A government is the group of people who govern a country or organisation; also the system or method of governing. She read government reports in English to practise formal and official vocabulary.
What Does Government Mean?
Government comes from Old French gouvernement, ultimately from Latin gubernare — to steer a ship — and Greek kybernan, the same root that gives us cybernetics. The idea of steering and directing was extended from ships to states, giving us the word we use today for the people and processes that steer a country.
In everyday English, government is used in two main senses. First, it refers concretely to the people currently holding political power: The government announced a new budget. Second, it refers abstractly to the system or act of governing: Democracy is a form of government. Both senses appear frequently in news, academic texts, and official documents — making this one of the most important words to master for formal English.
One key point for learners is that in British English, government — like other collective nouns such as team and committee — can take either a singular or a plural verb. The government is considering new measures (institution as a unit) and The government are divided on the issue (the individuals within it) are both correct in British English. American English always uses the singular.
Example Sentences by Level
| Sentence | Level & Usage note |
|---|---|
| The government builds schools and hospitals. | A2 — basic subject + verb |
| She read government reports in English to practise formal and official vocabulary. | B1 — government as modifier |
| The government has announced a new policy on housing. | B1 — present perfect, news context |
| Critics argue that government spending on education has fallen sharply over the past decade. | B2 — academic register, collocation |
| Effective governance requires not only strong institutions but also a government that is accountable to its citizens. | C1 — formal distinction between government and governance |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example in context |
|---|---|
| form a government | After the election, the party tried to form a government. |
| central government | Central government sets national policy, while councils handle local matters. |
| local government | Local government is responsible for rubbish collection and planning. |
| coalition government | The two parties agreed to form a coalition government after the election. |
| government policy | Government policy on immigration has changed several times this year. |
| government spending | Government spending on the NHS increased by five per cent. |
| government minister | A government minister resigned following the scandal. |
| overthrow the government | The rebels attempted to overthrow the government overnight. |
| run/lead the government | She was the first woman to run the government in that country. |
| shadow government | The shadow government set out its alternative economic plan. |
Usage Notes
Key Points for Learners
- Singular or plural verb? British English allows both: The government is/are reviewing the law. Choose plural when emphasising individual ministers; choose singular when referring to the institution as a whole.
- Capital letter: Use a capital G when referring to a specific named administration: the UK Government, the French Government. Use lower case for the general concept: a system of government.
- Government vs governance: Government = the people in power. Governance = the broader process, principles, and systems of managing an organisation or country. Corporate governance refers to how a company is directed, not who leads it politically.
- Government as a modifier: Government is very commonly placed before a noun to modify it: government report, government funding, government official, government school. No hyphen is needed.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
The government are is wrong in American English — always use singular.
The government is considering new measures. (American English — always singular)
He works for a governmental organisation. (grammatically correct but unnatural)
He works for a government organisation. (natural British English — use government as a modifier)
The governments announced new policy. (wrong plural — one administration, not several)
The government announced a new policy. (one administration = singular noun)
Etymology Note
The word government entered English in the 14th century via Old French gouvernement, from gouverner (to govern). This came from Latin gubernare, meaning to steer or pilot a ship — a metaphor for controlling a vessel that was extended to controlling a state. The Latin root itself came from Greek kybernan (to steer), which also gives us the modern word cybernetics and the prefix cyber-. Related English words include govern, governor, governance, and gubernatorial (relating to a governor).