Personal Finances > I Like to Apply for a Loan

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Discuss loan applications, using Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses).

Apply for a bank loan!

I Like to Apply for a Loan

an auto loan / Do you have an account with us? / Yes, I have a savings account and a checking account.

Dialog
A: May I help you?
B: Yes, please. I'd like to apply for an auto loan.
A: I see. May I ask (1) whether you have an account with us?
B: Yes. I have a saving account and a checking account.
A: All right. I'll give you an application form. You can fill it out here, or take it home if you like (2).

Functions
(1) Asking for Information
May I ask
Could I ask
Could you tell me
(2) Likes/Dislikes
if you like
if you'd like
if you prefer
if you'd prefer

Exercises
1) a business loan / What amount would you be applying for? / Ten Thousand dollars.
2) a loan / Is this a personal loan or a business loan? / A personal loan.
3) an eductaion loan / Are you a regular customer of the bank? / Yes. I've been a customer for the past five years.
4) a home improvement loan / What do you intend to use the loan for? / We intend to replace the heating system in our house.
5) a loan / How do you plan to use the money? / We'd like to take a trip around the world.

Grammar
Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses)
Embedded Question is a question that appears in a declarative statement or in another question. Embedded Question are referred as Noun Clauses.

Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses) beginning with whether or if
Could you tell me if there's a monthly service charge?.
May I ask whether you have an account with us?.

Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses) beginning with a Question Word
May I ask where you work?.
Could you tell me what the telephone number is there?.

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Personal Finances > I'd Like Some Information About Opening an Account

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Learn about banking practices and procedures, using Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses).

You'd like some information about opening a bank account.

I'd Like Some Information About Opening an Account

checking account / Is there a monthly service charge? / No, there isn't.

Dialog
A: I'd like some information about opening a checking account.
B: A checking account? Certainly. What would you like to know?
A: Could you tell me (1) if there's a monthly service charge?
B: No, there isn't.
A: I see (2)
B: Would you like to open a checking account with us?
A: Yes, I would.
B: All right. I'll get a form for you to fill out.

Functions
(1) Asking for Information
Could you tell me
Can you tell me
I'd like to know
(2) Indicating Understanding
I see
I understand

Exercises
1) saving account / What is the interest rate? / It's five and a quarter percent.
2) NOW account / Do you require a minimun balance? / Yes. You must have at least $500 in the account at all times.
3) money market account / How many withdrawals can I make each month? / You're allowed three withdrawals.
4) retirement account / Am I allowed to withdraw money before I turn sixty-two? / Yes, but you'll have to pay a penalty charge.
5) Christmas Club account / Would I have to make a deposit every week? / No. You can add to the account whenever you'd like.

Grammar
Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses)
Embedded Question is a question that appears in a declarative statement or in another question. Embedded Question are referred as Noun Clauses.

Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses) beginning with whether or if
Could you tell me if there's a monthly service charge?.
May I ask whether you have an account with us?.

Embedded Questions (or Noun Clauses) beginning with a Question Word
May I ask where you work?.
Could you tell me what the telephone number is there?.

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Personal Finances > I Believe There's a Mistake on My Electric Bill

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Complain about mistakes on bills, using the Passive Voice.

Call about a mistake on a household bill.

I Believe There's a Mistake on My Electric Bill

Northwest Electric. / overcharged / Gloria Lockwood. / account number: 692-07-9943

Dialog
A: Northwest Electric. May I help you?
B: Yes. I believe (1) there's a mistake on my electric bill.
A: What seems to be the problem.
B: I think I've been overcharged.
A: I see. Could you tell me (2) what your name is?
B: Gloria Lockwood.
A: And your account number?
B: 692-07-9943
A: All right. Please hold while I check your account number.
B: Thank you.

Functions
(1) Certainly
I believe
I think
(2) Asking for information
Could you tell me
Can you tell me
Would you tell me

Exercises
1) Pacific Gas. / mistakenly charged for a service call / Carlos Valdez.
/ account number: 05 0120 7027 12
2) Bell Atlantic. / charged for a call I didn't make / Henry Franklin. / telephone number: 723-4431
3) Country Water Department. / mistakenly charged a penalty fee for an overdue payment / Lucy Warner. / account number: 27 0003 468
4) Southern Bell Telephone. / charged for a telegram I didn't send / William Park. / telephone number: 829-3413
5) Metropolitan Cable TV. / charged for a channel we don't subscribe to / Rita Lambert. / account number: 2741AJ

Grammar
Passive Voice
The Passive Voice is used when focusing on the person or thing affected by an action.

