duration
We debated the pros and cons of moving to a bigger apartment for months.
Ryo debated with himself about accepting the transfer to the Tokyo office.
The Watanabe family debated which vacation spot would be best for the children.
- weigh
focuses on comparing the value of each option
- consider
broader and less dramatic; can be quick or casual
- deliberate
implies slow, thoughtful decision-making
文法句型
debate + whether + to-infinitive
debate + wh-clause
debate + noun phrase
debate + gerund
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense describes internal decision-making or private deliberation rather than a public exchange between people. Frequently followed by whether or a wh-word.