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Lesson planB295 minsNew. New: checked automatically for level, grammar, facts and originality; a teacher's review is still to come. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
B2 First Unit 8: Money and Shopping
Students build vocabulary for money and shopping, choose between the present perfect continuous and simple, and practise B2 First Reading and Use of English Parts 2, 4 and 7 and a Part 1 essay.
Money · Shopping · Present perfect continuous
B2 First preparationTopic unit
Or download everything as a ZIP (2 PDFs)This lesson plan and its PDFs are free.
Plan at a glance
Aims
- Choose between the present perfect continuous and simple, and use state verbs correctly
- Learn and use 28 words and phrases in 4 sets: Money, Shopping, Phrasal verbs and expressions, Easy to mix up
- Practise B2 First Reading and Use of English Parts 2, 4 and 7
- Writing task (Part 1): an essay
Stages · 95 min
- 5 minLead-in: Pairs talk about the best and worst thing they have ever bought, and what they are saving up for at the moment.
- 15 minVocabulary: Ex. 1–2
- 5 minLanguage focus: Go through the grammar notes: activity or result, state verbs, and money verbs with their prepositions.
- 10 minControlled practice: Ex. 3–4
- 20 minExam practice: Use of English: Ex. 5–6
- 20 minReading: Ex. 7
- 20 minWriting: Ex. 8
Printables
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Download all (ZIP, 2 PDFs)Grammar notes
Present perfect continuous or simple?
- Continuous (have been + -ing): an activity that started in the past and is still going on, or has only just stopped: I've been saving up since January. Why are your hands dirty? I've been fixing my bike.
- Simple (have + past participle): a result, or how much or how many: I've saved £300. I've bought three shirts this week.
- With how long, both are often possible for activities: How long have you been working here? Use the simple for how many or how much: How many times have you been there?
State verbs
- Verbs for states, not actions, are not normally used in the continuous: know, have (= own), own, like, want, believe, understand.
- I've known her for years (not I've been knowing). We've had this car since 2019 (not we've been having).
Money verbs and prepositions
- borrow something from someone; lend someone something (or lend something to someone).
- spend money on something; pay for something; pay someone back.
- can't afford + noun or to + infinitive: I can't afford a car. We can't afford to go away.
Study tips
- Learn money verbs with their prepositions: spend on, pay for, borrow from.
- Before you choose the present perfect continuous, ask yourself: is this about an activity, or about a result or a number?
Glossary
- Money8 items
- Shopping7 items
- Phrasal verbs and expressions7 items
- Easy to mix up6 items
Complete the exercises, then check your answers.
1
Words that are easy to mix up
Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence.
- a
Excuse me, how much does this jacket ___?
- b
This café is really ___: a coffee and a sandwich are only £3.
- c
I ___ far too much money on clothes last month.
- d
All the tickets for Saturday's concert have gone: it's ___.
- e
Our neighbours' house is ___: there's a sign in the front garden.
- f
On its opening day, the shop gave every ___ a free bag.
- g
I took the broken kettle back, and the shop agreed that I could ___, so I didn't lose any money.
- h
Keep the ___ in case you need to take the shoes back.
- i
The machine doesn't take coins, so you'll have to pay by ___.
2
Managing your money
Complete each sentence with a word or phrase from the box. There is one extra word or phrase.
Word box
Tap a gap, then a word, or type the answer.
- a
I'm trying to for a new laptop, so I put £20 aside every week.
- b
Can you lend me £20? I promise I'll the money on Friday.
- c
Before you buy a new phone, : prices can be very different from one shop to another.
- d
It was our tenth anniversary, so we decided to on a really expensive dinner.
- e
We're spending far too much on takeaways, so we need to them.
- f
I can't a holiday this year: I've only got £200 in the bank.
- g
Could you me your calculator for a minute? Mine's at home.
- h
Could I your calculator for a minute? Mine's at home.
3
What have you been doing?
