Aptis Vocabulary Practice: Money
Money, money, money! The theme of money is something that often comes up in the Aptis exams, especially in the vocabulary component of the Core Test. So in this post we’re going to look at money vocabulary.
When you’re learning new vocabulary, it’s important to consider the following aspects:
meaning (word definition)
how to use vocabulary in a sentence (word usage)
synonyms (word pairs)
collocation (word combinations)
These four aspects relate to the four task-types in every Aptis ESOL Core Test. We’re going to present some of the most common words and phrases related to money in context, as we think that’s the best way to learn new vocabulary items.
Money Vocabulary
cash
Cash is money in the form of notes or coins
A: Have you got change of a £10 note?
B: Yes, I can give you a five-pound note and five one-pound coins.
save, spend and waste
Three things you can do with money!
If you won the lottery, would you spend it all or try to save some for the future?
I hope I’ll have enough savings to buy a car in a few years.
I don’t mind spending money on useful things, but I don’t like wasting my money on expensive clothes.
income
Your income is the money you receive from employment or through other sources
Her main sources of income are her part-time job and the rent she receives from the apartments she owns.
Most people have to pay income tax every year.
allowance and pocket money
Allowances and pocket money are money you receive from your family or from an organisation:
An allowance is an amount of money given to you on a regular basis for personal or general living expenses:
Her family sent her an allowance every month while she was studying abroad.
The government offer a jobseekers’ allowance for unemployed people who are looking for a job.
Pocket money is very similar, but usually a smaller amount that parents give to younger children:
My parents used to give me a little pocket money every week so that I could buy sweets and comics.
salary and wages
Salary and wages are the money you earn by working
A salary is a fixed amount that you get paid on a fixed date, usually every month:
We all want to earn a decent salary.
Most footballers earn a six-figure salary.
Wages can vary in amount, and are usually paid every week:
My wages are really low – they haven’t gone up since 2010. I don’t earn a living wage.
The minimum wage for most jobs just isn’t enough to live on.
lend, borrow and owe
Students often confuse these words!
A: I haven’t got enough cash on me – can you lend me 20 euros?
B: But you borrowed 20 euros from me only yesterday! Oh, OK – here you are.
A: Thanks – so now I owe you 40. I’ll pay you back next week.
loan
A loan is money you have borrowed
I had to take out a student loan to help finance my studies.
Many people have to apply for a bank loan at some point in their lives.
mortgage
A mortgage is a special bank loan to buy a home
We had to take out a mortgage when we bought our apartment.
It can take years to pay off a mortgage.
Be careful with pronunciation – the ‘t’ is silent.
debt
A debt is money that you owe
We all try not to get into debt.
I ran up a huge debt when I bought my car, as I had to borrow most of the money.
Try to pay off your debts as soon as possible.
Be careful with pronunciation – the ‘b’ is silent: /det/
bill
A bill is a statement of money you owe for goods or services provided
Customer: Excuse me, could we have the bill, please?
Waiter: Here you are. How would you like to pay, by card or in cash?
Customer: We’ll pay in cash, as it’ll be easier to split the bill. So that’s 20 euros each!
Other collocations: phone bill, electricity bill, gas bill
In American English, bill = check
fee
A fee is a charge or payment for professional services
A: How much do you charge for admission to the museum?
B: The fee is 10€ for adults and 5€ for children.
School and university fees are very high in some countries.
grant
A grant is money provided for a special purpose, usually by a government or organisation
When I was a student, I got a grant to study abroad.
Researchers often receive grants to pay for their projects.
fine
A fine is money you have to pay if you break the law
Don’t leave your car there – you’ll get a parking ticket and have to pay a fine.
He was fined for breaking the shop window.
Now practise your new money vocabulary with these Aptis exam-style mini-tests!
Aptis Vocabulary Practice: Money
Part 1: Word Pairs
We give you a target word in the following format: ‘money = ‘. Then you have to select the option that has the most similar meaning to that word; in this case, ‘cash’.
Part 2: Word Definitions
We give you a definition and you have to select a word to match to that definition. For example, ‘to use money is to’ … ‘spend’.
Part 3: Word Usage
You have to select a word to complete each sentence correctly. For example, ‘I paid by [ card / money ]’. The correct answer here is ‘card‘.
Part 4: Word Combinations
You have to combine words that are often used together; this is called collocation. For example, we say ‘pay a fee’, not ‘spend a fee’.
Next Steps
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and click on the bell so that you receive notifications when we upload a new video.
Sign up for our newsletter here to receive exam tips and information about when we add new posts.
Click on mini-tests for more useful vocabulary practice for all Aptis test-takers.
And we’ve got Aptis Core Test exam practice for each specific test:
Aptis General
Aptis for Teachers
Aptis Advanced