Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz: Recognizing Numbers Prices And Times
9 questions · exam conditions
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Recognizing Numbers Prices And TimesQuestion 1 of 9

A bus schedule notice reads: "Route 12 departs downtown every 20 minutes starting at 7:00 AM. The last bus departs at 9:00 AM."

Carlos arrives at the downtown bus stop at 7:45 AM. How long will he wait for the next Route 12 bus?

Carlos will wait 5 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
Carlos will wait 25 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
Carlos will wait 20 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
Carlos will wait 15 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
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Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz: Recognizing Numbers Prices And Times

Practice Recognizing Numbers Prices And Times in Adult ESL/ELL Beginner with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Recognizing Numbers Prices And Times, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Beginner.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A bus schedule notice reads: "Route 12 departs downtown every 20 minutes starting at 7:00 AM. The last bus departs at 9:00 AM."

Carlos arrives at the downtown bus stop at 7:45 AM. How long will he wait for the next Route 12 bus?

  1. Carlos will wait 5 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
  2. Carlos will wait 25 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
  3. Carlos will wait 20 minutes for the next Route 12 bus.
  4. Carlos will wait 15 minutes for the next Route 12 bus. (correct answer)
Explanation: When reading bus schedules, the key skill is building a timeline of departures and then finding where your arrival fits. Don't just memorize the interval — map out the actual times. Starting at 7:00 AM with a bus every 20 minutes, the schedule looks like this: 7:00 AM→7:20 AM→7:40 AM→8:00 AM→…7{:}00 \text{ AM} \rightarrow 7{:}20 \text{ AM} \rightarrow 7{:}40 \text{ AM} \rightarrow 8{:}00 \text{ AM} \rightarrow \ldots Carlos arrives at 7:45 AM. The most recent bus already left at 7:40 AM. The next bus departs at 8:00 AM. The wait is: 8:00−7:45=15 minutes8{:}00 - 7{:}45 = 15 \text{ minutes} That makes D the correct answer — Carlos waits 15 minutes. Here's why the other choices miss the mark: A (5 minutes) likely comes from subtracting 7:45 from 7:50, which isn't even a scheduled time — a common error when students guess instead of building the full schedule. B (25 minutes) adds 20 minutes to 7:45 rather than finding the next scheduled stop, treating the bus like it runs from wherever you arrive — it doesn't. C (20 minutes) simply restates the route's interval without accounting for when Carlos actually shows up; 20 minutes would only be correct if he arrived exactly at a departure time like 7:40 AM. A helpful strategy: always list the departure times first, then find where your arrival falls between two of them. The wait equals the later time minus your arrival — not the interval itself.

Question 2

A grocery store receipt shows the following: Milk: $3.49, Bread: $2.75, Eggs: $4.99, Bag of apples: $5.25. The cashier says, "Your total is sixteen dollars and forty-eight cents."

A student is checking the receipt. Which statement correctly describes the cashier's total?

  1. The cashier's total is correct because $3.49 + $2.75 + $4.99 + $5.25 = $16.48. (correct answer)
  2. The cashier's total is wrong because the correct total is $15.48, not $16.48.
  3. The cashier's total is wrong because the correct total is $16.38, not $16.48.
  4. The cashier's total is wrong because the correct total is $17.48, not $16.48.
Explanation: When checking a cashier's total, your job is to add up each item independently and compare your result to what was charged. This is a practical math skill that protects you as a shopper. Let's add the four items carefully, starting with the cents column: 3.49+2.75+4.99+5.253.49 + 2.75 + 4.99 + 5.25 Adding the cents: .49+.75+.99+.25=.49 + .75 + .99 + .25 = 2.48,whichgivesyou48centsandcarries$2intothedollars.Addingthedollars:, which gives you 48 cents and carries $2 into the dollars. Adding the dollars: 3 + 2 + 4 + 5 + 2 = 16$. The correct total is $16.48, which matches exactly what the cashier said. That makes A the correct answer — the cashier's total is right. Now let's look at why the other choices are wrong. B claims the total is $15.48, which would only be possible if you forgot to carry the $2 from the cents column — a common arithmetic mistake when adding decimals. C says the total is $16.38, which suggests a calculation error in the cents column, perhaps misadding $.49 + .75 + .99 + .25asas.38insteadofinstead of2.48$. D claims the total is $17.48, which is $1.00 too high — this could happen if someone accidentally doubled one of the dollar amounts. A useful strategy: always add decimals in columns, aligning the decimal points. Handle the cents first, carry any overflow into the dollars, then add the dollar amounts. This step-by-step approach prevents the small errors that all three wrong answers represent.

