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.
How to use this list
- Give your opinion about them.
- These are common English B words. Treat the list as a glossary.
- Learn each term with its meaning and a synonym.
- Reuse the terms 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
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| We all have rights and duties. | Everyone is entitled to things AND expected to do things. |
| We must respect the rules of coexistence. | We should follow the rules that let us live together. |
| A fair law protects everyone equally. | A just law treats all people the same. |
| We citizens can vote to change things. | Ordinary people can use their vote to bring change. |
| I don't agree with that rule — I find it unfair. | I object to the rule because it isn't just. |
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).
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Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Take a position and back it up.
Common debates on law and order
- Whether strict rules protect us or limit our freedom
- The balance between rights and duties
- How young people can take part in their community
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I believe that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The most important thing is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I (completely) agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Too many / unfair rules (drawbacks)
- Too many rules can limit our freedom.
- Unfair or unequal laws sometimes get applied.
- If nobody takes part, a few people decide the rules.
Fair rules (benefits)
- Fair laws protect all citizens equally.
- Rules of coexistence make community life easier.
- Taking part and voting gives us a voice to improve society.
Rules and freedom
- Do we need laws for common sense?
- Curfews for teenagers
- Helmet laws, phone bans at school
Privacy and safety
- Security cameras that film your home
- Online scams: how they work, what to do
- Asking politely for something to stop
Crime and justice
- Preventing crime or punishing it?
- Meeting the person who harmed you
- Second chances for young offenders
- a scam
- a dishonest trick to get people's money or personal details
- to invade (someone's) privacy
- to watch or record someone without their agreement
- a curfew
- a rule that people must stay indoors after a certain time
- restorative justice
- a meeting where an offender faces the person they harmed and tries to repair it
- an offender
- a person who has committed a crime
- crime prevention
- actions that stop crime before it happens
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.
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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 (part 1): 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.
My first time on the school council (part 2)
We proposed a rule so that every class would get the same number of turns in the sports hall at lunchtime and, although it was hard to convince some people, in the end we all voted on it together.
My first time on the school council (part 3)
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
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what rule did the representatives propose?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the word "proposed": "We proposed a rule so that every class would get the same number of turns in the sports hall at lunchtime."
- The answer — A rule so that every class would get the same number of turns in the sports hall at lunchtime. The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
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 setting up a student council to decide some school rules. Write a leaflet for other students: explain why rules matter and encourage them to vote and take part.
Write 250–400 words.
Leaflet structure — 4 steps
1
Title
A clear title that says what the leaflet is for. "Your school, your rules: join the Student Council"
2
Sections with subheadings
Short sections, each under a bold subheading. "Why rules matter."
3
Bullet points
List the key advice as short bullets. "• Get informed about your rights. • Vote on election day."
4
Practical information and call to action
Where, when, who to contact, and what to do now. "Election day: Friday 10 October, in the library"
Title → Subheadings → Bullet points → Information + call to action
Model: the 4 steps in ~100 words
The leaflet, step by step
- Your school, your rules: join the Student Council
- Why rules matter. Good rules protect everyone equally. Unfair ones can change — but only if students take part. "I used to complain about every rule without ever voting. It got me nowhere." — Marta, Year 11
- How to take part • Get informed about your rights. • Put forward one idea. • Respect the fair rules and speak up to change the unfair ones. • Vote on election day.
- Election day: Friday 10 October, in the library, 8.30–15.00. Your vote counts — use it!
Why it works: A strong leaflet does this for each of the three Paper 1 criteria:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: present "rules protect", past "I used to complain", imperatives
- Connectors: "but only if", "and"
- Topic vocabulary: rights, vote, student council
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: explains why rules matter AND urges students to vote
- A student quote makes the point real
C — Conceptual /6
- Leaflet conventions: a title and bold subheadings
- Bullet points for how to take part
- Practical information and a call to action
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How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words.
How to answer — 3 steps
1
Read the questions first
Do this before the clip plays.
2
Listen for the key idea
Focus on the part each question points to.
3
Then answer
Use what the speaker actually says.
Questions → Key idea → Answer
Practise on the page: 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 (part 1): 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.
Transcript — Daniel's neighbourhood (part 2)
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.
IB-style task — two listening questions
Two questions, step by step
- Q1 — What did the residents do last year? Listen after "Last year we…": "we set up a residents' association to improve safety and the local park." That is your answer.
- Q2 — What matters most to Daniel? He says it directly: "the most important thing is taking part." Answer: taking part.
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.