English · Bac pro · B1, with an entry level

Session 1: Who votes? Who governs?

Recap check
  1. Name one American president you know.
  2. What does the word vote mean?
  3. In France, at what age can you vote?
Answer key
  1. For example George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Donald Trump: all correct answers are accepted.
  2. To choose a person or an answer, for example by putting a ballot in a ballot box.
  3. At eighteen.
Question: Who can vote in the United States, and who does what in Washington?

Objectives

What we need to say

In this session, you need to explain who does what in Washington, and who is given the vote.

To talk about voting, we need these words: citizen, vote, ballot, register, branch.

To say what is done, and by whom, we need the passive: The laws are made by Congress. The vote is given to citizens at eighteen.

Words to say it

WordMeaningExample
a citizena person who belongs to a countryShe is an American citizen.
to voteto choose in an electionYou can vote at eighteen.
a ballotthe paper or form you use to voteHe puts his ballot in the box.
to registerto put your name on the list of votersMost Americans must register before they vote.
a branchone part of the governmentCongress is one branch.

Matching (ten words)Entry

To talk about voting, match each word with its meaning.

  1. a citizen
  2. to vote
  3. a ballot
  4. a ballot box
  5. to register
  6. a branch
  7. a right
  8. an amendment
  9. a voter
  10. an election
  • a. the box where you put your ballot
  • b. a change added to the Constitution
  • c. to choose in an election
  • d. one part of the government
  • e. a person who votes
  • f. a person who belongs to a country
  • g. the moment when people choose their leaders
  • h. to put your name on the list of voters
  • i. the paper or form you use to vote
  • j. something the law allows you to do
Answer key
  1. f
  2. c
  3. i
  4. a
  5. h
  6. d
  7. j
  8. b
  9. e
  10. g

Word familiesCore

To explain who does what, you need the verb, the noun and the person. Complete.

  1. to vote: a vote, a ______
  2. to elect: an ______, an elector
  3. to govern: the ______, a governor
  4. to register: ______ (the action)
  5. to represent: a ______ (the person)
  6. to judge: a ______ (the person), a judgement
  7. to lead: a ______ (the person)
  8. to amend: an ______
Answer key
  1. voter
  2. election
  3. government
  4. registration
  5. representative
  6. judge
  7. leader
  8. amendment
A Black man in a long coat puts his ballot in a ballot box; other men wait in line behind him.
Alfred R. Waud, The First Vote, 1867, wood engraving, cover of Harper's Weekly, 16 November 1867. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public domain. Record

Picture labelling: The First Vote (1867)Core

Look at the cover of Harper's Weekly. Find and describe where you see:

  1. the ballot boxes
  2. the man who is voting
  3. a man in a soldier's uniform
  4. a man in a hat and a smart suit
  5. the man who watches the vote
  6. the title and the date
Answer key
  1. on the left, two round glass boxes on a table
  2. in front: an old man with a white beard puts his ballot in the box
  3. in the queue, the third man, with a cap and stripes on his sleeve
  4. just behind the voter
  5. behind the ballot boxes, on the left: a white man with a beard
  6. at the top: Harper's Weekly, 16 November 1867

Documents

Key document

The government of the United States has three branches. Congress makes the laws. The President carries out the laws and leads the country. The Supreme Court decides what the Constitution means. Today, you can vote in a federal election if you are an American citizen, if you are eighteen on Election Day and, in almost every state, if you are registered on the list of voters. This was not always the case: the 15th Amendment (1870) says the right to vote cannot be refused because of race, the 19th Amendment (1920) gives the vote to women and the 26th Amendment (1971) lowers the voting age to eighteen.

Read the source: USAGov, Who can vote · USAGov, Branches of government · National Archives, Amendments

Diagram: the three branches

The Constitution (1787)
LegislativeCongress
makes the laws
House + Senate
ExecutiveThe President
carries out the laws
+ Vice President
JudicialThe Supreme Court
says what the
Constitution means

Look at the drawings

A Black man in a long coat puts his ballot in a ballot box; other men wait in line behind him.
Alfred R. Waud, The First Vote, 1867, wood engraving, cover of Harper's Weekly, 16 November 1867. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public domain. Record
A woman with a torch walks from the western states towards the east of a map of the United States, where many women raise their arms.
Henry (Hy) Mayer, The Awakening, 1915, colour offset print, centrefold of Puck, 20 February 1915. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public domain. Record

Activities

  1. Look at the diagram: which branch makes the laws? Which branch judges?
  2. Describe the 1867 drawing: who is voting? Who is waiting? What are they wearing? Use there is, there are and the present continuous.
  3. Say it: explain who does what. The laws are made by ______. The laws are carried out by ______. The Constitution is explained by ______. (Use the passive: see Grammar to say it.)
  4. Look at the 1915 cartoon: the lit part of the map shows the states where women could already vote. Where are they: in the West or in the East?
  5. Summary: in the United States, citizens choose the people who govern, but the right to vote was won step by step.

