Understanding your salary: key vocabulary for payslips

A2
90 min
Premium
1

Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. What are the most important things in a job for you? For example, a good salary, friendly colleagues, or interesting work?
  2. What are some big things people save money for? For example, a house, a car, or a holiday?
  3. Think about an important document, like a phone bill. Is it easy or difficult to understand? Why?
2

Understanding your payslip

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

3

Answer these questions in your own words based on the article.

01What are some important words you can find on a payslip?
Sample answerSome important words are gross pay, net pay, deductions, and tax.
02According to the article, what is gross pay?
Sample answerGross pay is the money you earn before they take out tax.
03Who can you talk to at work if you don't understand your payslip?
Sample answerYou can talk to someone in the HR department.
04Why is it useful to learn about payslips?
Sample answerIt is useful so you can understand your pay and ask questions if you need to.
4

Key vocabulary for talking about money and work

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you talk about your salary in a more natural way.
Examples
take-home pay — the money you receive after taxes and other costs are taken out
This is a common, informal way to talk about your 'net pay'. For example: 'My take-home pay is €1,800 a month.'
get paid — to receive money for the work you do
We often use this to ask or talk about payday. For example: 'I get paid on the last Friday of every month.'
per hour / per month — for each hour or month you work
Use this to say how much you earn. For example: 'She earns €15 per hour' or 'My salary is €2,500 per month.'
pay rise — an increase in your salary
You can 'ask for a pay rise' or 'get a pay rise'. For example: 'My boss gave me a good pay rise this year.'
work overtime — to work more hours than your normal working time
This is extra work. You can say: 'I sometimes work overtime on Saturdays to earn more money.'
5

More words for talking about money and work

Learn some new words about getting paid.

Match each word with its meaning.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
6

Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives

Grammar
We use comparative adjectives to compare two things, like two different salaries. We use superlative adjectives to compare one thing with a group of things, like the highest salary in the company.
Examples
My gross pay is higher than my net pay.
For short adjectives (like 'high'), we add '-er' and 'than' to compare two things.
This month's payslip is more complicated than last month's.
For longer adjectives (like 'complicated'), we use 'more' before the adjective.
This is the biggest deduction from my salary.
For superlatives with short adjectives (like 'big'), we use 'the' and add '-est'.
Key points
  • Use '-er than' or 'more ... than' to compare two things.
  • Use 'the ...-est' or 'the most ...' to compare three or more things.
  • Don't forget 'than' for comparatives and 'the' for superlatives.
7

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01Most people in my company get at the end of every month.
02My gross is £25,000 a year, but I take home less after tax.
03If I work on the weekend, I get extra money for the .
04I worked very hard this year, so I am going to ask my manager for a .
05Some part-time jobs pay you hour, not per month.
8

Understanding your pay

Read about Maria's new job and her salary.

Fill in each blank with the correct word or phrase from the word bank.

Word bank
Maria is happy with her new job. She every Friday, so she always has money for the weekend. Her contract says she earns £15 . Sometimes, she needs to on Saturdays to finish a project. Her boss says if she works hard, she might get a next year. After tax, her is about £1,800 a month.
9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. Is it better to get paid per month or per hour? Why?
  2. In your country, is it common for people to work overtime? Why or why not?
  3. If you get a pay rise, is it better to save the extra money or spend it on something nice? What would you do?