Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

“Banks” ESL Discussion Questions

1. Why do we need banks?
2. What happens if I don’t have enough money in my checking account and try to write a check for more than the balance due?
3. Can you tell me what a bank does?
4. Is there anything that makes you feel nervous when you go to the bank?
5. How can banks pay interest on savings accounts?
6. Why does it matter what kind of credit card I have when I pay off my bill every month and don’t carry a balance from month to month?
7. Can I take money out of my account if I don’t have enough money in there to cover what I’m taking out of my account?
8. What are the most common types of loans offered by banks?
9. What does a bank loan mean?
10. What are checks/cheques?
11. What are bank accounts?
12. Is it easy to open an account with a bank in your country?
13. What is your favorite thing about banks?
14. Can you open an account by mail?
15. Why do people use banks?
16. Does a bank require identification when opening an account online?
17. What is an ATM machine?
18. When did you last go to the bank?
19. Are banks public or private?
20. How do people use a bank?
21. What are the different types of accounts that you can have at a bank?
22. What does it mean to have overdraft protection on my checking account?
23. Why do people need bank accounts?
24. What are payday loans and should I get one?
25. How do you open a bank account?
26. Is your bank safe?
27. How do banks make money?
28. What is the difference between a savings and checking account?
29. When you deposit money into your account, where does it go?
30. What is a bank’s role in the economy?
31. What are the main functions of a bank?
32. If a bank was to go bankrupt, what would happen to your money?
33. How often do you go to the bank?
34. How much money does it cost to open an account at a bank?
35. How can you make sure that your money is safe in the bank?
36. Do you ever have problems with your ATM card?
37. What are the most common types of accounts offered by banks?
38. Has a bank ever made you sad?
39. Can you trust your bank?
40. Why do people use banks for savings accounts instead of keeping it under the mattress?
41. How does a bank make money?
42. What is a credit card?
43. How can a bank help people who want to start their own business?
44. Is there anything you need to bring with you when you open an account at a bank?
45. Can you open an account online?
46. Do you like going to the bank?
47. What is a bank’s primary function?
48. Is it safe to keep your money in a bank?
49. What does a bank do?
50. Do you know why banks are important?