Legal meaning in English
Learn how to use Legal correctly with Gymglish.
Test and improve your English. Start your free trial today.
TEST YOUR ENGLISH
Free trial and no commitment to buy
4,7 on App Store, Play Store and Trustpilot
More than 8 million learners worldwide
Definition
legal: lawful, allowed by official rules, permitted by law
illegal: against the law, illicit, rule-breaking
Examples
- "All those legal terms went in one ear and out the other."
- "Lawyer : Uh, Mr. Capone, for legal purposes, I'd like you to refrain from using the term "gangster" to describe yourself."
- "Luna : First, I have to inform you of your legal right to remain silent, or to respond in writing to this meeting once it is over."
- "I don't want you pirating illegal copies of a software program. I will not tolerate bootlegged software in our offices because of legal concerns."
- "OILS is a globally recognized organization, and we can be sure that any subcontractor who is approved by OILS is completely legitimate: their employees are of legal working age, they are treated fairly and are all paid the minimum wage or above."
- "These records are legal documents and Bruno insisted that this laboratory comply with regulations."
- "Luna : First, I have to inform you of your legal right to remain silent, or to respond in writing to this meeting once it's over."
- "Now, I have to inform you of your legal right to remain silent, or to respond in writing to this meeting once it is over."
- "Please note that this product is only designed for legal immigrants."
- "For legal purposes, we deny everything."
- "The placement lasts three months, and the working week is the legal 45 hours."
- "The Delavigne Corporation wishes to protect its staff as well as itself from any legal problems which might result from mishandled terminations."
- "Downloads should stay free and legal."
- "OILS, the Organization for International Labor Standards, is a (fictional) group which identifies and certifies subcontractors using legal and ethical labor practices."
- "Bruno : No, no, we need legal counsel."
- "The information presented within my self-published book is not strictly speaking "legal" or "admissible" in a court of law."
- "This can become a serious problem when we consider that candidates may have legal grounds to sue the company who interviewed them for compensation due to discrimination."
Exercise 1
Complete the letter below with the most appropriate words or phrases.
Cosmex Inc.
62 Pointon Drive
Little Rock
Arkansas, AR 72211
Subject: Demand for payment
,
Please consider this letter as a formal , following prolonged lack of action on your part. copies of our prior communication, as well as the unpaid invoices in question. I remind you that the owed by Cosmex Inc. to Delavigne Corporation one thousand, two hundred and thirteen dollars and eighty cents ($1213.80).
If the matter is not resolved within four business days, I may commence proceedings to the debt, without notice to you, and this letter may be tendered in as evidence of your failure to attempt settlement.
,
Philip Cheeter
Sales Director
Delavigne Corporation
Delavigne Corporation
Treasure Trove Towers, Suite 1401
9876 Nosegay Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94122
November 11th
Cosmex Inc.
62 Pointon Drive
Little Rock
Arkansas, AR 72211
Subject: Demand for payment
,
Please consider this letter as a formal , following prolonged lack of action on your part. copies of our prior communication, as well as the unpaid invoices in question. I remind you that the owed by Cosmex Inc. to Delavigne Corporation one thousand, two hundred and thirteen dollars and eighty cents ($1213.80).
If the matter is not resolved within four business days, I may commence proceedings to the debt, without notice to you, and this letter may be tendered in as evidence of your failure to attempt settlement.
,
Philip Cheeter
Sales Director
Delavigne Corporation
Complete the letter below with the most appropriate words or phrases.
Cosmex Inc.
62 Pointon Drive
Little Rock
Arkansas, AR 72211
Subject: Demand for payment
To whom it may concern 1,
Please consider this letter as a formal demand for payment 2, following prolonged lack of action on your part. Please find enclosed 3 copies of our prior communication, as well as the unpaid invoices in question. I remind you that the total balance 4 owed by Cosmex Inc. to Delavigne Corporation amounts to 5 one thousand, two hundred and thirteen dollars and eighty cents ($1213.80).
If the matter is not resolved within four business days, I may commence legal 6 proceedings to recover 7 the debt, without further 8 notice to you, and this letter may be tendered in court 9 as evidence of your failure to attempt settlement.
Yours faithfully 10,
Philip Cheeter
Sales Director
Delavigne Corporation
Delavigne Corporation
Treasure Trove Towers, Suite 1401
9876 Nosegay Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94122
November 11th
Cosmex Inc.