Choose the correct answer.
- a
I ___ for a new bike since January, and I've nearly got enough.
- b
I ___ £350 so far, so I only need £50 more.
- c
I ___ the website for my online shop all morning, but it isn't finished yet.
- d
How many times ___ that dress on? You'll have to buy it now!
- e
I ___ this coat for ten years, and it still looks new.
- f
She ___ for a job in a bank since she left university, but she hasn't found one yet.
- g
We ___ three online orders this week, and none of them has arrived.
- h
How long ___ that your brother was in debt?
4
Find and correct the mistake
Each sentence has one mistake. Find it and write the correction.
- a
Can you borrow me ten pounds until Friday?
- b
I have been buying three new shirts this week.
- c
This restaurant is very economic: a three-course meal is only £15.
- d
Did you pay the coffee, or shall I?
- e
I've been knowing the owner of this shop for years.
- f
Can I have a receipt of this, please?
5
Exam task: Living on a student budget
Read the text. Think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.
Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 2
Tip: Read the whole text first for the general meaning. Then look at the words before and after each gap and decide what kind of word is missing.
Before I went to university, I had never had to think about money. My parents paid 1 almost everything, and I spent my pocket money as soon as I got it.
In my first term, I ran 2 of money three weeks before the holidays. Since then, I 3 been keeping a record of everything I spend, and the results surprised me. I was spending more on coffee 4 on food!
Now I make coffee at home and take it with me, 5 saves me about £20 a week. I have also stopped buying new books. 6 of paying full price, I borrow them from the library or buy them second-hand.
It isn't always easy to live on a student budget, but I've managed to put £400 into my savings 7 the start of the year, and I'm planning to spend some of it 8 a weekend in Edinburgh with my friends.
6
Exam task: Key word transformations
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. Use between two and five words, including the word given.
Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 4
Tip: Count your words (contractions count as two), then read the whole second sentence again and check that it means exactly the same as the first.
- a
My sister started working at the bank in March.
BEEN
My sister at the bank since March.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- b
I can't buy that jacket because I don't have enough money.
AFFORD
I that jacket.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- c
Ben lent me £50 last week.
BORROWED
I Ben last week.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- d
I haven't bought any new clothes for six months.
LAST
The new clothes was six months ago.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- e
When did you buy your laptop?
LONG
How your laptop?
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
- f
The shop was so crowded that we couldn't get to the till.
TOO
The shop was us to get to the till.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
7
Exam task: My best and worst buys
You are going to read about four people's best and worst buys. For questions 1–8, choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than once.
Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 7
Tip: Underline the key words in each question, then look for the same idea in different words. The words in the question are rarely the same as the words in the text.
A Harriet The best thing I've ever bought is a second-hand sewing machine. It cost £40 from a charity shop, and it was a real bargain, although it looked very old. Since then I've been making most of my own clothes, and I've saved a fortune. My friends used to laugh at my home-made jackets, but now they ask me to make things for them. My worst buy? A pair of designer sunglasses that I sat on two days later. B Dominic When I moved into my own flat, I kept running out of money before the end of the month, so now I write down everything I buy. My list shows that I spend money on things I don't need, especially special offers: last month I bought six bottles of shampoo because they were half price. I've been trying to cut back on my spending since then. My worst buy was an overpriced coffee machine. I used it twice, then went back to instant coffee because it was quicker. C Priya I hate going to the shops, so I buy almost everything online. Last year I ordered a sofa without seeing it first, which was a mistake: it was much smaller than it looked in the photos, and the company refused to give me a refund because I had opened the packaging. I've learned my lesson. Now I always read the returns policy before I pay, and I measure everything twice. D Callum When I got my first salary, I splashed out on a racing bike that cost more than a month's rent. My parents thought it was a terrible idea. But I've cycled to work every day since then, so I don't pay for buses any more, and the bike paid for itself in under a year. It was real value for money.
