Build your accounting English vocabulary with this exercise. From balance sheets to auditing, these are the terms you'll need to communicate confidently in a finance or accounting role.
📚 Key vocabulary accounts receivable — money owed to a company by customers for goods or services already delivered accounts payable — money a company owes to suppliers for goods or services already received balance sheet — a financial statement showing a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time accrual accounting — a method that records revenue and expenses when they are earned or incurred, regardless of when cash changes hands depreciation — the gradual reduction in the recorded value of an asset over its useful life gross profit — revenue minus the direct costs of producing goods or services, before operating expenses net income — a company's total profit after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been deducted from revenue overhead — ongoing business expenses not directly tied to producing a product or service, such as rent and utilities fiscal year — a 12-month accounting period used for financial reporting, which may or may not align with the calendar year audit — a formal examination of a company's financial records to verify their accuracy and compliance
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Choose the correct response to complete each sentence.
1. In economics, a transfer _________________ is a non-compensatory government payment to individuals (such as welfare or social security benefits).
Correct answer: payment.
2. Things of value owned by a business are known as its _________________.
Correct answer: assets.
3. What's the opposite of an asset?
Correct answer: a liability.
4. Some think that the _________________ of many companies are overstated due to deceptive accounting practices.
Correct answer: earnings.
5. Every company should keep a clear record of its ____________________ assets.
Correct answer: fixed.
6. Is "book _________________" the same as "net worth"?
Correct answer: value.
7. Not only has the company __________________ a lot of capital, but it has done so efficiently.
Correct answer: invested.
8. The breakeven point in sales dollars can be calculated by _________________ a company's fixed expenses by the company's contribution margin ratio.
Correct answer: dividing.
9. Our company's _________________ (meaning: not fixed) expenses are approximately $45,000 per month.
Correct answer: variable.
10. By forming a corporation, owners may be able to ____________________ for business debts.