People Crossing the English Channel (2018-2026)

May 9, 2026, 13:50
AfricaPolitics

Introduction

Since 2018, more than 200,000 people came to the UK in small boats. The government tried many ways to stop them.

Main Body

More people arrived every year. In 2018, only 299 people came. In 2022, about 46,000 people came. Boats became more crowded. This was dangerous and some people died. First, the Conservative government wanted to send people to Rwanda. They also put people in old ships and army bases. But the courts said the Rwanda plan was not legal. Next, the Labour government started in 2024. They stopped the Rwanda plan. Now, they work with France to send people back. They spend £662 million on beach police. They also want to change the rules for refugees.

Conclusion

By May 2026, over 200,000 people arrived. The government now works with France to stop the boats.

Learning

🕒 Then vs. Now

Look at how the text talks about time. To reach A2, you need to switch between things that already happened and things happening now.

The Past (Finished) Use the -ed ending for actions that are over.

  • tried →\rightarrow attempted
  • arrived →\rightarrow reached
  • started →\rightarrow began

The Present (Current) Use the base word or -s for things happening these days.

  • work →\rightarrow doing it now
  • spend →\rightarrow using money now
  • want →\rightarrow a current wish

💡 Quick Tip: The 'Number' Pattern When you see dates (2018, 2024), it is a signal to check your verb.

2018 →\rightarrow came (Past) Now →\rightarrow work (Present)

Vocabulary Learning

people (n.)
a group of individuals
Example:Many people came to the city.
crossing (n.)
the act of moving from one side to another
Example:The crossing of the river took hours.
small (adj.)
not large in size
Example:She has a small house in the countryside.
boats (n.)
vessels for traveling on water
Example:The boats were docked at the harbor.
government (n.)
the group of people who run a country
Example:The government announced new policies.
many (adj.)
a large number of
Example:Many students attended the lecture.
ways (n.)
methods or routes
Example:There are many ways to solve this problem.
stop (v.)
to cease moving
Example:Please stop shouting.
dangerous (adj.)
likely to cause harm
Example:The cliff was dangerous to climb.
died (v.)
ceased to live
Example:He died peacefully in his sleep.
old (adj.)
having lived for a long time
Example:She has an old book in her attic.
police (n.)
law enforcement officers
Example:The police arrived at the scene.