Passive Voice
I think I've been overcharged.

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Personal Finances > I'm Having Trouble Balancing the Checkbook

Discuss balancing a checkbook using different functions.

You forgot to tell about a check you wrote. Tell someone and apologize.

I'm Having Trouble Balancing the Checkbook

discount shoes / Jeffrey's sneakers / $36

Dialog
A: I'm having trouble balancing the checkbook.
B: Oh. I forgot to tell you. I wrote a check to "Discount Shoes" for Jeffrey's sneakers.
A: Oh. I see.
B: Sorry. I completely forgot (1).
A: That's okay. Do you remember (2) how much it was for?
B: Hmm. Let me think for a minute (3). As far as I remember (4), it was for thirty-six dollars.
A: Okay. Thanks.

Functions
(1) Forgetting
I completely forgot.
I forgot all about it.
It completly slipped my mind.
(2) Remembering
Do you remember
Do you happen to remember
(3) Hesitating 
Let me think for a minute.
Let me see.
Let's see.
(4) Remembering
As far as I remember,
If I remember correctly,

Exercises
1) auto world / new tires / $110
2) the heart association / our annual donation / $25
3) perkins pest control / spraying the basement / $38
4) the trimline health club / our membership fee / $250
5) suburban orthodontists / Maria's braces / $6,500

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Personal Finances > Did you Remember to Pay the Gas Bill?

Discuss paying bills, using Present Perfect Tense and Time Expressions.

Remind someone to pay a household bill!

Did You Remember to Pay the Gas Bill?

gas bill / due on Jan 15

Dialog
A: Did you remember to (1) pay the gas bill?
B: The gas bill? No, I haven't paid that yet. It isn't due for a while.
A: Are you sure? (2)
B: Yes, I'm sure (2). Look! Here's the bill. It says: "Due on January 15th"
A: Oh, okay. I just thought I'd remind you.
B: Thanks.

Functions
(1) Remembering
Did you remember to
Did you happen to remember to
(2) Certainly
sure
positive
certain

Exercises
1) electric bill / due by Sept 7
2) telephone bill / payable by Mar 10
3) water bill / payment due Aug 31
4) heating bill / due on or before Feb 20
5) mastercard bill / please remit payment by Oct 17

Grammar
Present Perfect Tense and Time Expressions
The Present Perfect express an activity or situation that ocurred (or did not occur) before now, at some unspecified time in the past.

Time expressions are used to indicate the time at/during which an action took place.

Present Perfect Tense
We still haven't paid last month's telefone bill.

Time Expressions
Due on January 15th.
It isn't due for a while.

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Personal Finances > Maybe You Should Stop at the Bank

Discuss family budgeting, using should and have to.

Decide how much cash to get at the bank.

Maybe You Should Stop at the Bank

buy groceries for the weekend / see a movie tomorrow night / $80

Dialog
A: I'm going out to do a few errands.
B: Oh. You know what? (1) Maybe you should (2) stop at the bank and get some cash.
A: Okay. How much should I get?
B: Well, let's see. We have to (3) buy groceries for the weekend, and we're planning to see a movie tomorrow night. You should probably get about eighty dollars.
A: Eighty dollars? Do you think that'll be enough?
B: I think so.

Functions
(1) Initiating a Topic
You know what?
You know something?
You know?
(2) Advice-Suggestions
Maybe you should
Maybe you ought to
You should probably
It might be a good idea to
(3) Obligation
We have to
We've go to
We need to

Exercises
1) get more diapers / drive to Oakwood to see your parents / $65
2) give the kids allowance / go bowling tonight / $25
3) pick up some stationary supplies / take the staff out the lunch / $95
4) buy a wedding present for your sister / take the children for haircuts / $70
5) pay the gardener / fly to Honolulu for the weekend / $1500

Grammar
Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Auxiliares are helping verbs that express a wide range of meanings (ability, permission, possiblity, necessity, etc,). Most of the modals have more than one meaning.

Should
Maybe you should stop at the Bank.
How much should I get?
You should probably get about eighty dollars.

Ought to
Maybe you ought to stop at the bank.

Have to/Have got to
We have to buy groceries.
We've got to buy groceries.

Need to
We need to buy groceries.

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