allegation

Everyday

1. An allegation is a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal, said without proof yet. tree →
2. (law, formal) An allegation is a claim made in court or to the police that must be investigated and proved. tree →

In the lessons

In the news and adult life, allegations of cheating, bullying or crime are made and then checked by teachers, police or courts. It tells the reader that the wrongdoing is claimed but not proved. Phrases: «make an allegation», «deny the allegation», «allegations of bullying», «a serious allegation».

Examples

• The player denied the allegations of cheating. tree →
• The police are looking into an allegation of theft. tree →
• She made a serious allegation against her boss. tree →
• The school takes every allegation of bullying seriously. tree →
• The allegations turned out to be false. tree →
• Newspapers must be careful when printing allegations. tree →

Note

An allegation: starts with a vowel sound, so «an». Verb «allege», adjective «alleged», adverb «allegedly» (said to be true but not proved). Trap: an allegation is not a fact or a verdict; a person is innocent until proven guilty. Spelling: double l, then -egation.