A Minimum Wage

silver and gold round coins in box
Type: Vocabulary
Originally published on July 16, 2019 and last updated on February 6, 2023

Most people will think of the minimum wage as a good way to ensure people are paid a salary that will at the very least allow them to live with basic means.

The question of whether a minimum wage can have any negative effects is rarely asked as most people only think about it from the worker’s personal point of view. However, when you start looking at the bigger picture it can allow you to answer the question of whether should there be a minimum wage or not.

Instructions:
Go through the vocabulary below with your students and ask them to try and use this vocabaulry where possible when discussing the different conversation questions.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • wage (noun)
  • salary (noun)
  • earn (verb)
  • sufficient (adjective)
  • consequence (noun)
  • unfair (adjective)
  • fair (adjective)

Conversation Questions

  • Should there be a minimum wage?
  • What is the minimum wage in your country?
  • Do you think it should be higher or lower? Why?
  • Who benefits from a minimum wage?
  • Who doesn’t benefit from a minimum wage?
  • Who should decide the minimum wage?
  • What effect does a minimum wage have on small businesses?
  • What effect does a minimum wage have on large corporations?
Gregory
This conversation topic was prepared by Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.