Many verbs have different meanings, however this section deals with verbs and phrasal verbs connected with education. An example is provided only where the verb is commonly used in everyday conversation.
One irregular verb in bold is shown in all its forms.
Verbs
| The Verb (infinitive form) | The Meaning | An example ( Simple Past Tense) |
Regular /Irregular |
|---|---|---|---|
| To abstain | To decide not to use your vote. | He didn't know who to vote for, so he abstained. | Regular |
| To cast a vote | To vote. | They cast their vote and then began to count them. | Irregular |
| To elect | To choose a candidate in an election. |
They elected a new leader. | Regular |
| To lead | To control a group of people, a country, or a situation. | He led the party for ten years. | Irregular |
| To nominate | To name someone as a candidate. | We nominated him to stand for the next election. | Regular |
| To run | To campaign to stand for a political position. | He ran as an independent candidate. | Irregular |
| To stand | To seek election. | He stood in the election, but he lost. | Irregular |
| To veto | To refuse to allow something. | We vetoed the nomination. | Regular |
| To vote | To assert a formalised choice in an election. | I voted in the last election. | Regular |
| To win | To be successful in an election. | He won the vote by a large majority. | Irregular |
Phrasal Verbs
| The Phrasal Verb (infinitive form) | The Meaning | An example ( Simple Past Tense) |
S=Separable I=Inseparable |
|---|---|---|---|
| To stand down | To give up your official job or position. | "After the truth came out about his affairs, he had to stand down." | I |
| To vote something down | To defeat something such as a law or plan by voting against it. | "He wanted to introduce freedom of information, but they voted him down." | S |
| To vote something through | To accept and make possible something such as a law or plan by voting for it. | "We voted the changes through." | S |