IELTS Speaking Lesson about Crime
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Table of Contents
IELTS Speaking Vocabulary: Crime
A crime (n. C.) /kraɪm/ = an action that is against the law
- To be against the law
- To break the law
- To be illegal
It’s a crime to drink alcohol and drive a car
Synonyms
- A crime
- An offence
- A violation of the law (frml)
Collocations
- To prevent (a) crime = to stop it happening
- To commit a crime = to do an illegal act
- Crime (n. U) = illegal activities
The crime rate has risen although we are trying to fight crime.
- violent crime (armed robbery, mugging, murder)
- petty crime = a small crime (pickpocketing, shoplifting)
- knife crime
- cyber crime
A criminal (n. Person) /ˈkrɪm ɪ nəl/ = someone who commits a crime
Synonyms
- A crook (informal)
- An offender (a young offender, a sex offender)
- A felon (U.S.)
- Perpetrator /ˈpɜː pə treɪ tə/ (frml)
The perpetrator of this crime, needs bringing to justice
Criminal (adj.)
Smoking inside a pub is a criminal offence
To arrest someone /əˈrest/ = To detain (keep) a person who may have committed a crime (normally with handcuffs)
The police made an arrest this morning.
They arrested a man for stealing a car.
He is now under arrest in the local police station.
To sentence someone = to give a punishment in jail
The judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
IELTS Speaking Idioms: CRIME
1. To catch someone red-handed = to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
I was caught red-handed trying to steal a car.
The police caught him red-handed trying to steal a car.
2. To do time = to serve a prison sentence – to spend time in jail.
He is doing time because he robbed a bank.
He is doing time for robbing a bank.
3. To be behind bars = to be in prison
He’s behind bars because he robbed a bank.
He’s behind bars for robbing a bank.
Practise and Review With a Story
Read and listen to this Breaking News
Crime
Last night, in the quiet town of Santander, a crime was committed. A
criminal, known to police as Keith the Thief, decided to break the law.
He was caught by police stealing jewellery from a local jeweller’s. This
was a violation of the law and definitely against the law.
The crook thought he could get away with it, (to not be caught) but the
police were on high alert to prevent crime in the area. As the criminal,
Keith the Thief, was picking the lock, Officer James, who was on
patrol, saw him. The crook didn’t notice and continued with his illegal
act, unaware that he was about to be caught red-handed.
Officer James quickly called for backup (=call for more police to help).
The police surrounded the shop and arrested the crook on the spot
(=there and then, immediately).
The offender will appear in court next week, where police think he will
be sentenced and sent to jail.
Officer James said, ‘Keith is a bad piece of work, he needs to be
behind bars.’
We all hope Keith the Thief will find himself doing time, unable to
commit another crime, so that Santander will be safe again!
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