Unit 3: English for Finance and Banking

Aims and Objectives

In this unit you will learn and practise vocabulary related to finance and banking.

You will practise the following skills and functions:

• describing basic banking functions
• systems of payment

The grammar focus of this unit is:

• I WOULD LIKE, I'D LIKE, etc.
• TO HAVE

Vocabulary

Terms

	cuenta
	número de cuenta
	cantidad
	cajero automático
	saldo
	banco
	gastos bancarios
	billete
(U.S.)	billete
	sucursal
	dinero en efectivo
	cajero
(U.S.)	cheque
(U.S.)	cuenta corriente
(British)	cheque
	talonario de cheques
	moneda
	comisión
	tarjeta de crédito
(British)	cuenta corriente
	cuenta a plazo fijo
	tipo de cambio
	divisas
	intereses
	tipo de interés
	inversión
	préstamo
	oficina principal
	dinero
	hipoteca
	beneficio
	índice/tipo
	recibo
	cuenta de ahorro
	acciones
	firma
	extracto de cuenta
	bolsa
	cambiar un cheque/cobrar
	ganar
	invertir
	prestar
	hacer una transferencia
	pagar
	firmar
	transferir

Phrases

	Rellene este formulario, por favor
	Quisiera cambiar algo de dinero en euros, por favor
	Quisiera hacer un ingreso en mi cuenta, por favor
	Quisiera sacar algo de dinero de mi cuenta, por favor

Exercises

Section 1: Vocabulary Practice

Fill in the correct translation for each of the terms below.

1. cuenta de ahorro [?]
2. cambiar un cheque/cobrar [?]
3. billete [?]
4. hacer una transferencia [?]
5. moneda [?]
6. tipo de interés [?]
7. banco [?]
8. talonario de cheques [?]
9. dinero en efectivo [?]
10. oficina principal [?]
11. cantidad [?]
12. transferir [?]
13. cajero [?]
14. cuenta [?]
15. inversión [?]
16. firmar [?]
17. intereses [?]
18. Quisiera cambiar algo de dinero en euros, por favor [?]
19. cuenta a plazo fijo [?]
20. extracto de cuenta [?]
21. cuenta corriente [?]
22. pagar [?]
23. Quisiera hacer un ingreso en mi cuenta, por favor [?]
24. Rellene este formulario, por favor [?]
25. dinero [?]
26. beneficio [?]
27. recibo [?]
28. divisas [?]
29. Quisiera sacar algo de dinero de mi cuenta, por favor [?]
30. saldo [?]
31. préstamo [?]
32. sucursal [?]
33. cheque [?]
34. gastos bancarios [?]
35. comisión [?]
36. índice/tipo [?]
37. tipo de cambio [?]
38. acciones [?]
39. bolsa [?]
40. tarjeta de crédito [?]
41. número de cuenta [?]
42. firma [?]
43. ganar [?]
44. prestar [?]
45. hipoteca [?]
46. invertir [?]
47. cajero automático [?]

Section 2: Listening Comprehension

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. What does the woman want to buy?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. Where does she want to buy the books from?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What does the cashier recommend her to do?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Where has the man been?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. Why was he there? Was he:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What can the cashier change?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. Has the exchange rate gone down, or up?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Where is the bank?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. What is she studying at university there?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. What kind of account does the cashier recommend?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. What's the disadvantage of a deposit account?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Where is Ivan from?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. Ivan doesn't know what to do with:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. One of the credit cards that Pepe recommends is:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. When a bank gives you a loan, you have to:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Section 3: General Comprehension

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. If you have money in a deposit account, it normally earns interest.

   
   
   

   [?]
2. If the bank gives you a loan, you don't pay interest on the loan.

   
   
   

   [?]
3. When you pay with a cheque, you must sign it.

   
   
   

   [?]
4. Banks charge a commission for transfers.

   
   
   

   [?]
5. You don't need to have an account in a bank if you want a cheque-book.

   
   
   

   [?]
6. The exchange rate for a currency never changes.

   
   
   

   [?]
7. Interest rates are the same in all banks.

   
   
   

   [?]
8. Mastercard, American Express and Visa are credit cards.

   
   
   

   [?]
9. You can usually use your credit card to get cash from an ATM.

   
   
   

   [?]
10. The Stock Exchange is where people buy and sell shares.

