Crime — Unit 9, Pre-intermediate to Intermediate English
Types of crime, police and courts, punishment — and how to stay safe.
Reading: The Bag on the Bus
Last Thursday, I was returning home on a crowded bus when I noticed a young man moving too close to an elderly passenger. A minute later, the woman shouted that her wallet was missing. Everyone looked around, and I realized I had seen the same man get off at the previous stop. I called the **police** and described him as quickly as I could because I had been the only clear **witness**.
At the station, officers wrote my statement and explained that this kind of **theft** happens when buses are full. They later found the **suspect** near a market, and the **victim** got her wallet back. Although I was nervous, the officers thanked me and said that public help is important in preventing street **crime**. Since then, I keep my bag zipped and tell my friends to stay alert, especially in busy areas where people can disappear quickly after a crime. The experience taught me that small actions by ordinary passengers can protect others when trouble happens unexpectedly.
What I did not expect was how long the rest of it would take.
The man was **arrested** that evening and **charged** two days later. I assumed that was the end of my part in it. In fact I was asked to give a formal statement at the station, which took nearly two hours, and then I heard nothing at all for four months.
In October a letter arrived asking me to attend **court**. I was extremely nervous. I had imagined something like a television drama, with a **jury** and long speeches. It was not like that. The **suspect** pleaded guilty, so there was no **trial** and no jury at all. I was in the building for three hours and I never gave evidence.
He was twenty-two. The **judge** gave him a **sentence** of eight months, suspended, plus a **fine** and unpaid work in the community. Several people I told afterwards thought that was far too soft. I am honestly not sure what I think. He had two previous convictions for **shoplifting** and no job.
The woman whose wallet was taken was in the room. Afterwards she thanked me in the corridor and told me she had stopped taking the bus altogether since May. That was the part that stayed with me — the **victim** changed her life, and the **criminal** went home.
Would I call the police again? Yes, without hesitating.
But I would tell people the truth about what follows.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| crime | /kraɪm/ | an illegal activity | Crime is a problem in many big cities. |
| criminal | /ˈkrɪmɪnəl/ | a person who commits a crime | The police caught the criminal. |
| commit a crime | /kəˈmɪt ə kraɪm/ | do something illegal | He committed a crime and went to prison. |
| break the law | /breɪk ðə lɔː/ | do something illegal | If you steal, you break the law. |
| victim | /ˈvɪktɪm/ | a person hurt by a crime | The victim of the robbery was very upset. |
| witness | /ˈwɪtnəs/ | a person who sees a crime | A witness called the police. |
| police | /pəˈliːs/ | the people who stop crime | Call the police! |
| police officer | /pəˈliːs ˈɒfɪsə/ | a member of the police | A police officer asked questions. |
| report a crime | /rɪˈpɔːt ə kraɪm/ | tell the police about a crime | You should report a crime to the police. |
| Crime | Criminal | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| theft | thief | stealing something | There was a theft at the shop. |
| robbery | robber | stealing using force or threats | There was a robbery at the bank. |
| burglary | burglar | entering a building to steal | We had a burglary last night. |
| shoplifting | shoplifter | stealing from a shop | Shoplifting is a common crime. |
| mugging | mugger | attacking and robbing in the street | There was a mugging near the station. |
| murder | murderer | killing someone deliberately | He was arrested for murder. |
| Word / Phrase | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| arrest | /əˈrest/ | take someone to the police station | The police arrested the man. |
| investigate | /ɪnˈvestɪgeɪt/ | try to find out what happened | Police are investigating the crime. |
| evidence | /ˈevɪdəns/ | facts that show someone did a crime | The police found evidence at the scene. |
| catch | /kætʃ/ | find and arrest a criminal | The police caught the thief. |
| question | /ˈkwestʃən/ | ask someone questions | The police questioned the suspect. |
| suspect | /ˈsʌspekt/ | a person the police think did the crime | The suspect ran away. |
| charge | /tʃɑːdʒ/ | say officially that someone did a crime | The police charged him with robbery. |
| under arrest | /ˈʌndər əˈrest/ | arrested by the police | He is under arrest. |
3 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Pre-intermediate to Intermediate — roughly CEFR A2–B1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.