Unit 8: English for Legal Purposes

Aims and Objectives

In this unit you will learn and practise vocabulary related to legal terms.

You will practise the following skills and functions:

• being discreet

The grammar focus of this unit is:

• PASSIVE and ACTIVE

Vocabulary

	die eidesstattliche Erklärung
	der Einspruch, die Berufung
	die Kurzdarstellung
	der Einbrecher, die Einbrecherin
	der Fall
	die Körperschaft
	das Gericht
	der Schadenersatz
	die Übertragungsurkunde
	der Beklagte, die Angeklagte
	die Scheidung
	der Beweis, das Beweisstück
	schuldig
	die Freiheitsstrafe
	unschuldig
	der Richter, die Richterin
	gerichtlich
	die Geschworenen
	das Gesetz
	der Anwalt, die Anwältin
	rechtlich
	gesetzgebend
	der Totschlag
	die Hypothek, das Pfandrecht
	der Mörder, die Mörderin
	der Notar, die Notarin
	das Straftat, das Vergehen
	der Präzedenzfall
	die Vorgänge, die Geschehnisse
	die Verfahrensweise
	der Staatsanwalt, die Staatsanwältin
	Rechte
	die Strafe, das Urteil
	der Rechtsbeistand
	die Vorladung
	die Aussage
	der Diebstahl
	der Dieb, die Diebin
	verhaften, festnehmen
	beschuldigen, anklagen
	behaupten
	festschreiben
	begehen, verüben
	ins Kreuzverhör nehmen
	urteilen, verfügen
	verklagen, prozessieren
	das Gericht
	der Geschworenenspruch
	das Testament
	der Zeuge, die Zeugin

Exercises

Section 1: Vocabulary Practice

Fill in the correct translation for each of the terms below.

1. das Testament [?]
2. das Straftat, das Vergehen [?]
3. gesetzgebend [?]
4. das Gericht [?]
5. die Freiheitsstrafe [?]
6. die Aussage [?]
7. der Anwalt, die Anwältin [?]
8. verklagen, prozessieren [?]
9. der Präzedenzfall [?]
10. die Vorgänge, die Geschehnisse [?]
11. der Diebstahl [?]
12. die Vorladung [?]
13. die eidesstattliche Erklärung [?]
14. die Kurzdarstellung [?]
15. ins Kreuzverhör nehmen [?]
16. die Hypothek, das Pfandrecht [?]
17. die Scheidung [?]
18. der Geschworenenspruch [?]
19. der Dieb, die Diebin [?]
20. der Beklagte, die Angeklagte [?]
21. der Totschlag [?]
22. der Zeuge, die Zeugin [?]
23. das Gesetz [?]
24. schuldig [?]
25. unschuldig [?]
26. verhaften, festnehmen [?]
27. begehen, verüben [?]
28. rechtlich [?]
29. der Richter, die Richterin [?]
30. der Mörder, die Mörderin [?]
31. der Schadenersatz [?]
32. der Fall [?]
33. die Strafe, das Urteil [?]
34. der Beweis, das Beweisstück [?]
35. die Geschworenen [?]
36. gerichtlich [?]
37. festschreiben [?]
38. der Rechtsbeistand [?]
39. der Notar, die Notarin [?]
40. die Übertragungsurkunde [?]
41. der Einbrecher, die Einbrecherin [?]
42. die Körperschaft [?]
43. Rechte [?]
44. urteilen, verfügen [?]
45. beschuldigen, anklagen [?]
46. der Staatsanwalt, die Staatsanwältin [?]
47. die Verfahrensweise [?]
48. der Einspruch, die Berufung [?]
49. behaupten [?]

Section 2: Listening Comprehension

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. How does Michelle's friend know that she has a new job?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. How did Michelle get a job as a legal secretary?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What did Michelle have to do to get the job ?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. What sort of work does she do?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. Who supervises her work?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Where is Jack going?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. What has Jack done wrong?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What do blind stenographers use?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. Who does Jack work for?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. What sort of documents does he prepare.?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Why was the man in court?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. What did the thief steal?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What was the magistrate's verdict?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. How did the defendant remove his arm?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. Did the defendant go to prison for the crime?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Who sued whom?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. What happened?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What did the accident report say?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. When the officer arrived at the scene what did he do?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. Why did the officer shoot the horse?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Section 3: General Comprehension

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. To work as a legal secretary you must specialise in legal terminology.

   
   
   

   [?]
2. A legal secretary prepares legal papers.

   
   
   

   [?]
3. A legal secretary's work is very boring.

   
   
   

   [?]
4. A court recorder works in a court room.

   
   
   

   [?]
5. A court recorder doesn't use a stenography machine.

   
   
   

   [?]
6. To be a court recorder you must be certified.

   
   
   

   [?]
7. There are special stenography machines for the visually impaired.

   
   
   

   [?]
8. A court recorder doesn't need a high speed on the stenography machine.

   
   
   

   [?]
9. Witnesses give testimony.

   
   
   

   [?]
10. Private detectives are sometimes used in divorce cases.

    
    
    

    [?]

Speaking Practice. Complete the sentences you hear, using the example as a model.

Press Play to listen to the instructions:

Section 4: Grammar Practice

In this exercise, change the sentences from Active to Passive. All the sentences are in the Present.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. The lawyer supervises her.
   B. [?]
2. A. They record the proceedings.
   B. [?]
3. A. Courts of law contract me.
   B. [?]
4. A. They can store the information.
   B. [?]
5. A. Do they always catch criminals?
   B. [?]
6. A. Legal secretaries prepare the documents.
   B. [?]
7. A. Somebody is sending the deeds tomorrow.
   B. [?]
8. A. Do they consider a person innocent until proved guilty?
   B. [?]
9. A. Do they execute murderers in that country?
   B. [?]
10. A. The judge is going to sentence him tomorrow.
    B. [?]