Politics is the process of deciding how a country or city is run. Government is the people and institutions that make and carry out those decisions. A state is a country with its own government and borders. A nation is a group of people who share a common identity, history, or language. In everyday news, government often means the group in power, while in a broader sense it means the whole system of public authority. The word politics is often used for debates, campaigns, and public arguments about power and policy. A politician is a person who works in politics, usually by holding public office or running for office.

Core politics and government vocabulary

Word	Definition	Example
politics	The study and practice of how people share and use power in a country or community.	Politics affects daily life in many ways.
government	The group of people and institutions that run a country and make official decisions.	The government announced a new plan today.
power	The ability to make decisions or control what happens.	Different groups want more power.
policy	A plan or set of ideas that guides official action.	The new policy helps families save money.
law	An official rule that people must follow.	Everyone must obey the law.
state	A political unit with its own government and borders.	Each state has local leaders.
public	Connected to everyone in society, not just one person or group.	The debate was held in a public hall.
official	Approved by a person or group in authority.	We read the official statement this morning.

Scramble

Many countries divide government into three branches. The legislative branch makes laws. The executive branch carries out laws and runs the daily work of government. The judicial branch interprets laws and settles legal disputes. In the United States, Congress is the legislative branch. The president leads the executive branch. Courts belong to the judicial branch. These branches limit one another so that no single part of government has complete power.

Words for the three branches of government

Word	Definition	Example
legislative branch	The branch that makes laws.	The legislative branch voted on the bill.
executive branch	The branch that carries out laws and runs daily government work.	The executive branch issued the order.
judicial branch	The branch that interprets laws and settles legal disputes.	The judicial branch reviewed the case.
congress	The national group that usually makes laws in some countries.	Congress met to debate the budget.
parliament	The national assembly that debates and passes laws in many countries.	The parliament discussed the new rule.
court	A place where a judge hears legal cases.	The case went to court.
judge	A person who decides legal cases in court.	The judge explained the ruling clearly.
separation of powers	The idea that government power is divided among branches.	The constitution supports separation of powers.

Scramble

An election is a public vote to choose a person for an office. A voter is a person who takes part in the vote. To vote means to choose one person or one option on a ballot. A ballot is the paper or electronic form used in voting. A candidate is a person who is running in an election. The campaign is the period when candidates try to win support from voters. When the votes are counted, the winner receives more votes than the other candidates. The turnout is the number or percentage of people who vote.

Election and voting vocabulary

Word	Definition	Example
election	A public event in which people choose leaders by voting.	The election will happen next month.
vote	To choose someone or something in an election or decision.	I will vote after work.
ballot	An official paper or method used to cast a vote.	She filled out her ballot carefully.
candidate	A person who is running for office in an election.	The candidate spoke to students.
campaign	The planned effort to win support before an election.	The campaign focused on jobs and schools.
poll	A place or process where people vote or where opinions are measured.	Many people went to the poll early.
turnout	The number of people who vote in an election.	High turnout showed strong interest.
results	The final outcome of a vote or election.	The results were announced late at night.

Scramble

A president is the head of state in many countries and often the head of government as well. A prime minister is the head of government in many parliamentary systems. A governor leads a state or province. A mayor leads a city or town. A minister is a senior government official who is responsible for a department such as health, education, or finance. A senator is a member of a senate, which is one part of a national legislature. A representative, also called a member of parliament or a congressperson in some systems, speaks and votes for the people in an area.

Names for political leaders and offices

Word	Definition	Example
president	The leader of a republic or country who often serves as the head of state.	The president gave a short speech.
prime minister	The main political leader in many parliamentary systems who heads the government.	The prime minister met with reporters.
governor	The elected leader of a state or region.	The governor visited the school.
mayor	The elected leader of a city or town.	The mayor opened the new park.
minister	A government leader responsible for one area of public policy.	The minister spoke about health care.
senator	A member of a senate who helps make laws.	The senator answered questions from voters.
representative	A person elected to speak and vote for the public.	Our representative held a town meeting.
leader	A person who guides a group and makes decisions.	The party leader introduced the plan.