Grammar to say it: the passive voice (1), the form

Why we need it

To say what is done, and by whom, we need the passive: The laws are made by Congress. The vote is given to citizens at eighteen.

Grammar point: board explanation

Teacher script
  1. Show the diagram of the three branches. Ask: Who makes the laws? Students answer: Congress makes the laws.
  2. Write the active sentence on the board. Ask: What is more important here, Congress or the laws? Then write the passive sentence under it.
  3. Circle are + made. Explain: passive = be + past participle. Be shows the tense, the participle shows the action.
  4. Ask students to find the agent after by. Explain that we often leave it out when it is obvious.
  5. Explain the present simple: we use it for facts and rules that are always true. Underline the time markers: every four years, always, today.
  6. Students copy the board. Then do the quick check together, orally, before the exercises.
Board: students copy

The passive voice (1) and the present simple for facts

Rule
Passive = be + past participle. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject.
Form
Present simple passive: am / is / are + past participle (+ by + agent).
Regular: elect → elected. Irregular: make → made, choose → chosen, give → given, hold → held, put → put.
Use
When the action or the result matters more than the person who acts; in rules, institutions and news. The present simple is used for facts that are always true.
Examples from the lesson
  • Congress makes the laws. → The laws are made by Congress.
  • The president is elected every four years.
  • The right to vote is protected by the Constitution.
Common mistakes
  • The laws are make by Congress. → The laws are made by Congress.
  • The president elected every four years. → The president is elected every four years.
  • The laws is made. → The laws are made (plural subject).
French and English
French often uses on: On élit le président tous les quatre ans. English prefers the passive: The president is elected every four years. Par = by.
Also on the board: Tenses and time markers: the present simple
Facts and habits: Americans vote in November. Third person singular: -s: Congress makes, the president signs. Time markers: every, always, usually, today, in November.

Quick check, with the whole class

  1. The laws ______ (make) by Congress.
  2. The president ______ (elect) every four years.
  3. Past participle of choose?
  4. Find the agent: The Constitution is explained by the Supreme Court.
  5. Correct: The ballot are put in the box.
Answer key
  1. are made
  2. is elected
  3. chosen
  4. the Supreme Court
  5. The ballot is put in the box.

Grammar to say it: four stages

Stage 1. RecogniseEntry

Active (A) or passive (P)? Underline the verb.

  1. Congress makes the laws.
  2. The laws are made by Congress.
  3. The president is chosen every four years.
  4. Citizens vote at eighteen.
  5. The Constitution is explained by the Supreme Court.
  6. Voters are registered on a list in most states.
  7. The Supreme Court judges cases.
  8. The ballots are put in a box.
  9. Women vote in every state today.
  10. The right to vote is protected by the Constitution.
Answer key
  1. A: makes
  2. P: are made
  3. P: is chosen
  4. A: vote
  5. P: is explained
  6. P: are registered
  7. A: judges
  8. P: are put
  9. A: vote
  10. P: is protected

Stage 2. TransformCore

Rewrite in the present passive. Keep by + agent.

  1. Congress makes the laws.
  2. The President carries out the laws.
  3. The Supreme Court explains the Constitution.
  4. Citizens choose the members of Congress.
  5. The states organise the elections.
  6. Voters put the ballots in the box.
  7. The election office counts the votes.
  8. The Constitution protects the right to vote.
  9. The states keep the lists of voters.
  10. Harper's Weekly prints the drawing on its cover.
Answer key
  1. The laws are made by Congress.
  2. The laws are carried out by the President.
  3. The Constitution is explained by the Supreme Court.
  4. The members of Congress are chosen by citizens.
  5. The elections are organised by the states.
  6. The ballots are put in the box by voters.
  7. The votes are counted by the election office.
  8. The right to vote is protected by the Constitution.
  9. The lists of voters are kept by the states.
  10. The drawing is printed by Harper's Weekly on its cover.

Stage 3. Guided productionCore

Build a present passive sentence with the words.

