American English · B2 · Unit 15
Money and the economy
Money and the economy
By the end you can
- Explain economic news in simple terms
- Discuss the cost of living
- Understand a report about prices
Words and phrases
| American English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| the cost of living | how much you pay for basic things like rent and food | The cost of living here keeps going up. |
| inflation | prices rising over time | Inflation hit 6 percent last year. |
| make ends meet | have just enough money to live | A lot of families can't make ends meet. |
| paycheck to paycheck | spending all your pay before the next pay arrives | We live paycheck to paycheck. |
| afford | have enough money for | We can't afford a house here. |
| interest rates | the cost of borrowing money | The Fed raised interest rates again. |
| groceries | the food you buy for home | Groceries cost twice what they used to. |
| a recession | a time when the economy gets smaller | Economists say a recession is coming. |
| the job market | how easy it is to find work | The job market is tight right now. |
| minimum wage | the lowest pay per hour allowed by law | The minimum wage here is $15. |
| a tax break | a lower tax for some people or businesses | The bill gives a tax break to families. |
| the stock market | where shares in companies are bought and sold | The stock market dropped 3 percent. |
Then talk it through
Friends discuss rising rents and food prices. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.