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Everyday English: Opening a bank account

Opening an account is one of the first things new arrivals do. Here's the language you'll hear, and the questions worth asking.

Updated 2026-10-12

Listen to the conversation

Press ▶ Play conversation, or 🔊 on any line. Then try 🎭 Practise as "You": the other person speaks, and you say your lines out loud.

Key words and phrases

Phrase What it means
an everyday account / transaction account An account for daily spending, with a debit card.
a savings account An account that pays interest, usually with fewer free transactions.
a tax file number (TFN) Your personal tax number. Giving it to your bank means you aren't taxed at the highest rate on the interest you earn.
BSB and account number The two numbers people need to pay money into your account.
tap and go Paying by tapping your card or phone on the card reader.
account-keeping fee A monthly fee some accounts charge. Ask if it can be waived.

Tips

  • Bring your passport and proof of your Australian address.
  • Apply for a tax file number online through the Australian Taxation Office. It's free.
  • Ask about monthly fees, ATM fees and international transfer fees before you choose.
  • Banks will never ask for your password or full card details by phone, text or email. That's a scam.

More everyday situations

Unofficial practice. We wrote these questions to match the official PTE Academic task types and timings. They are not real exam questions, and points shown are practice feedback, not a PTE score. For an official estimate, use Pearson's scored practice tests.