  1. the laws / make / Congress
  2. the president / elect / every four years
  3. the votes / count / in every state
  4. the Constitution / explain / the Supreme Court
  5. the ballot / put / in the ballot box
  6. voters / register / on a list
  7. the vote / give / to citizens at eighteen
  8. the members of Congress / choose / the voters
Answer key
  1. The laws are made by Congress.
  2. The president is elected every four years.
  3. The votes are counted in every state.
  4. The Constitution is explained by the Supreme Court.
  5. The ballot is put in the ballot box.
  6. Voters are registered on a list.
  7. The vote is given to citizens at eighteen.
  8. The members of Congress are chosen by the voters.

Stage 4. Your turnStretch

Who does what in France or in your school? Write five passive sentences.

  1. Five sentences
Answer key
  1. Model: In France, the President is elected by the people. The laws are voted by Parliament. In my school, the timetable is made by the head teacher. The class representatives are elected by the students. The canteen menu is chosen by the cook.

Extra practice

B. Complete with is or are + past participleCore

Use the verb in brackets.

  1. The laws ______ (make) by Congress.
  2. The president ______ (elect) every four years.
  3. The ballots ______ (put) in a box.
  4. The right to vote ______ (give) to citizens at eighteen.
Answer key
  1. are made
  2. is elected
  3. are put
  4. is given

C. Now say it: who does what?Stretch

Rewrite the sentences in the passive.

  1. The Supreme Court judges the cases.
Answer key
  1. The cases are judged by the Supreme Court.

Figures of speech: the symbol and the metaphor

Learn

A symbol is a picture that stands for an idea. A metaphor describes one thing as if it were another. In The Awakening (1915), the light of the torch stands for the vote. When we say women won the vote, the vote becomes a prize or a battle.

  1. In the 1915 cartoon, what does the light stand for?
  2. What do the dark states stand for?
  3. Find the metaphor: The vote was a long battle for women.
  4. Which verb turns the vote into a prize: won or lost?
  5. In The First Vote, the voters stand in a line: what does the long queue suggest?
  6. Invent your own metaphor: The ballot is a ______ because ______.
Answer key
  1. The vote for women.
  2. The states where women could not vote yet.
  3. a long battle: the struggle for the vote is described as a war.
  4. won.
  5. Many people are waiting for this new right; it is a long and important moment.
  6. Example: The ballot is a key because it opens the door to decisions.

Expression task: write it, say it

Core First write, then speak. Use the words and the grammar of the session.

Written task: a short article for the school website

Steps

  1. Give a title.
  2. Explain the three branches with the passive.
  3. Say who can vote today.
  4. Present one date and the drawing of 1867.
  5. Finish with your opinion.
Sentence starters
  • In the United States, the laws are made by ...
  • The laws are carried out by ...
  • To vote, you must be ...
  • In 1867, a drawing was published in ...
  • In my opinion, voting is important because ...
Model answer

Who governs in the USA? In the United States, the laws are made by Congress. They are carried out by the President, and the Constitution is explained by the Supreme Court. To vote, you must be a citizen and eighteen. In 1867, a drawing called The First Vote was published in Harper's Weekly. In my opinion, voting is important because it gives everyone a voice.

Oral task: present The First Vote in one minute

Steps

  1. Say what it is.
  2. Describe the foreground and the background.
  3. Explain the message.
  4. Give your opinion.
Sentence starters
  • This is the cover of ... from ...
  • In the foreground, there is ...
  • In the background, I can see ...
  • This drawing shows that ...
  • I think it is important because ...
Model answer

This is the cover of Harper's Weekly from November 1867. In the foreground, an old man puts his ballot in a glass box. Behind him, a man in a suit and a soldier are waiting. This drawing shows that Black men could vote for the first time. I think it is important because voting is a right for all citizens.

Going further (B2 towards C1)

For students aiming at language studies

Collocations and registerGoing further

Match each formal phrase with its everyday meaning.

  1. to cast a ballot
  2. to be eligible to vote
  3. to enfranchise
  4. to disenfranchise
  5. the electorate
  6. universal suffrage
  7. voter turnout
  8. to uphold the Constitution
  • a. the share of voters who actually vote
  • b. to vote
  • c. to have the right to vote
  • d. to take away the right to vote
  • e. the vote for all adults
  • f. all the people who can vote
  • g. to give the right to vote
  • h. to defend and respect it
Answer key
  1. b (to vote)
  2. c (to have the right to vote)
  3. g (to give the right to vote)
  4. d (to take away the right to vote)
  5. f (all the people who can vote)
  6. e (the vote for all adults)
  7. a (the share of voters who actually vote)
  8. h (to defend and respect it)

Finer grammar: the passive with modals and perfect tensesGoing further

Rule

Modal + be + past participle: The vote cannot be refused because of race. Present perfect: has / have been + past participle: The voting age has been lowered to eighteen.

