English speaking lesson · Shopping & Money

Changing money

You're at a currency exchange counter, changing some money before a trip. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.

A currency exchange counter · you talk to the exchange clerk

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Changing money — English speaking practice scene

What you have to do

Change money, check the rate and any fee, and count what you get back. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.

How it opens

Hi there — are you looking to change some money today?

Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the exchange clerk.

The 5 steps that finish it

A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.

01
Say what you need
Say hello, and say what currency you'd like to change.
“Hello! I'd like to change some money into euros, please.”
02
Say how much
Say how much you want to change.
“Two hundred, please.”
03
Ask about the rate
Ask what the rate is, and whether there's a fee.
“What's the rate? Is there a fee?”
04
Check what you'll get
Check the amount you'll receive is right, and agree to go ahead.
“Yes, that's good — let's do it.”
05
Take your money
Say how you'd like the notes, and finish politely.
“Small notes, please. Thanks very much!”

The words, at all four levels

The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the exchange clerk.

Starter

A1 – A2

Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.

change: to swap one currency for another; “I'd like to change some money.”
money: cash or funds; “I'd like to change money.”
euros: the currency used in much of Europe; “Into euros, please.”
hundred: the number 100; “Two hundred, please.”
rate: how much one currency is worth in another; “What's the rate?”
fee: money charged for a service; “Is there a fee?”
notes: paper money; “Small notes, please.”
small: not big; “Small notes, please.”
please: a polite word when you ask; “Euros, please.”
thanks: a short way to say thank you; “Thanks very much!”

Conversational

A2 – B1

Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.

currency: the money used in a country; “Do you have this currency?”
exchange: swapping one currency for another; “What's the exchange rate?”
commission: a fee charged on a transaction; “Do you charge commission?”
cash: paper money and coins; “I'll pay in cash.”
receive: to get something; “How much will I receive?”
roughly: about, approximately; “Roughly how much is that?”
mixture: a combination of different things; “A mixture of notes, please.”
denominations: the different note values; “What denominations do you have?”
appreciate: to be grateful for; “I appreciate that.”
cheers: informal thanks; “Cheers for that!”

Confident

B1 – B2

Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.

conversion: changing an amount from one currency to another; “What's the conversion on that?”
competitive: as good as or better than others; “Is that a competitive rate?”
surcharge: an extra amount added on; “Is there a surcharge?”
transaction: one exchange of money; “Is there a transaction fee?”
equivalent: equal in value; “What's the equivalent in euros?”
fluctuate: to rise and fall over time; “Do the rates fluctuate much?”
smaller: of lower value; “Some smaller notes, please.”
altogether: in total, counting everything; “How much altogether?”
receipt: the printed proof of a transaction; “Could I get a receipt?”
appreciate: to be grateful for; “I'd appreciate that.”

Natural

B2 – C1

Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.

spread: the gap between the buy and sell rate; “What's the spread like?”
midmarket: the true rate before any margin; “How close to midmarket is that?”
margin: the profit built into a rate; “Where's the margin on this?”
volatile: changing sharply and often; “Rates have been volatile lately.”
hedge: to protect yourself against a change; “I'd rather hedge early.”
denominations: the different note values; “Which denominations can you do?”
buyback: changing leftover money back afterwards; “Do you offer buyback?”
sting: an unpleasant hidden cost (informal); “Where's the sting on this?”
obliged: grateful for a favour; “Much obliged.”
sorted: dealt with and settled; “Great, we're sorted.”

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Changing money

What you have to do

The 5 steps that finish it

Say what you need

Say how much

Ask about the rate

Check what you'll get

Take your money