62 Pointon Drive
Little Rock
Arkansas, AR 72211
Subject: Demand for payment
To whom it may concern 1,
Please consider this letter as a formal demand for payment 2, following prolonged lack of action on your part. Please find enclosed 3 copies of our prior communication, as well as the unpaid invoices in question. I remind you that the total balance 4 owed by Cosmex Inc. to Delavigne Corporation amounts to 5 one thousand, two hundred and thirteen dollars and eighty cents ($1213.80).
If the matter is not resolved within four business days, I may commence legal 6 proceedings to recover 7 the debt, without further 8 notice to you, and this letter may be tendered in court 9 as evidence of your failure to attempt settlement.
Yours faithfully 10,
Philip Cheeter
Sales Director
Delavigne Corporation
1 To whom it may concern: This is the best choice here. This introduction is used in formal or official correspondence when we do not know the name or gender or even position of the person to whom we are writing.
1 Ladies and Gentlemen: This is inappropriate. The expression "ladies and gentlemen" is used when we are speaking out loud to a group of people in a formal context, most frequently at a public event. For example: "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage...The Stolling Rones!". It should not be used in a written context.
1 Hello again: This is inappropriate. This address is used in spoken English, or very informal letters or emails. Philip's letter is very formal, so this is the wrong register. Secondly, the "again" in this phrase means that the writer has been in recent contact with the recipient. This is not the case here, as Philip writes: "following prolonged lack of action on your part".
1 Thanks for the email: This is inappropriate. This phrase is too informal for use in such a formal letter: the register is incorrect. Also, Philip's client has not recently sent him an email. We know this because Philip writes "following prolonged lack of action on your part". This means that the client has not contacted Philip for a long time.
2 demand for payment: This is the best choice here. A "demand for payment" is an official, formal written request that a sum of money be paid. This document can be produced in a court of law as evidence that someone has asked for payment.
2 order form: This is incorrect. An "order form" is a document used to place a request to purchase a certain product or service. This is not the purpose of Philip's letter. On the contrary, he wants to receive payment for an order which has already been delivered.
2 advertisement: This is incorrect. The term "advertisement" refers to a paid "notice" or "announcement" for publicity purposes, usually made by a company wishing to sell its products. There is no connection between this term and Philip's letter.
2 return receipt: This is incorrect. A "return receipt" is an official confirmation that a letter or package has been received. This is a way of sending a letter, and does not make sense in the context of this sentence.
3 Please find enclosed: This is the best choice here. The expression "please find enclosed" is used when sending a letter which includes other items (such as documents) in the same envelope. Example: Please find enclosed two copies of my birth certificate. For email attachments, we say "attached". Example: Please find attached a scanned copy of your contract.
3 In reference to: This is grammatically incorrect here. The sentence does not make sense if completed in this way. "In reference to (your request)" is used to call attention to a past event, item, or conversation. Example: In reference to our conversation last week, I want to tell you that the answer is "yes".
3 I give you: This is incorrect. The expression "I give you" is used when handing a physical object to somebody. It can also be used to introduce or present a person or idea, in a dramatic context. Example: "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...The Peatles!". Neither of these contexts suits Philip's letter, so this expression is not appropriate.
3 As a result of: This is grammatically incorrect here. The sentence does not make sense if completed in this way. "As a result of" is used to introduce the cause or origin of an action.
4 total balance: This is correct. The "total balance" refers to an amount of money which remains, or still needs to be paid. In the context of the dialogue, it refers to the "rest" of the money owed to Delavigne.
4 liquid: This is incorrect. In finance, "liquid (assets)" are assets which can be easily "liquidated" or "turned into cash". In another, less specific, context, the term "liquid" describes a free-flowing substance. All elements on Earth are either "liquid", "gas", or "solid".
4 cash: This is incorrect. "Cash" is money in its solid form: coins or bank notes. Philip is not requesting that his clients pay him in "cash". They are far more likely to pay by cheque or bank transfer.
4 change: This is incorrect. "Change" is money that is returned when the sum given in payment is larger than the amount required, usually in a shop. In another context, it refers to coins of low denomination.
5 amounts to: This is the best choice here. "(The cost) amounts to (10 dollars)" is an expression used to describe the total cost of something (goods, services, etc.). It is the only choice here which makes sense in the context of this letter. Note that on its own, the term "amount" refers to a number or quantity. Example: "I require a large amount of sugar in my tea".
5 climbs to: The term "to climb" is rarely used to describe "cost". Using it here would be unnatural. Note that the verb can be used in a figurative sense to describe "rising" or "increasing" "prices", for example: "House prices have been climbing steadily for several years", "The stock climbed to $100 per share, and then split".
