Politics

Politics vocabulary covers words and expressions used to discuss governments, elections, public policy, and political actors. This vocabulary is useful for reading news, participating in meetings about public policy, and understanding political reports relevant to business.

• Key terms: policy, legislation, campaign, incumbent, coalition.
• Useful in professional contexts: regulatory changes, public affairs, stakeholder meetings.
• Focus on collocations (pass legislation, launch a campaign) and formal register.

Political vocabulary often appears in fixed collocations and requires a formal register in professional contexts.

• Use 'pass legislation' or 'enact a law' (not 'do legislation').
• Use 'launch a campaign' or 'run a campaign' for candidates and organizations.
• Use 'incumbent' to refer to the current officeholder; 'challenger' for someone running against them.
• Use 'lobby' (verb) when describing attempts to influence policy, and 'lobbyist' for the person who lobbies.

In reports and meetings, choose formal verbs (pass, enact, propose, introduce).

Learners often make general mistakes when using politics vocabulary. Watch for these universal pitfalls.

• Incorrect collocation: saying 'make legislation' instead of 'pass legislation' or 'enact a law'.
• Wrong article use: saying 'a government' when referring to a specific 'the government' in context.
• Wrong preposition: using 'vote on' vs 'vote for'—choose the preposition based on meaning.
• Confusing roles: mixing up 'lobbyist', 'civil servant', 'delegate', and 'representative'—check the role and function.

When unsure, check collocations and role definitions in a reliable dictionary or style guide.