Vocabulary Hub · B1–C1
Learn practical English for bank accounts, payments, borrowing, saving and managing everyday money.
Topic level: B1, B2, C1 · Category: Work & Communication
← Vocabulary HubLearn practical English for bank accounts, payments, borrowing, saving and managing everyday money. Learn each item as part of a phrase or situation rather than as an isolated translation. After reading an example, close the page and produce your own sentence aloud.
| Word | Meaning | Active practice |
|---|---|---|
| balance | the amount of money currently in an account | Write or say your own example using balance. |
| transfer | move money from one account to another | Write or say your own example using transfer. |
| direct debit | an arrangement allowing a company to take agreed payments from your account | Write or say your own example using direct debit. |
| standing order | an instruction to your bank to pay a fixed amount regularly | Write or say your own example using standing order. |
| overdraft | permission to spend more money than is currently in your account | Write or say your own example using overdraft. |
| interest | money paid for borrowing or earned on savings | Write or say your own example using interest. |
| loan | money borrowed that must be repaid | Write or say your own example using loan. |
| instalment | one of several regular payments | Write or say your own example using instalment. |
| refund | money returned after a purchase or cancellation | Write or say your own example using refund. |
| budget | a plan for how much money you can spend | Write or say your own example using budget. |
| Phrase | Meaning / use |
|---|---|
| set money aside | save money for a particular purpose |
| pay something off | finish repaying a debt |
| live within your means | spend no more than you can afford |
| make ends meet | have enough money to cover essential expenses |
When practising, replace vague language such as thing, good, bad, problem or say with a more precise item from this guide where it genuinely fits. Precision makes your English clearer; unnecessary complexity does not.
1. Which item means “the amount of money currently in an account”?
2. Which item means “move money from one account to another”?
3. Which item means “an arrangement allowing a company to take agreed payments from your account”?
4. Which item means “an instruction to your bank to pay a fixed amount regularly”?
5. Which item means “permission to spend more money than is currently in your account”?
Speak for 90 seconds about banking & personal finance. Use at least five core words and two phrases from this page. Record yourself if possible. Listen again and identify one repeated basic word you could replace with something more precise.
Write 100–150 words on this topic. Underline the vocabulary you deliberately used. Then check whether each expression is grammatically correct and naturally collocated with the words around it.
This vocabulary can support B1–C1 speaking and writing, including Cambridge and IELTS-style tasks when the topic is relevant. In real communication, prioritise clarity and natural phrasing. Do not force memorised expressions into an answer that does not need them.
Learn vocabulary in phrases and realistic sentences, then retrieve it through speaking and writing instead of repeatedly rereading a list.
Yes. The page mixes high-frequency vocabulary with more precise expressions so learners can expand their range progressively.
Much of it is useful for speaking and writing when the topic is relevant. Accuracy, collocation and natural use matter more than using unnecessarily difficult words.
Explore all vocabulary topics, strengthen accuracy in the Grammar Hub, or book a free level assessment.