Speaking Boost · A1 · Lesson 41 of 50
Speaking Boost A1 · Block 9: Shopping and Clothes

How much is a coffee around the world?

A cup of coffee costs different money in different countries. In this lesson you ask about prices and say numbers. You use How much...? and numbers up to a hundred.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Money and coffee

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Do you drink coffee?
  2. How much is a coffee in your city?
  3. Do you go to a café?
  4. Is coffee cheap or expensive in your city?
  5. Do you pay with a card or with cash?
  6. How much money do you spend on coffee?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say one sentence with the word.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. The tells you how much something costs.
  2. A thing that costs a lot of money is .
  3. You pay with .
  4. A small round piece of metal money is a .
  5. The money that the seller gives you back is your .
  6. A small place where you drink coffee and eat cake is a .
  7. In a café you ask for the when you want to pay.
  8. Some extra money that you give a waiter because he or she is good is a .
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. a price is the money you
  2. expensive = costs
  3. a coin is
  4. change is the money you get
  5. a café is a place for
  6. a tip is extra
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to ask about prices and to pay.

  • How much is...?Скільки коштує...?How much is a coffee?
  • How much are...?Скільки коштують...?How much are the cakes?
  • It's two euros.Це два євро.It's two euros fifty.
  • They're ten hryvnias.Вони коштують десять гривень.They're ten hryvnias.
  • It costs...Це коштує...It costs three dollars.
  • That's cheap.Це дешево.That's cheap!
  • That's expensive.Це дорого.That's very expensive.
  • Can I have the bill?Можна рахунок?Can I have the bill, please?
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

The price of coffee

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

How much is a coffee around the world?

How much is a coffee around the world? The price is very different. In some big cities in Europe and in Asia, a cup of coffee in a café often costs about four or five euros or dollars. In other places, the same cup is about one euro, or even less. These numbers are only examples, because the price changes every year and in every café.

Why are the prices different? One reason is the cost of rent. A café in the centre of a big city pays more money for its place. Another reason is salary: in richer countries, workers get more money, so the coffee is more expensive. Coffee beans are also not cheap, and the farmers need to get a fair price.

In some countries, people leave a tip for the waiter. In other countries, the tip is in the bill. In Ukraine, many people leave a small tip too, but it is not always necessary.

A good idea for a traveller is to ask the price before you order: "How much is a coffee?" Then you pay for your coffee, and the waiter gives you the change.

How much is a coffee in your city?

3.2

True or false?

  1. The price of coffee is the same in all countries.
  2. A café in the centre often pays more rent.
  3. In richer countries, coffee is sometimes more expensive.
  4. You never leave a tip in any country.
  5. A traveller can ask the price before ordering.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Is coffee in your city cheap or expensive?
  2. Is it worth paying a lot for a coffee?
  3. Is it good to leave a tip?
  4. Do you prefer making coffee at home?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

How much...?

Use How much is + one thing and How much are + plural things. Answer with It's / They're + the price. The verb cost takes -s with it.

How much is a coffee? It's two euros. How much are the cakes? They're thirty hryvnias. The coffee costs two euros. Two coffees cost six euros.

Numbers and prices

Learn the numbers: 13 thirteen, 14 fourteen, 20 twenty, 30 thirty, 40 forty, 50 fifty, 100 a hundred. Say prices with the money word: two euros fifty.

13 thirteen. 15 fifteen. 40 forty. 50 fifty. 100 a hundred. It's two euros fifty. It's sixty hryvnias.