5 sums up: "Sum up" does not belong in this construction. The expression "to sum up" is often used in the figurative sense to describe the act of "summarising" or "giving a synopsis". For example: "Can you sum up the novel in two words or fewer?".
5 arises to: The term "to arise" is never used to describe "cost". Using it here would be unnatural. "Arise" can mean to "stand up" or "lift oneself up", but the term "rise" is more common in modern English.
6 legal: This is the best choice here. The adjective "legal" refers to "the law". For example, we talk of "legal cases", and describe something as "legal" when it is permitted by the law. This describes the type of "action" which Delavigne Corporation will take if they do not receive payment.
6 law: This is incorrect. "Law" is a noun, which is grammatically incorrect in this sentence. We need to use an adjective here, and "legal" is the adjective derived from the term "law".
6 lawyer: This is incorrect. A "lawyer" is a professional who defends clients' interests in legal issues, or in court. It is grammatically incorrect to refer to a person in this sentence. Note that a "lawyer" can also be called an "attorney" in the US, and a "solicitor" in the UK.
6 lawful: This is incorrect. The term "lawful" refers to an act which is "allowed" or "permitted" by the law. Example: "He doesn't really enjoy lawful activities". However, when we refer to a court process of the kind suggested by Philip, the expression we use is "legal action".
7 recover: "Recover" is the best choice here. In this context, the term means "to get back" or "to recuperate" the sum of money owed to the Delavigne Corporation. The verb "to recover" is often associated with a "debt", and expresses the sense of collecting money which is owed.
7 cancel: Although a debt can be "cancelled", it doesn't make sense for Philip to suggest that he will "cancel" (or "nullify") the debt owed to the Delavigne Corporation. The purpose of this letter is to "recover" or "get back" the money owed to the company.
7 sue: This is incorrect. "To sue (a person or a company)" is to take legal action against them, most often in the form of a "lawsuit". Although Philip is suggesting that the company may take legal action against the debtor, it doesn't make sense to use the term "sue" in this construction. "I may commence legal proceedings to sue the debt" makes no sense: a debt cannot be "sued".
7 pay: Philip is not suggesting that he or his company will pay any debt. The purpose of this letter is to "recover" or "get back" the money owed to the company.
8 further: This is correct. The term "further" in this context shares a similar meaning with "more" or "additional".
8 plus: This is incorrect. The term "plus" cannot be used as an adjective in this context. In different contexts, the term "plus" can be used in the following ways: "two plus two equals four", "I like cheese, plus I like biscuits", "The new buses are a great plus for the town".
8 continued: This is incorrect. The adjective "continued" describes something which happens "repeatedly", "often", or "regularly". This does not make sense in the context of the sentence.
8 farther: This is incorrect. The term "farther" is used to describe something which is "more far (away)" or "more distant". The term "farther" can only be used to refer to the physical distance of one object from another, and so it is not appropriate here.
9 court: This is correct. A "court" is a place where justice is carried out, usually in the presence of a judge.
9 justice: This is incorrect. The term "justice" refers to moral "fairness" or "legality". It is not appropriate to use an abstract noun in this context. Example: "Justice was served, and I was released from prison".
9 trial: This is incorrect. A "trial" is a process or event which takes place in a court, often to determine if a person is innocent or guilty or to settle a financial conflict. A trial can last from a few minutes to several years. Example: "Michael's trial attracted a lot of attention".
9 proof: This is incorrect. "Proof" shares a similar meaning with "evidence", and does not make sense in this context. Example: "We need proof before we can arrest the suspected murderer".
10 Yours faithfully: This is the best choice here. This expression is used to conclude a formal letter or email, usually to a person who we do not know. Philip's letter fits both of these criteria, so this is the appropriate ending.
10 Ever yours: This is inappropriate. The expression "ever yours" is an "old-fashioned" or "out-dated" way of ending a romantic letter to a lover. Philip is not his client's lover, so this expression is inappropriate in this context.
10 Best wishes: This is incorrect. The expression "best wishes" is used to conclude informal letters or emails to family or friends. Philip's letter is too formal in tone for this expression to be appropriate.
10 Goodbye: This is incorrect. The term "goodbye" is generally used in spoken English. It can, however, also be used to conclude informal letters or emails to family or friends. Philip's letter is too formal in tone for this expression to be appropriate.
Still unsure of the best way to use 'Legal'? Improve your English thanks to our online English lessons. We offer a free test as well as a free level assessment!
What our users say:
Test your English with Gymglish today and get a free level assessment
Absolutely free - no strings attached.
