Time and Money – The Money Page

 

You work for money but how are you paid and how much is everything?

Click the Green Words. They are links to other pages. There are more than twenty-five pages in this lesson.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Time

When you learn a new language there are three important time words (or “ideas”) that come first:

LATER (in the future) (tomorrow)
NOW (today) (right now, in the present)
BEFORE (yesterday, in the past)

Money

Time is very important and so is money. When we talk about money we often use the expression “how much”. You can find various ways to ask this question at the bottom of the page but first listen to some audio and try to answer the questions below:

Click the audio buttons and listen to the questions. Answer the questions orally then click the links and write your answers on the next page. (Be careful. It is tricky!)

How much is a beer?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How much is a big mac with fries and a coke?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How much a month does it cost to live there?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How much is a meal in a roadside restaurant?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How much is a meal in a fancy restaurant?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How much does it cost to rent an apartment in the city?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How much does it cost to buy an apartment in the city?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

This page is still under construction. Some pages are not ready yet. We are adding pages all the time. Come back for more.

The Income by Occupation Index (IELTS Practice)

Some jobs are more highly paid than other jobs. Are you interested in this topic. Check out the Income by Occupation Page

Cost of Living

The cost of living is a factor in everybody’s life. If there is a rising cost of living, life becomes more difficult.

If there is a falling cost of living, life becomes easier. Hang on! When does the cost of living fall? When does that happen? Are you interested in talking or writing or reading or thinking about this topic? Check out the Cost of Living Page

Currency

There are many different currencies in the world. Some currencies are fixed and some are floating. Some are pegged to the US dollar. Some are not pegged to the US dollar. The Euro replaced many of the individual national currencies in Europe. Was that a good idea? If you are interested in this topic, try the Currency Page.

The Monetary System

Ending The Money Problem – Ending the Monetary System with the Zeitgeist Movement This link is under construction.

Wealth and Power

We need money to get by but we also use it to show status and power. For status and power, go to The Wealth Page.

Banks and Banking

Where is the bank?

Nowadays we all have to use the banking system but can we improve it? Do you use the banking system? What kind of things do you do at the bank? Go to the Banking Page if you want to talk more about banks and banking.

Mathematics

In many ways mathematics underpins everything. An old high school English teacher called Jack Ivett used to say “Maths is just English (language) in numbers and English (language) is just maths in numbers.”

Are you able to count in English? Are you interested in technology or science? Do you need technological expertise to progress at work? Mathematics is a vital skill. Go to the Mathematics Page to find out more about this topic in English.

Time

Time passes. Time passes by. It keeps on passing. It doesn’t stop. It continues. It goes on and on and on. We drift through time and we drift through space. Our planet is flying through the universe, revolving around the sun, we are slowly growing older with each tick of the clock. We are born we live, we die, we are born again … or are we? What do you think? Are we born again?

Do you want to look at the idea of time more closely? Check out the Time Page!

… or maybe you want to read these “useful phrases”?

Useful phrases

How much does it cost to get from here to the city in a taxi?
How much is a cup of coffee?
How much is that?
How much is this?
How much are these?
How much are those?

Those ones were easy, weren’t they. The next bunch are not so easy. When you think about it, “how much” must be one of the most common expressions we use in daily life … or not What do you think are the most common expressions we use in daily life?

Write your answers in the “comments” section at the bottom.

Listen to the phrase:
How much is it?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

There are longer ways to say it. Look at these:

How much is it?
How much does it cost?
I don’t suppose you could tell me how much it is?
I don’t suppose you could tell me how much it costs?
I don’t suppose by any chance you could tell me how much it is?
I don’t suppose by any chance you could tell me how much it costs?

The ones which use “I don’t suppose” are indirect and so: polite. Politeness is often about being indirect and not aggressive or threatening or making people feel uncomfortable.

Grammar – Passive Voice

At the top of this page we asked you: “How are you paid?”. That sentence is in the passive voice. Using this pattern can be confusing. Do you get confused? Clear up your confusion. Check out the Passive Voice page.

World English Course

There are lots of things you can learn in the World English Course. There is a place where you can talk about work and there is also a place where you can find a job and a place where you can find staff. There is a place where you can have fun and there is a place where you can talk about food or family. There is also a place where you can talk about money or love or philosophy. You can study anything you want anytime you want. You can do it once a week or every day or any time you like. Have fun! Work hard! Tell your friends and family members! Enjoy! Let yourself go!

Where is the bank?