American English · B1 · Unit 8
Banks and money
Banks and money
By the end you can
- Ask about a bank account or a card
- Explain a problem with a payment
- Understand a letter from the bank
Words and phrases
| American English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a checking account | a bank account for everyday payments (British: a current account) | I'd like to open a checking account. |
| a debit card | a bank card that takes money straight from your account | I have a debit card, but it stopped working yesterday. |
| my card was declined | the payment with my card didn't work | My card was declined at the grocery store. |
| a charge I don't recognize | a payment I didn't make or don't know about | There's a charge I don't recognize on my statement. |
| a savings account | a bank account for saving money | We put $200 a month into a savings account. |
| a fee | money you pay for a service | Is there a fee for this account? |
| my balance | how much money is in my account | I checked my balance on the app. |
| an overdraft fee | money the bank takes when you spend more than you have | Last month I paid an overdraft fee of $35. |
| deposit | put money into an account | I want to deposit this check. |
| pay off | pay all the money you owe | We want to pay off our credit card this year. |
| a budget | a plan for how to spend your money | We made a budget for the whole year. |
| save up for | save money to buy something | We need to save up for a new car. |
Then talk it through
Calling the bank because your card has stopped working. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.