How British is your Financial English?

A test of where your Business English comes from

Write the word that you most often use in English to say each of the things below in the gaps given, leaving any which you are not sure about blank for now. More help will be given later.  

Another name for ‘business’: ____________________________________________

 

The time when all the people who own part of the company can gather together and ask the management questions and vote: ______________________________________

 

An organisation that specialises in lending to house buyers: _______________________

 

The number that tells you inflation in the prices of ordinary day-to-day products: ______________________________________________________________________

 

Paper that shows you own part of a company: ______________________________

 

A person who owns that paper, and therefore part of the company: ___________________

 

A collection of workers that looks after their rights: ______________________________

 

The list of rules that a company decides it will operate by: __________________________

 

Where you put your day-to-day money in a bank, not savings: ______________________

 

The top manager that is involved in day to day running of the business: _______________________________________________________________________

 

The head of the company: _________________________________________________

 

Paper money, e.g. a five dollar…: ____________________________________________

 

The electronic ‘hole in the wall’ that gives you cash: _____________________________

 

The share price of one company that gives an indication of what will happen to the whole stock market: _____________________________________________________________

 

The amount of interest that the central bank lends to other banks at: _________________

 

Money lent to cover the time between when you have to pay something and when your money comes in: __________________________________________________________

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If there were any words you weren’t sure about above, choose from the options below, again just choosing the word that you are most likely to use (or think you would be most likely to use, because you like the sound of it, etc).  

Another name for ‘business

corporation/ company

 

The time when all the people who own part of the company can gather together and ask the management questions and vote

Annual General Meeting (AGM)/ Annual Stockholders Meeting

 

An organisation that specializing in lending to house buyers

a savings and loan association/ a building society

 

The number that tells you inflation in the prices of ordinary day-to-day products

Retail Price Index (RPI)/ Consumer Price Index (CPI)

 

Paper that shows you own part of a company:

stock/ share

 

A person who owns that paper, and therefore part of the company

a stockholder/ a shareholder

 

A collection of workers that looks after their rights:

a labor union/ a trade union

 

The list of rules that a company decides it will operate by

bylaws/ articles of association

 

Where you put your day-to-day money in a bank, not savings

a current account/ a checking account

 

The top manager that is involved in day to day running of the business

a CEO (Chief Executive Officer)/ an MD (Managing Director)

 

The head of the company:

the President/ the Chairman

 

Paper money, e.g. a five dollar…:

a note/ a bill

 

The electronic ‘hole in the wall’ that gives you cash:

an ATM/ a cash dispenser/ a cash machine

 

The share price of one company that gives an indication of what will happen to the whole stock market:

a bellweather stock/ a barometer stock

 

The amount of interest that the central bank lends to other banks at

the prime rate/ the base rate

 

Money lent to cover the time between when you have to pay something and when your money comes in

a bridge loan/ a bridging loan

 

Say how British or American you think your choices are, then check below.

Answer key

The word in bold below is the British English expression. See who in class has the most British and the most American English.

 

Another name for ‘business’

1. corporation
2. company

 

The time when all the people who own part of the company can gather together and ask the management questions and vote

1. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
2. Annual Stockholders Meeting

 

An organisation that specializing in lending to house buyers

1. a savings and loan association
2. a building society

 

The number that tells you inflation in the prices of ordinary day-to-day products

1. Retail Price Index (RPI)
2. Consumer Price Index (CPI)

 

Paper that shows you own part of a company

1. a) stock
2. b) share

 

A person who owns that paper, and therefore part of the company

1. a) a stockholder
2. b) a shareholder

 

A collection of workers that looks after their rights

1. a) a labor union
2. b) a trade union

 

The list of rules that a company decides it will operate by

1. bylaws
2. articles of association

Where you put your day to day money in a bank, not savings

1. a current account
2. a checking account

 

The top manager that is involved in day to day running of the business

1. a CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
2. an MD (Managing Director)

 

The head of the company

1. the President
2. the Chairman

 

Paper money, e.g. a five dollar ____________

1. a note
2. a bill

 

The electronic ‘hole in the wall’ that gives you cash

1. an ATM
2. a cash dispenser
3. a cash machine

 

The share price of one company that gives an indication of what will happen to the whole stock market.

1. a) a bellweather stock
2. b) a barometer stock

 

The amount of interest that the central bank lends to other banks at

1. a) the prime rate
2. b) the base rate

 

Money lent to cover the time between when you have to pay something and when your money comes in

1. a) a bridge loan
2. b) a bridging loan