News & Politics — B2 Essential Words

scandal /ˈskændl/ noun B2 News

Meaning: An event or action that shocks people because it is morally wrong or illegal, especially involving powerful people.

Example: The scandal ended the senator's career.

Another example: A corruption scandal filled the news for weeks.

Collocations: political scandal · scandal over · cause a scandal

Synonyms: affair, controversy, wrongdoing

Word family: scandals (n pl) · scandalous (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Scandals need POWER and SECRECY exposed. Names get the -gate suffix in the US press (after Watergate).

🗣 In spoken American English: News cycles feed on them: broke, denied, investigated, resigned.

Register: Neutral to formal — news essential.

protest /ˈprəʊtest/ noun / verb B2 News

Meaning: A public action or statement showing strong disagreement with something; to take part in such an action.

Example: Thousands joined the protest downtown.

Another example: Workers protested against the new law.

Collocations: protest against · peaceful protest · protest march

Synonyms: demonstration, march, objection

Antonyms: support, approval

Word family: protests (n pl) · protester (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Noun stress PRO-test; verb pro-TEST. Protesters protest AGAINST things and march FOR causes.

🗣 In spoken American English: The First Amendment protects it — assembly is a right, not a favor.

Register: Neutral — civics essential.

strike /straɪk/ noun / verb B2 News

Meaning: A period when workers stop working to demand better pay or conditions; also to hit something.

Example: Teachers went on strike for higher pay.

Another example: The strike lasted two weeks.

Collocations: go on strike · strike action · on strike

Synonyms: walkout, stoppage, hit (verb twin)

Word family: strikes (n pl) · striker (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Workers are ON strike; unions CALL strikes. The same word hits baseballs and matches ('strike a match').

🗣 In spoken American English: Headline shorthand: 'Strike enters day ten' — whole cities feel it.

Register: Neutral — labor news essential.

vote /vəʊt/ verb / noun B2 News

Meaning: To choose officially in an election or meeting; the act or result of choosing.

Example: Millions vote in November.

Another example: The vote was close: 51 to 49.

Collocations: vote for · vote against · cast a vote

Synonyms: elect, choose, ballot (the paper)

Word family: voter (n) · voting (n) · votes (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Vote FOR candidates and AGAINST plans; you vote IN elections. 'Cast your vote' is the formal phrase for doing it.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Get out the vote' is every campaign's final mission.

Register: Neutral — civics core.

statement /ˈsteɪtmənt/ noun B2 News

Meaning: Something that someone says or writes formally; also a bank document listing your money movements.

Example: The company issued a statement about the accident.

Another example: My bank statement arrives monthly.

Collocations: issue a statement · official statement · bank statement

Synonyms: announcement, declaration, record

Word family: statements (n pl) · state (v)

⚠ Common mistake: Public figures ISSUE statements (written, careful) instead of chatting. Bank statements are the money paper-trail.

🗣 In spoken American English: Reporters quote them whole: 'In a statement, the mayor said…'

Register: Formal — news and banking.

announce /əˈnaʊns/ verb B2 News

Meaning: To tell people something officially or publicly.

Example: The city will announce the winner tomorrow.

Another example: She announced her retirement today.

Collocations: announce that · announce the results · officially announce

Synonyms: declare, reveal, state

Antonyms: hide, deny

Word family: announcement (n) · announcer (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Announce takes direct objects and that-clauses; it never takes 'about' before the news itself.

🗣 In spoken American English: Product culture runs on it: announcement events are theater now.

Register: Neutral — news essential.

official /əˈfɪʃl/ noun / adjective B2 News

Meaning: A person with an important position in an organization or government; (adjective) approved by an authority.

Example: City officials met to discuss the plan.

Another example: The official results come out Tuesday.

Collocations: government official · official report · official language

Synonyms: authority figure, formal, approved

Antonyms: unofficial

Word family: officials (n pl) · officially (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: As a noun, an official is a PERSON (never 'an official person'). As an adjective it means approved/formal.

🗣 In spoken American English: News attribution lives on it: 'officials said…' — unnamed but powerful.

Register: Formal — news core.

investigation /ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃən/ noun B2 News

Meaning: An official effort to find out the truth about something, especially a crime or accident.

Example: Police opened an investigation into the fire.

Another example: The investigation lasted eight months.

Collocations: open an investigation · investigation into · under investigation

Synonyms: inquiry, probe, examination

Word family: investigate (v) · investigator (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Investigation INTO something; a person is UNDER investigation. Journalists and police both investigate — different tools.

🗣 In spoken American English: The phrase 'ongoing investigation' closes a thousand press conferences.

Register: Formal — news essential.

crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ noun B2 News

Meaning: A dangerous or very difficult situation that must be dealt with quickly.

Example: The water crisis affected the whole region.

Another example: Leaders met to discuss the crisis.

Collocations: in crisis · energy crisis · crisis meeting

Synonyms: emergency, disaster, turning point

Antonyms: stability, calm

Word family: crises (n pl — irregular)

⚠ Common mistake: Plural is CRISES (KRY-seez). One crisis is bad; the plural makes headlines panic.

🗣 In spoken American English: Every decade names one: energy crisis, housing crisis, climate crisis.

Register: Formal — news core.

senator /ˈsenətər/ noun B2 News

Meaning: A member of a senate, especially one of the two members from each US state in the US Senate.

Example: The senator from Ohio spoke first.

Another example: Senators vote on the bill Thursday.

Collocations: US senator · senator from · state senator

Synonyms: lawmaker, congressperson

Word family: senators (n pl) · senate (n) · senatorial (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Each US state sends exactly TWO senators to Washington — the equal-representation design of the Senate.

🗣 In spoken American English: Titles ride in front: 'Senator Miller said…' — the name plus title is the news formula.

Register: Formal — civics essential.