Scramble

A law is a rule made by a government. A legal system is the set of laws and courts a country uses. A judge listens to a case and makes a decision in court. A court is the place where legal cases are heard. A trial is the formal process of hearing evidence and arguments. A verdict is the final decision in a trial. A sentence is the punishment given after a guilty verdict. To appeal means to ask a higher court to review a decision. A lawyer is a person who gives legal advice and speaks for a client in legal matters.

Vocabulary for law and court cases

Word	Definition	Example
law	An official rule that people must obey.	The new law changed parking rules.
judge	A person who makes legal decisions in court.	The judge listened to both sides.
jury	A group of citizens who help decide a trial.	The jury reached a decision.
trial	A legal process where a court examines a case.	The trial lasted two days.
case	A legal matter that a court must decide.	The court heard a difficult case.
evidence	Facts or objects used to prove what happened.	The police found useful evidence.
appeal	A request for a higher court to review a decision.	The family filed an appeal.
verdict	The final decision in a trial.	The verdict was read in the afternoon.

Scramble

A political party is a group of people who share similar ideas about government and compete in elections. The party in power is the party that controls the government. The opposition is the party or parties that are not in power and often criticize the government. A platform is the set of goals and policies a party or candidate supports. A policy is a plan or line of action on a public issue. Parties may form a coalition, which is an agreement to work together, especially when no single party has enough support to govern alone. A left-wing party and a right-wing party are often described by their different views on taxes, social programs, and the role of government.

Words for parties and political positions

Word	Definition	Example
political party	An organized group that shares ideas about how government should work.	The political party released a new plan.
party platform	A list of a party's main ideas and goals.	The party platform includes better schools.
coalition	A group of parties or leaders that work together.	The two parties formed a coalition.
opposition	The group that does not support the current government or plan.	The opposition criticized the proposal.
left	A political position that usually supports more government help and equality.	Her views are on the left.
right	A political position that usually supports tradition and limited government.	His views are on the right.
moderate	A position that is not extreme and often accepts compromise.	She is a moderate in the party.
ideology	A set of beliefs about politics and society.	Their ideology shapes every decision.

Scramble

Public services are the things the government provides for people, such as schools, roads, hospitals, police, and buses. A policy is a government decision or plan for dealing with an issue. A budget is the plan for how money will be spent. Funding is the money given for a project, service, or institution. Taxes are money people and businesses pay to the government. A subsidy is money the government gives to support a business, industry, or service. A regulation is an official rule that controls how people or companies must act. A department is a part of government that manages a specific area like transport, health, or housing.

Vocabulary for policy and public services

Word	Definition	Example
public service	A service the government provides for everyone in society.	Education is an important public service.
policy	A plan that guides government action.	The city changed its policy on trash pickup.
budget	A plan for how money will be spent.	The school budget was discussed in council.
funding	Money given to support a project or service.	The library received new funding.
tax	Money people or companies pay to support government services.	The new tax helps pay for roads.
subsidy	Money the government gives to help reduce costs for a person or business.	The farm received a subsidy.
regulation	An official rule that controls how something is done.	The company followed the safety regulation.
service	An action or system that helps the public.	The bus service is free today.

Scramble

A citizen is a legal member of a country and has rights and duties under its laws. Rights are legal freedoms or protections. Duties are responsibilities citizens have toward the state or community. A protest is a public action against a decision, law, or condition. To demonstrate means to join a protest or public display of opinion. A rally is a large public meeting for political support or protest. A speech is a formal talk given to persuade or inform people. In news reports, an official statement is a public message from a government or organization. An announcement is a formal notice about a decision, event, or plan. When reporters say a source, they mean the person or organization that provided the information.

Words for citizens protest and official news

Word	Definition	Example
citizen	A person who belongs to a country and has rights and duties there.	Every citizen can learn about local issues.
rights	Basic protections that people are entitled to.	People talked about their rights at the meeting.
duty	Something a person is expected to do.	Voting is a civic duty for many people.
protest	A public act of showing disagreement or demand for change.	Thousands joined the protest downtown.
demonstration	A public event where people show support or opposition.	The demonstration stayed peaceful.
statement	An official message that explains a position or decision.	The office released a statement this morning.
announcement	A public notice that shares important news.	The announcement came after the meeting.
reporter	A person who collects and shares news.	The reporter asked about the new law.

Scramble