IELTS & PTE lesson · Vocabulary

IELTS & PTE Government, Law and Crime Vocabulary notesLaw and crime: who acts, and how

Exact phrases for crime and punishment. This IELTS & PTE lesson is a deck of 9 visual cards from BandLadder's own study library, written and fact-checked by our team.
  • 9 cards
  • Free to read online
  • PDF with any plan
  • Updated 30 September 2026

Original BandLadder material

What's inside

Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, word cards with meanings and examples (the crime rate, petty crime, repeat offenders and law-abiding citizens), a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.

Reading it online is free: create a free BandLadder account and the whole lesson opens in our study reader, on the web and in the app. Downloading the PDF to keep needs a plan; the free reader has every card.

The first 3 of 9 cards

Preview

  1. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Government, law and crime

    Do something about crime?

    true, but do what?

    Do something fits every problem, so it says nothing. A precise phrase says who acts and how.

    Politicians should do something.do what? Bad peoplewho exactly? need a big punishment.what kind?

    The fixes: crack down on crime, repeat offenders, harsh sentences.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material1 / 9
  2. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Government, law and crime

    Name it exactly

    swap the vague word for the real one

    VaguePrecise
    a lot of crimea high crime rate
    small crimespetty crime
    normal peoplelaw-abiding citizens
    scare people off crimeact as a deterrent
    help criminals changesupport rehabilitation

    IELTS Band 7 writing (Lexical Resource): “an awareness of style and collocation”. PTE Essay scores vocabulary range.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material2 / 9
  3. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Government, law and crime

    Crime and offenders

    nouns a law-and-order essay needs

    • the crime ratehow much crime there is

      Youth clubs may help bring down the crime rate.

    • petty crimesmall crimes

      Shoplifting and graffiti are forms of petty crime.

      serious crimeviolent crime
    • repeat offenderswho offend again

      Job training could help repeat offenders.

    • law-abiding citizenswho obey the law

      Most residents here are law-abiding citizens.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material3 / 9
  4. Card 4 of 9 onwards

    Keep reading free

    The other 6 cards open in the reader with a free account.

    Create a free account →

9 cards

Contents

  1. 1Do something about crime?true, but do what?In the preview
  2. 2Name it exactlyswap the vague word for the real oneIn the preview
  3. 3Crime and offendersnouns a law-and-order essay needsIn the preview
  4. 4What governments doverb phrases: who acts, and howFree account
  5. 5Punishment and its aimswhat a sentence is forFree account
  6. 6In an essaythe prompt: community work, not prison?Free account
  7. 7Close, but not quiteright idea, wrong partner word for crimeFree account
  8. 8Your turnpick the partner word for each gapFree account
  9. 9Save thisthe law-and-crime word checklistFree account

Read the full Law and crime: who acts, and how free

Create a free account and it opens in the study reader, with the rest of the BandLadder library. Download the PDF with any plan.

Create a free account →

Preparing for PTE? Read it in the PTE library.

Free practice

Practise it

Keep reading

More free IELTS study material

All free IELTS study material

Questions

FAQ

Is the Law and crime: who acts, and how lesson free?+

Yes, to read online. Create a free BandLadder account and the full lesson opens in the study reader. No card details are needed.

Can I download the Law and crime: who acts, and how PDF?+

The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.

Who wrote this lesson?+

The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.

Is it for IELTS or PTE?+

Both. The lesson is in the IELTS and the PTE study library, so it opens whichever exam you prepare for.

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Read the full Law and crime: who acts, and how free: create a free account