Tap an item…
…then its match
8
Exam task: Write an essay
Write your essay in 140–190 words.
Exam task: Writing, Part 1
Tip: Choose a plan that suits your opinion. Plan A: an introduction, one paragraph for each note and one for your own idea, then a conclusion. Plan B: if you only partly agree, give the reasons for, then the reasons against, and say in your conclusion which side is stronger.
In your English class you have been talking about money and shopping. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay. Young people today spend too much money on things they don't need. Do you agree? Notes Write about: 1. advertising and social media 2. saving for the future 3. ........ (your own idea) Write your essay.
Suggested minimum: 140 words
Before you hand it in
- I answer the question and make my opinion clear in the introduction and the conclusion.
- I write about both notes and add an idea of my own.
- Each paragraph has one main point.
- I join my ideas with linking words (As a result, On the other hand, To sum up).
- I use some words from this unit, such as afford, budget or save up.
0 words · aim for at least 140
Show a model answer
These days, it is very easy to spend money without thinking. Online shops never close, and paying by phone takes seconds. In my view, many young people do spend too much on things they don't need, although the situation is more complicated than it seems. The main reason is advertising. Social media is full of people who are paid to show off new trainers and phones, and teenagers often feel they have to keep up with their friends. As a result, some young people get into debt before they have even started work. On the other hand, it is hard to save for the future when rents are so high. If young people cannot afford a home, it is understandable that they spend a little on small pleasures instead. In addition, many young people are more careful than older people think. Plenty of students buy second-hand clothes and save up for the things they really want. To sum up, I partly agree. Schools should teach young people how to manage a budget, so that they can enjoy spending without getting into trouble.
Spotted a mistake in this lesson?· tell us the exercise and item
Revise with a game
This lesson's own words and questions. Play on your own, or in teams on the classroom screen.
- Step UpAnswer the lesson's questions to climb to the top.
- Pair UpMatch the lesson's words to their meanings against the clock.
- SnapA word and a meaning: do they go together? Answer fast.
- Fix ItFind the mistake in each sentence, then correct it.
- Quiz BoardTeams choose questions worth 100 to 500 points.
- Retro arcadeWord Invaders, Word Snake, Word Maze and Word Crossing: classic arcade games with the lesson's words.
Glossary
The 28 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in 4 sets.
Money
- afford
- have enough money to pay for something (I can't afford a new car)
- budget
- the amount of money you have to spend, and your plan for spending it
- savings
- money you have kept, usually in a bank, to use later
- save up
- keep money over a period of time so you can buy something later (save up for a laptop)
- in debt
- owing money to someone (get into debt = start owing money)
- borrow
- take something that you will give back: borrow something from someone
- lend
- give something that will be given back: lend someone something
- pay back
- give back money that you borrowed
Shopping
- get a refund
- receive your money back for something you have returned
- special offer
- a lower price for a short time, or extra for the same price
- sold out
- with no tickets or items left, because they have all been sold
- second-hand
- owned by someone else before (a second-hand bike)
- bargain
- something you buy for less than it is really worth
- overpriced
- more expensive than it should be
- value for money
- worth the price you pay for it
Phrasal verbs and expressions
- shop around
- compare prices in different shops before you buy
- splash out
- spend a lot of money on something special (splash out on a meal)
- cut back on
- spend less on something or use less of it
- run out of
- have none left (run out of money)
- pay for
- give money for something you buy (pay for the tickets)
- spend money on
- use money to buy something (spend money on clothes)
- save a fortune
- save a very large amount of money
Easy to mix up
- cost
- verb: have a price (How much does it cost?); price is the noun
- cheap
- not expensive; economic means connected with the economy
- spend
- use money (spend £20 on a book); you pay for things
- for sale
- available to buy because the owner wants to sell it; on sale often means at a lower price
- customer
- a person who buys things in a shop; a client pays for a professional service
- receipt
- a piece of paper that shows you have paid; a recipe tells you how to cook
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