    
    
    

    [?]

Speaking Practice. Complete the sentences you hear, using the example as a model.

Press Play to listen to the instructions:

Section 4: Grammar Practice

A polite way to ask for something is with the expression "I'd like ...". Let's practise this.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. I'd like a new cheque-book, please. (a receipt)
   [?]
2. I'd like a receipt, please. (a credit card)
   [?]
3. I'd like a credit card, please. (a new cheque-book)
   [?]
4. I'd like a new cheque-book, please. (to open an account)
   [?]
5. I'd like to change some money, please. (to make transfer to London)
   [?]
6. I'd like to make a transfer to London, please. (to know the exchange rate)
   [?]

The question corresponding to "I'd like ..." is "Would you like ...". Let's practise.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. Would you like a new cheque-book? (a receipt)
   [?]
2. Would you like a receipt? (cash)
   [?]
3. Would you like cash? (a new cheque-book)
   [?]
4. Would you like a new cheque-book? (a loan)
   [?]
5. Would you like a loan? (to pay cash)
   [?]
6. Would you like to pay cash? (to invest some money)
   [?]
7. Would you like to invest some money? (to buy shares in Microsoft)
   [?]

In American English, people always use "Do you have ... ?". In British English, people often use "Have you got ...?". Let's practise.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. Do you have an account here?
   B. [?]
2. A. Do you have your passport with you?
   B. [?]
3. A. Do you have a branch in Budapest?
   B. [?]
4. A. Do you have any Chinese currency?
   B. [?]
5. A. Do you have a credit card?
   B. [?]
6. A. Do you have any more questions?
   B. [?]

Chose the correct answer.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
2. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
3. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
4. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
5. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
6. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]

Section 5: Consolidation

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. All banks offer the same services.

   
   
   

   [?]
2. Central banks in the euro zone are supervised by the European Central Bank.

   
   
   

   [?]
3. The European Central Bank is in Germany.

   
   
   

   [?]
4. There are no banks that specialise in services to agriculture.

   
   
   

   [?]
5. All banks nowadays offer online banking services.

   
   
   

   [?]
6. Some banks only have branches in one region or country.

   
   
   

   [?]
7. The interest that banks pay a customer is higher than the interest they charge.

   
   
   

   [?]
8. Banks charge their customers for their services.

   
   
   

   [?]

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the > key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording: show transcript

[?]

Listen to the recording carefully and then fill in the gaps in the text below using the same words.

Recording:

Commercial banks and savings banks receive and hold deposits [?] current accounts, savings accounts and deposit accounts, make payments [?] their customers, lend money, [?] offer investment advice, foreign exchange facilities, and so on. [?] banks nowadays also offer online banking services. [?] banks only have branches in one region or country; large international banks have [?] in many countries.

What they all have in common, [?], is that they make a profit from the difference [?] the interest rates they pay on deposits and the interest rates they charge [?] loans, and of course from the commissions they charge [?] their services.

Choose the correct option to fill the gaps in the following sentences.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. If you want to send money to somebody, you can ____ a transfer.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. John Barker has just come back from a business ____ to Japan.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. Hello. I'd like to change this money ____ euros, please.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. We can change the banknotes, but not the ____ .

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. What ____ account would you like to open?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
6. With a deposit account, you get a better ____ of interest.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
7. A mortgage is a kind of ____ .

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
8. When a bank gives you a loan, they normally ____ interest.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
9. Would you like to pay ____ transfer or credit card?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
10. Has the exchange rate gone ____ , or down?

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
11. Ivan asked his friend for ____ information.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
12. Pepe ____ him about banks.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
13. If you put your money in a deposit account, it ____ interest.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
14. Mary is studying Economics ____ Manchester University.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
15. Can you use your credit card to get ____ from an ATM?

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
16. You can invest your money by buying ____ on the Stock Exchange.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
17. Big banks usually have a lot of ____ .

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
18. If you want to check your account, you can ask your bank for a ____ .

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
19. Do you get a ____ when you pay with a credit card?

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
20. The person who can give you cash or take your cash in the bank is called a ____ .

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]

Checklist

Use the following list to check whether you have obtained full benefit from this unit. You should be able to:

• use vocabulary and terms related to banking

You should also have greater skill and confidence in the use of:

• Would like
• 'd like
• Have got
• Have with auxiliary