Block 9 preview

Grammar you will use in this block.

how much and prices (L41) · this / that / these / those (L42) · Can I have...? I'd like... (L43) · numbers and ordinal numbers (L44) · review (L45)

Common mistakes: use How much is with one thing and How much are with plural things. The verb cost takes -s with it. ✗ How much are a coffee? → How much is a coffee? ✗ The coffee cost two euros → The coffee costs two euros. ✗ It is very expensively → It is very expensive.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. How much
    a coffee?
  2. How much
    two coffees?
  3. It
    three euros.
  4. They
    ten hryvnias.
  5. The coffee
    two euros.
  6. Two coffees
    six euros.
  7. That is very
    .
  8. How much
    it cost?
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. How much are a coffee? →
  2. It are two euros. →
  3. The coffee cost two euros. →
  4. Two coffees costs six euros. →
  5. How much it is? →
  6. It is very expensively. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer with full sentences. Use How much and prices.

  1. How much is a coffee in your city?
  2. How much is a bus ticket?
  3. How much is a loaf of bread?
  4. Is your city cheap or expensive?
  5. What is cheap in your country?
  6. What is expensive in your country?
5

Three people in a café, and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three people in a café

Three people buy a coffee. Compare them. Who pays the most? Who has got a cheap coffee? How much is a coffee in your city?

Person 1

Maria, 30

  • Lives in a big city
  • Pays four euros for a coffee
  • Says it is expensive
  • Leaves a small tip
Person 2

Sergio, 45

  • Lives in a small town
  • Pays one euro for a coffee
  • Says it is cheap
  • Drinks three coffees a day
Person 3

Olya, 22

  • Lives in Ukraine
  • Pays sixty hryvnias for a coffee
  • Likes cheap cafés
  • Pays with a card
5.2

Mini-talk: prices

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: say how much three things cost in your city.
  3. Part 2: say what is cheap and what is expensive.
  4. Part 3: ask your teacher two questions with How much...?
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. How much is a coffee in your city?
  2. How much is a bus ticket?
  3. Is your city cheap or expensive?
  4. Do you pay with a card or with money?
  5. How much is a bottle of water?
  6. How much is a loaf of bread?
  7. What is cheap in your city?
  8. What is expensive in your city?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who in your family drinks coffee?
  2. Who pays in a café?
  3. Who leaves a tip?
  4. Who always asks the price?
  5. Who likes cheap things?
  6. Who buys the bread?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is it good to leave a tip?
  2. Is expensive always better?
  3. Is a café a good place to meet friends?
  4. Is it cheaper to make coffee at home?
  5. Are prices in your country fair?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

In a café

You

Customer

You are in a café (your teacher is the waiter):
  • ask how much a coffee is
  • order a coffee and a cake
  • ask for the bill
  • say thank you
Speak for at least 1 minute. Use How much...?
Your teacher

Waiter

Says things like:
  1. A coffee is two euros.
  2. A cake is three euros.
  3. Here is the bill.
  4. You are welcome.
7.2

Asking prices

You

Visitor

You are a visitor and you ask a local person (your teacher) about prices:
  • ask how much a bus ticket is
  • ask how much a coffee is
  • ask if the city is expensive
  • say thank you
You do most of the talking. Use: How much is...? · How much are...?
Your teacher

Local

Says things like:
  1. It's one euro.
  2. It's two euros.
  3. No, it's cheap.
  4. You are welcome.
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

priceexpensivemoneycoinchangecafébilltip
  1. The tells you how much something costs.
  2. A thing that costs a lot of money is .
  3. You pay with .
  4. A small round piece of metal money is a .
  5. The money that the seller gives you back is your .
  6. A small place where you drink coffee and eat cake is a .
  7. In a café you ask for the when you want to pay.
  8. Some extra money that you give a waiter because he or she is good is a .
H2

Choose the correct word

  1. How much the coffee?
  2. How much the cakes?
  3. It two euros.
  4. They twenty hryvnias.
  5. The coffee three euros.
  6. Two cakes six euros.
  7. That is very .
  8. How much it cost?
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. How much is a coffee?
  2. How much are a coffee?
  3. It is two euros.
  4. It are two euros.
  5. The coffee costs two euros.
  6. The coffee cost two euros.
  7. They are ten hryvnias.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. How much
  2. How much
  3. It's
  4. They're
  5. It costs
  6. That's
  7. Can I have

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.