  1. The vote / cannot / refuse / because of race (15th Amendment).
  2. The voting age / have / lower / to eighteen (since 1971).
  3. Women / have / give / the vote in every state (since 1920).
  4. Voters / must / register / before Election Day (most states).
  5. The Constitution / can / amend / by Congress and the states.
Answer key
  1. The vote cannot be refused because of race.
  2. The voting age has been lowered to eighteen.
  3. Women have been given the vote in every state.
  4. Voters must be registered before Election Day.
  5. The Constitution can be amended by Congress and the states.

Translation, French to EnglishGoing further

  1. Les lois sont votées par le Congrès.
  2. Le droit de vote ne peut pas être refusé à cause de la race.
  3. Les femmes ont obtenu le droit de vote en 1920.
  4. Le président est élu tous les quatre ans.
Answer key
  1. The laws are passed by Congress.
  2. The right to vote cannot be refused because of race.
  3. Women won (were given) the right to vote in 1920.
  4. The president is elected every four years.

Text analysis: a right won step by stepGoing further

When the Constitution was written in 1787, it said very little about who could vote: each state decided. Over almost two centuries, the right was widened by amendments. In 1870, the 15th Amendment stated that the vote could not be denied because of race, yet many Black citizens were kept from the polls for decades by local rules. In 1920, the 19th Amendment extended the vote to women in every state. In 1971, the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to eighteen, at a time when young Americans were being sent to fight in Vietnam.

  1. Find three passive forms and give their tense.
  2. What does widened mean here? Give a synonym.
  3. Which word shows a contrast in the fourth sentence?
  4. Why was the voting age lowered in 1971, according to the text?
  5. In your own words, explain the title.
Answer key
  1. was written (past), was widened (past), could not be denied (modal past), were kept (past), were being sent (past continuous): any three.
  2. made larger, extended.
  3. yet.
  4. Young people were sent to fight in Vietnam but could not vote: it seemed unfair.
  5. The right to vote did not arrive all at once: it was extended in several stages, by amendments.

Argued task (200 to 250 words, or a two-minute oral)Going further

Should the voting age be lowered to sixteen, in the United States or in France? Give arguments for and against, then your opinion.

Steps

  1. Introduction: the question and today's rule (eighteen).
  2. Arguments for, with examples.
  3. Arguments against.
  4. Your opinion, with a strong conclusion.
Sentence starters
  • It is often argued that ...
  • On the one hand, ...
  • On the other hand, ...
  • Some would say that ..., yet ...
  • All things considered, I believe that ...
Key points

Key points: today the voting age is eighteen in both countries; for: young people pay taxes, work, are affected by decisions on climate or education, and some countries already allow voting at sixteen; against: maturity, influence of parents and social media; a clear personal conclusion. Use at least two passives (the age was lowered, it is often argued) and linking words.

Exercise

Match each date with the right: 1870; 1920; 1971. Rights: the vote at eighteen; no refusal because of race; the vote for women.
Answer key1870: the right to vote cannot be refused because of race (15th Amendment). 1920: the vote for women (19th Amendment). 1971: the vote at eighteen (26th Amendment).

Gap-fill worksheet

Word bank: citizen, eighteen, Congress, women, register, ballot box, Amendment, voter, right, election

  1. To vote, you must be an American ______.
  2. You must be ______ on Election Day.
  3. ______ makes the laws.
  4. Since 1920, ______ can vote in every state.
  5. In most states, you must ______ before you vote.
  6. You put your ballot in the ______.
  7. The 19th ______ gave women the vote in every state.
  8. A ______ is a person who votes.
  9. Voting is a ______ protected by the Constitution.
  10. An ______ is the moment when people choose their leaders.
Answer key
  1. citizen
  2. eighteen
  3. Congress
  4. women
  5. register
  6. ballot box
  7. Amendment
  8. voter
  9. right
  10. election

Link with the world of work

At work in France, employees also vote: they elect their staff representatives. Who votes, who can be elected, and what do representatives do for the team?

Levels

LevelAdjustment
Entry (guided B1)Label the diagram with three words; describe the drawing with five given sentences to complete.
Core (B1)Describe the drawing in six sentences with there is, there are.
Stretch (B1+)Explain in a short paragraph why the right to vote was won step by step.
OralPresent the 1867 drawing in pairs in one minute.

Homework

Draw the three branches in a simple diagram and write one sentence for each branch.
Answer keyModel answer: Congress makes the laws. The President carries out the laws. The Supreme Court decides what the Constitution means.