ESL Conversation Questions - Money

By Steven Saunders 

If you had to choose between wealth

and no love; and love with no wealth What are you saving your money for?
which one would you choose? Why?

"money makes the world go round." Can money buy love? Why? Why
Do you agree? Why? Why not?  not?

If you won the lottery, or some other

What's the average salary in your
type competition, and won lots of
country?
money, what would you do with it?

What's the most expensive thing that How much money have you spent
you have ever bought? today? What did you spend it on?

Do you ever give money to charity? If Is it possible to be rich, even if you do

so, how often and how much? not have lots of money?

Have you ever given money to a

How important is money to you?
beggar?

Which is more important, Love or

Have you ever been in debt?
money?

How much money did you spend FREE

yesterday? QUESTION
English-lesson-plan.com Money 1

Money

I. Name the things you see in the pictures using words in italics.

Credit card, wallet, bank check, 100-dollar bill, coin, automated teller machine, cash

register, bank

c d

e f

g h English-lesson-plan.com
Money 2

II. Read some statements about Mike. Select a, b, or c.

1. Mike borrowed $100 dollars.

a. Someone gave Mike $100.

b. Mike gave someone $100.

c. Mike received $100 in return for his work.

2. Mike lent $100.

a. Mike’s grandfather died and left Mike $100.

b. Mike gave someone $100.

c. Mike gave someone $100 in return for their work.

3. Mike paid $100.

a. Mike gave someone $100, and took some goods.

b. Mike received $100 as compensation for his work.

c. Someone gave Mike $100.

4. Mike invested $100.

a. Mike’s grandfather died and left Mike $100 dollars.

b. Mike gave someone $100 hoping to receive more in the future.

c. Mike gave someone $100, and took some goods.

5. Mike earned $100.

a. Someone gave Mike $100.

b. Mike’s grandfather died and left Mike $100 dollars.

c. Mike received $100 in return for his work.

6. Mike inherited $100.

a. Mike’s grandfather died and left Mike $100.

b. Someone gave Mike $100.

c. Mike received $100 in return for his work.English-lesson-plan.com

Money 3

III. Read the conversations below and guess the meanings of the phrases in bold.

A:

- How much for this T-shirt?

- $100

- One hundred bucks for a lousy T-shirt?!! That’s what they call a rip-off!

- Take it or leave it.

B:

- Honey, when are we going to buy a new car? Our old Volvo is on its last legs!

- Darling, you know we can’t afford a new car right now. We have so many debts!

C:

- You did this job perfectly! How much do I owe you?

- $100 in total, and $95 with a discount.

D:

- We bought this house for $ 50 000 and I call it a bargain.

- Oh, yeah, it’s quite cheap!

E:

- I bought a pair of shoes last week, but they didn’t fit, so I took them back to the shop and they

gave me a refund.

- Poor you.

IV. Which of the words in bold in ex.3 match with the following definitions?

1. The money you should return.

2. An amount of money taken off a price.

3. An advantageous purchase.

4. Have means to buy something.

5. Be obliged to pay.

6. Low in price.

7. Unreasonably expensive.

8. Money returned to a payer.English-lesson-plan.com

Money 4

V. Fill in the gaps in the text with the following words.

loan deposit bank checking standing savings interest trustworthy debit

income job mortgage bank automated teller machines overdraft

credit real installments transactions

How banks work

A 1) _______ is a financial institution which deals with money 2) _________. In a bank, you can

borrow money in the form of a bank 3) _______, or you can put your money in a bank, in other

words, 4) ________ money. In both cases, you need to open a 5) _________ account. There are

two main types of bank accounts. They are a checking account and a savings account. You can

use the 6) _________ account to pay your everyday bills. The 7) _________ account is used for

depositing your extra money to a bank. The percentage that the bank pays you for using your

money is called 8) _________.

Once you have opened an account, the bank can issue a 9) __________ card – a personal plastic

card with an individual number and your signature on it – with which you can pay for goods and

services. You can also use your debit card to withdraw cash from 10) ___________ (ATMs) as

well as make online purchases and money transfers. Sometimes banks allow you to withdraw

more money than what is available in your account. This is called 11) __________.

If you decide to take a loan from a bank, you will have to show the bank your good financial 12)

__________. That is you need to prove that you have a regular 13) __________ or some other

reliable source of 14) _________. If the bank considers you a 15) __________ borrower, it will

issue a 16) ___________ card which you can use to buy things such as a car. If you decide to

buy 17) _______ estate, such as a house, you can take a mortgage loan from a bank. 18)

________ means that you pledge your property to the bank as a security for the loan. If you fail

to pay the 19) __________, the bank may confiscate your real estate in compensation for

damages.

VI. Answer the questions.

1. Do you have a debit/credit card?

2. Have you ever borrowed money from a bank? What for?

3. Do you have any debts currently? How much do you owe in total?

4. Have you ever lent money to your friends or relatives?

5. What is your favorite bank?

6. How long does it take to open a checking account in your bank?English-lesson-plan.com

Money 5

VII. With a partner act out a dialogue based on one of the following situations.

a. You want to open a bank account. Discuss details with the bank teller.

b. You want to buy an item of clothes. Decide which one and act out a conversation with

the shop assistant.

c. You want to take a mortgage loan. The bank officials want to check your financial
standing. English-lesson-plan.com Money 6

VIII. Solve the crossword puzzle.

18

17

11 1

20

2 15 16

3 13

10 12 19

6 14 7

1. The act of buying something

2. To be able to buy or do something

3. Security of a bank loan in the form of pledged property

4. The amount of money you should pay over equal intervals of time

5. To receive money after your relative dies

6. To put money in a bank

7. Exceeding the limit of your account

8. The act of conducting or carrying out business, negotiations, plans etc.

9. Percentage taken off the price of a good or service

10. An unreasonably high price

11. A good deal

12. Payment for using somebody’s money

13. Bank notes and coins

14. The money you earn or receive regularly

15. A bank official who works with clients

16. The money you use to make profit

17. Record in a bank which entitles you to a certain sum of money

18. A pocket-size case for holding papers and paper money

19. The money which is given back to you after your return faulty goods

20. A special machine which allows you to withdraw cash from your accountEnglish-lesson-plan.com
Money 7

Answer sheet

I. a)Credit card; b)automated teller machine; c)wallet; d)100-dollar bill; e)cash register; f)coin;

g)bank check; h)bank

II. 1a; 2c; 3a; 4b; 5c; 6a

IV. 1)debt; 2)discount; 3)bargain; 4)afford; 5)owe; 6)cheap; 7)rip-off; 8)refund

V. 1)Bank; 2)transactions; 3)loan; 4)deposit ; 5)bank; 6)checking; 7)savings; 8)interest; 9)debit

10)automated teller machines 11)overdraft 12)standing 13)job 14)income 15)trustworthy;

16)credit; 17)real; 18)mortgage; 19)installments

VIII. Crossword puzzle

1. Purchase

2. Afford

3. Mortgage

4. Installment

5. Inherit

6. Deposit

7. Overdraft
8. Transaction

9. Discount

10. Rip-off

11. Bargain

12. Interest

13. Cash

14. Income

15. Teller

16. Investment

17. Account

18. Wallet

19. Refund

20. ATM