Collocation for IELTS: Government

1. to abide by

Meaning; (formal) to accept and act according to a law, an agreement, etc.

Example: Motorists who do not abide by the rules of the road should be severely punished.

2. parliamentary democracy

Meaning: a system of government in which candidates are voted to represent the people of a country in a national parliament or assembly

Example: Freedom of speech is usually one of the rights enjoyed by citizens in a parliamentary democracy.

3. to adhere to

Meaning: to behave according to a particular law, rule, set of instructions,

Example: Governments which fail to adhere to their election promises generally become unpopular very quickly.

4. constitutional government

Meaning: connected with the laws which a country is governed by

Example: The media have an important role to play in reporting on the actions of politicians, to ensure the proper functioning of constitutional government.

5. the executive branch

Meaning: that part of the government organisation responsible for implementing laws and decisions

Example: The enforcement of policies affecting schools and hospitals is the responsibility of theexecutive branch of the government.

6. the legislative branch

Meaning: that part of the government responsible for making laws

Example: Laws relating to human rights have been passed by the legislative branch of many national governments.

7. the separation of powers

Meaning: the principle that separates government authority into three branches – legislative (the Parliament or Senate), executive (the President or Ministers) and the judiciary (the judges and courts).

Example: In the USA, the independence of the courts from the government is safeguarded by the separation of powers.

8. to adopt policies

Meaning: to start to use particular policies

Example:     In order to deal with traffic congestion, the government must adopt policies to restrict the use of private cars. Dịch đại ý

9. to impose spending cuts

Meaning: to introduce new rules to spend less money on something

Example: It is essential for the authorities to impose spending cuts on space programs in order to fund health services.

10. to raise taxes on

Meaning: to increase the amount of tax on something

Example: Governments should raise taxes on cigarettes to persuade more people to give up smoking.

11. to curb public spending on

Meaning: to restrict what the government spends on something

Example: I would argue that it is preferable to curb public spending on building new roads rather than to impose spending cuts on education. Dịch đại ý

12. to allocate resources to

Meaning: to make money and materials available to do something

Example: If governments allocate more resources to improving public transport, this will reduce the problem of traffic congestion in cities.

13. to introduce restrictions on

Meaning: to limit what people can do or what can happen

Example: The government must introduce restrictions on smoking in public places.

14. to infringe on/upon something

Meaning: to limit somebody’s legal rights

Example: Governments must sometimes infringe upon individual freedoms in the wider interests of society. Dịch đại ý

15. to be a government priority

Meaning: something which is so important that the government should deal with it first.

Example: In developing countries, spending on health and education should be top government priorities.

16. to prioritize expenditure on

Meaning: to put the need to spend money on certain things first

Example: I believe that it is important to prioritize expenditure on medical research in order to save lives.

17. to provide funding for

Meaning: to give money to enable something to be done

Example: Providing   funding for health care must be a priority of governments.

18. high on the agenda

Meaning: something which is among the first things in the list of actions to be taken

Example: The rehabilitation of prisoners must be high on the agenda of prison authorities everywhere.

19. to exert pressure on

Meaning: to use power to influence somebody or something

Example:     Environmental     organisations     should     exert     pressure     on governments to invest in renewable energy projects. Dịch đại ý

20. to form a pressure group

Meaning: to organize a group of people who try to influence the government to achieve the action that they want.

Example: Activists in my country have formed a pressure group to persuade the government to close nuclear power stations.

21. to provide public subsidies for

Meaning: to give government money to reduce the costs of services or to produce goods in order to keep the price low

Example: In order to promote agriculture that is environmentally-friendly, the government should provide public subsidies for organic farmers.

22. international bodies

Meaning: organizations which operate in many countries

Example: National governments ought to give funds to international bodies, like the Red Cross and the United Nations, to deal with emergency situations.

23. national and local authorities

Meaning: government organizations acting at a national level or within a smaller, local area

Example: Tackling crime is a responsibility of both national and local authorities.

24. non-governmental organizations: NGOs

Meaning: a charity or association that is independent of government or business

Example: Individuals could donate money to NGOs to help others in need of food, shelter and medical services.

25. to campaign for something

Meaning: to take part in a series of activities in order to achieve a specific aim.

Example:    People    who   are    concerned    about    the    environment    should campaign for stricter controls on pollution. Dịch đại ý

26. government decision-making

Meaning: the process of deciding about something official

Example: Pressure groups are sometimes able to influence government decision-making.

27. to impose an official ban on

Meaning: to say or declare that something is not allowed

Example: Governments ought toimpose an official ban on the use of mobile phones on public transport.

28. government sponsorship

Meaning: the act of providing financial support by the government

Example: Government sponsorship of the arts is necessary if creative talent is to be encouraged.

29. a welfare state

Meaning: a taxation system which allows governments to provide for the economic and social well-being of its citizens

Example: In order to eradicate poverty, I believe that a welfare state should be established in all developing countries.

30. a stopgap measure

Meaning: a policy or action adopted for a short time until some more permanent solution is found

Example: Building more prisons will not solve the problem of rising crime rates, but it is a stopgap measure which the government must take to protect ordinary citizens.