Hello Christina, You should definitely consider looking these up when you encounter them, also paying very close attention to the specific context when you do. Many of these have multiple definitions with very slight differences between them. There are differences also in how they are applied by country, and when they are used by a government, legal system or industry etc. It is not a simple answer and even native English speakers make mistakes when applying these in certain cases.

Yes there are differences. All of them are an act of government to prohibit or require something. The difference is the part of government from which they come. Rule - created by an administrative agency. Decree - the word of a king or single ruler Regulation - same as Rule Law, act, and statute usually come from a legislative body such as a parliament or congress. Ordinance and Code are laws created by city governments through elected councils. Hope this helps

That is not a simple question, and there are lots of different contexts, but here are a few tips: ACT: Usually a piece of law and planning issued by a government (The Civil Rights Act in America for example. It brought laws and systems for equality) LAW: On a simple level, this is something that you must follow and is enforced by the police (Things like theft and murder) RULE: This again is something you must follow, but it is not criminal. It could be at school or a company. (Things like you must arrive on time) REGULATION is similar, but more formal (Again; not usually criminal) CODE: Tends to be rules for things like buildings and food hygiene Hope those help