Law & order

What 'law & order' covers: Law and order is part of the theme Social Organization. You need vocabulary to talk about rules, rights, citizenship, justice and how people live together — and to give your opinion about them.

The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.

law

a rule made by a government that everyone must follow

rule / regulation

an instruction that says what you may or may not do

right

something you are entitled to (e.g. the right to vote)

duty / obligation

something you are expected or required to do

citizen

a member of a country or community who has rights and duties

justice

fair treatment of people according to the law

fair — unfair

treating people equally and reasonably — the opposite

to respect (the rules)

to accept and follow them

to obey / comply with the law

to do what the law requires

to take part / participate

to get involved in a decision or activity

to vote

to formally express a choice in an election or decision

coexistence (living together)

people of different views sharing a community peacefully

public safety

keeping people in a community secure from harm

Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about rights, a listening interview about a community, a Paper 1 blog or letter about a rule, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).

Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Around law and order, the common debates are: whether strict rules protect us or limit our freedom, the balance between rights and duties, and how young people can take part in their community. Take a position and back it up.

Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.

Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.

My first time on the school council: Last month I was elected as my class representative on the school council. At first I thought the rules only existed to annoy us.

However, in the very first meeting I understood something important: fair rules don't take away your freedom — they protect everyone equally. We proposed a rule so that nobody would use their phone during lessons and, although it was hard to convince some people, in the end we all voted on it together. I learned that respecting the law isn't about obeying without thinking — it's about taking part and demanding that the rules be fair. Now I'm convinced that every citizen can help improve the rules of their community.

representative

a person chosen to speak or act for a group

(school) council

a group that meets to make decisions for the school

to annoy

to irritate someone or get in their way

to propose

to suggest a plan or idea for others to consider

to demand

to insist firmly on something

Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.

The task: Your school is running a citizenship-and-rights week. Write a blog post for other students: explain why rules matter and give advice for taking part in your community.

Use an informal, friendly register. Write 250–400 words.

Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:

How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the questions first, listen for the key idea, then answer.

Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.

Transcript — Daniel's neighbourhood: Hi, I'm Daniel and I live in a really quiet neighbourhood. Here almost all of us respect the rules of coexistence: we don't make noise at night and we recycle our rubbish. Last year we set up a residents' association to improve safety and the local park. For me, the most important thing is taking part: every month we meet, we vote on the proposals, and we ask the town council to carry them out. That way, all together, we look after our community.

Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.