Money talks — ready-made English lesson, B2

Lesson goal: Students can talk about personal finances, budgeting and borrowing, and give advice about money.

Add the lesson to get your own copies of the word set and exercises; the lesson opens in the builder, where you can adjust the steps and teach it.

Lesson plan

1
Warm-up
Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.
- Are you a spender or a saver?
- What's the best thing you've ever spent money on?
- Did you get pocket money as a child? What did you do with it?
- Is it rude to ask people how much they earn in your country?
2
New words
Meet the words and practise them in games.
FlashcardsFill the gap
income · expenses · savings · loan · debt · mortgage · interest rate · budget · invest · afford · bill · tax · withdraw · be in the red · make ends meet
All words in the set
3
Exercises
The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.
1. Fill the gap
  They took out a 25-year ___ to buy their first flat.
  Answer: mortgage / loan
2. Fill the gap
  I'd love a new laptop, but I can't ___ one right now.
  Answer: afford
3. Fill the gap
  After paying rent, bills and food, we can barely make ends ___.
  Answer: meet
4. Multiple choice
  Your bank account is in the red. This means ...
  you have more money than usualyou owe the bank moneyyour card has been blockedyou have just been paid
5. Multiple choice
  If I ___ the lottery, I would pay off all my debts.
  wonwinwill winhad won
6. Multiple choice
  Which of these is NOT an expense?
  rentyour salarythe electricity billpetrol
7. True / false
  Read: 'When Leo started his first job, he spent everything he earned and used his credit card for the rest. Within a year he was £3,000 in debt. He then made a strict budget, cut his expenses and paid it all back in eighteen months.' Leo got into debt because he lost his job.
  Answer: False
8. True / false
  Read: 'When Leo started his first job, he spent everything he earned and used his credit card for the rest. Within a year he was £3,000 in debt. He then made a strict budget, cut his expenses and paid it all back in eighteen months.' It took Leo a year and a half to clear his debt.
  Answer: True
9. Discussion question
  Give a friend three pieces of advice on how to start saving money.
  Sample answer: First, write down all your expenses for a month so you can see where your money goes. Secondly, set up an automatic transfer to a savings account on payday. Finally, try cooking at home instead of eating out — it saves a lot.
4
Speaking
The student answers using the new words.
- Should schools teach children how to manage money? What should they learn?
- Is it ever a good idea to borrow money from friends or family?
- Would you rather invest your savings or keep them in the bank? Why?
- Should people who earn more pay a higher rate of tax?
- Does money make people happy? Up to what point?
5
Review
A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.
Quiz

Lesson plan

Warm-up

Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.

Are you a spender or a saver?
What's the best thing you've ever spent money on?
Did you get pocket money as a child? What did you do with it?
Is it rude to ask people how much they earn in your country?

New words

Meet the words and practise them in games.

FlashcardsFill the gap

income · expenses · savings · loan · debt · mortgage · interest rate · budget · invest · afford · bill · tax · withdraw · be in the red · make ends meet

All words in the set

Exercises

The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.

Fill the gap
They took out a 25-year ___ to buy their first flat.
Answer: mortgage / loan
Fill the gap
I'd love a new laptop, but I can't ___ one right now.
Answer: afford
Fill the gap
After paying rent, bills and food, we can barely make ends ___.
Answer: meet
Multiple choice
Your bank account is in the red. This means ...
you have more money than usualyou owe the bank moneyyour card has been blockedyou have just been paid
Multiple choice
If I ___ the lottery, I would pay off all my debts.
wonwinwill winhad won
Multiple choice
Which of these is NOT an expense?
rentyour salarythe electricity billpetrol
True / false
Read: 'When Leo started his first job, he spent everything he earned and used his credit card for the rest. Within a year he was £3,000 in debt. He then made a strict budget, cut his expenses and paid it all back in eighteen months.' Leo got into debt because he lost his job.
Answer: False
True / false
Read: 'When Leo started his first job, he spent everything he earned and used his credit card for the rest. Within a year he was £3,000 in debt. He then made a strict budget, cut his expenses and paid it all back in eighteen months.' It took Leo a year and a half to clear his debt.
Answer: True
Discussion question
Give a friend three pieces of advice on how to start saving money.
Sample answer: First, write down all your expenses for a month so you can see where your money goes. Secondly, set up an automatic transfer to a savings account on payday. Finally, try cooking at home instead of eating out — it saves a lot.

Speaking

The student answers using the new words.

Should schools teach children how to manage money? What should they learn?
Is it ever a good idea to borrow money from friends or family?
Would you rather invest your savings or keep them in the bank? Why?
Should people who earn more pay a higher rate of tax?
Does money make people happy? Up to what point?

Review

A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.

Quiz