Law & Government — B2 Essential Words

law /lɔː/ noun B2 Law

Meaning: An official rule of a country that everyone must follow; the whole system of such rules.

Example: A new law bans phones in schools.

Another example: Breaking the law has serious consequences.

Collocations: break the law · by law · law school

Synonyms: rule, legislation, act

Word family: lawyer (n) · lawful (adj) · illegal (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Law is countable for single rules (a law) and uncountable for the system (study law). Never 'make a crime' errors here — laws are PASSED.

🗣 In spoken American English: Everyday speech: 'It's the law!' settles arguments; 'law and order' is the political phrase.

Register: Neutral to formal — civics essential.

court /kɔːrt/ noun B2 Law

Meaning: The place where judges decide legal cases; also the people who decide there.

Example: The case goes to court next month.

Another example: The court found him innocent.

Collocations: go to court · in court · court case

Synonyms: tribunal, courtroom

Word family: courts (n pl) · courtroom (n)

⚠ Common mistake: No article for the process: go to court, in court (like go to school). For sports, a court is a playing area (tennis court).

🗣 In spoken American English: 'See you in court!' is the movie threat; real cases take years, not minutes.

Register: Neutral to formal — legal core.

judge /dʒʌdʒ/ noun / verb B2 Law

Meaning: The official who controls a court and decides punishments; to form an opinion about something.

Example: The judge sentenced him to two years.

Another example: Don't judge people by their clothes.

Collocations: a federal judge · judge a contest · judging by

Synonyms: magistrate, referee (sports), evaluate

Word family: judgment (n) · judicial (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Two lives: the court official (noun) and forming opinions (verb). 'Judge by appearances' is the common warning phrase.

🗣 In spoken American English: Reality TV made 'the judges' everyday talk for talent shows too.

Register: Neutral — legal and everyday.

crime /kraɪm/ noun B2 Law

Meaning: An action that breaks the law, such as stealing or hurting someone.

Example: Car theft is a common crime in big cities.

Another example: Crime rates fell this year.

Collocations: commit a crime · crime rate · crime scene

Synonyms: offense, wrongdoing

Antonyms: lawfulness

Word family: criminal (n/adj) · criminal law

⚠ Common mistake: You COMMIT a crime (never 'make' or 'do'). Crime is countable for acts and uncountable for the general problem.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'True crime' is America's booming genre — podcasts and series about real cases.

Register: Neutral — news essential.

prison /ˈprɪzən/ noun B2 Law

Meaning: A building where criminals are kept as a punishment.

Example: He spent five years in prison.

Another example: The new prison holds 2,000 inmates.

Collocations: in prison · go to prison · prison sentence

Synonyms: jail, penitentiary

Antonyms: freedom

Word family: prisoner (n) · imprison (v)

⚠ Common mistake: In prison (as punishment, no article) vs in the prison (visiting the building). Jail is for short/local stays; prison for long/federal.

🗣 In spoken American English: Movies say 'prison break' and 'life in prison' — 'life' means the rest of his life.

Register: Neutral — news and stories.

guilty /ˈɡɪlti/ adjective B2 Law

Meaning: Having done something wrong or illegal; feeling bad because you did something wrong.

Example: The jury found him guilty of theft.

Another example: She felt guilty about missing her friend's call.

Collocations: find guilty · feel guilty · guilty of

Synonyms: culpable, responsible (for wrong)

Antonyms: innocent

Word family: guilt (n) · guiltily (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: Two meanings: legally guilty (court) and feeling guilty (conscience). Pattern: guilty OF a crime; feel guilty ABOUT an action.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Guilty pleasure' is everyday gold — a joy you're slightly embarrassed to love, like reality TV.

Register: Neutral — legal and feelings.

innocent /ˈɪnəsənt/ adjective B2 Law

Meaning: Not guilty of a crime; not having done anything wrong; without experience of the bad parts of life.

Example: The court declared her innocent.

Another example: An innocent child believes everyone.

Collocations: declare innocent · innocent people · completely innocent

Synonyms: blameless, pure

Antonyms: guilty

Word family: innocence (n) · innocently (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: American law's core phrase: 'innocent until proven guilty'. Innocent OF is rare; 'innocent person' is the common shape.

🗣 In spoken American English: News uses 'innocent victims/bystanders' for people harmed who did nothing wrong.

Register: Neutral to formal — legal principle word.

witness /ˈwɪtnəs/ noun / verb B2 Law

Meaning: A person who sees an event happen, especially a crime; to see something happen.

Example: A witness saw the accident clearly.

Another example: Thousands witnessed the historic launch.

Collocations: key witness · witness the event · eye witness

Synonyms: observer, bystander

Word family: witnesses (n pl) · witness (v)

⚠ Common mistake: In court, a witness TESTIFIES (tells what they saw). Everyday witness is a formal verb — people 'see' accidents, reporters 'witness' history.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Did anyone witness it?' is the police question on every crime show.

Register: Neutral to formal — legal and news.

lawyer /ˈlɔɪər/ noun B2 Law

Meaning: A person whose job is to advise people about the law and speak for them in court.

Example: She hired a lawyer to write the contract.

Another example: He works as a lawyer in Chicago.

Collocations: hire a lawyer · defense lawyer · lawyer fees

Synonyms: attorney, counsel, solicitor (UK)

Word family: lawyers (n pl) · law (n)

⚠ Common mistake: American English uses lawyer and attorney (formal) — 'lawyer' is the everyday word everywhere in the US.

🗣 In spoken American English: Jokes aside, 'call my lawyer' is a real reflex in American disputes.

Register: Neutral — profession essential.

election /ɪˈlekʃən/ noun B2 Law

Meaning: The process of choosing leaders or representatives by voting.

Example: The election takes place in November.

Another example: She won the election by 2,000 votes.

Collocations: win an election · election day · hold an election

Synonyms: vote, poll, ballot (the paper)

Word family: elect (v) · elected (adj) · electoral (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: People WIN or LOSE elections; elections are HELD on election day. You vote IN an election, vote FOR a candidate.

🗣 In spoken American English: Every two years America talks elections — 'midterms' and 'presidential election' dominate the news cycle.

Register: Neutral — civics and news.