Question 3

A flyer reads: "Community English Class — Spring Session begins January 15th and ends April 30th. Classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

A student asks, "How many months does the Spring Session last?" Based on the flyer, what is the best answer?

  1. The Spring Session lasts about 2 months, from January to February.
  2. The Spring Session lasts about 5 months, from January through the end of May.
  3. The Spring Session lasts exactly 4 months, from the beginning of January to the end of April.
  4. The Spring Session lasts about 3 and a half months, from mid-January to the end of April. (correct answer)
Explanation: When reading schedules and flyers, you often need to calculate durations carefully — especially when something starts or ends in the middle of a month rather than at the beginning or end. Look at the flyer closely: the Spring Session begins January 15th (mid-January, not January 1st) and ends April 30th (the very end of April). To find the duration, count the months between those two dates. From mid-January to mid-February is one month, mid-February to mid-March is two, mid-March to mid-April is three, and mid-April to the end of April adds roughly another half month — giving you approximately 3.5 months total. That makes D the best answer: about 3 and a half months, from mid-January to the end of April. A is wrong because it says the session lasts only 2 months and ends in February — the flyer clearly states it ends April 30th, not in February. B is wrong because it claims 5 months and extends through the end of May, but April 30th is the final day — May is never mentioned. C is the trickiest wrong answer: it says exactly 4 months from the beginning of January. This would be true if the session started January 1st, but it starts January 15th — the middle of the month — so the full 4-month count doesn't apply. A good tip: always check whether a start date falls at the beginning, middle, or end of a month before calculating duration. That detail changes your answer every time.

Question 4

A voicemail message says: "Hi, this is Dr. Rivera's office. Your appointment is on March third at a quarter to three in the afternoon. Please arrive ten minutes early."

What time should the patient arrive at the doctor's office?

  1. The patient should arrive at 2:25 PM to be ten minutes early for the appointment.
  2. The patient should arrive at 2:35 PM to be ten minutes early for the appointment. (correct answer)
  3. The patient should arrive at 2:45 PM, which is when the appointment begins.
  4. The patient should arrive at 3:10 PM to be ten minutes early for the appointment.
Explanation: When reading about appointment times in English, you often need to do two things: convert an informal time expression into a standard clock time, and then apply any additional instructions (like "arrive early"). Start with "a quarter to three." In English, "a quarter to [hour]" means 15 minutes before that hour. So "a quarter to three" means 2:45 PM — that is the actual appointment time. Once you have that, the message asks you to arrive ten minutes early, meaning ten minutes before 2:45 PM. Subtract ten minutes: 2:45−10=2:35 PM2{:}45 - 10 = 2{:}35 \text{ PM}. That makes B the correct answer — the patient should arrive at 2:35 PM. Looking at the wrong choices helps you see the common traps. A says 2:25 PM, which subtracts ten minutes from 2:35 instead of from 2:45 — an error caused by miscalculating "a quarter to three" as 2:35 rather than 2:45. C says 2:45 PM, which correctly identifies the appointment time but ignores the instruction to arrive early — always read the full message before answering. D says 3:10 PM, which misreads "a quarter to three" as something after 3:00, and also adds time instead of subtracting — a double error. A helpful tip: whenever you see "a quarter to [hour]," picture a clock and count back 15 minutes from that hour. Write down that time first, then apply any extra instructions like "arrive early" or "call 20 minutes before."

Question 5

A work schedule memo reads: "Employees must clock in no later than eight fifty-five AM. Lunch break is from twelve thirty to one fifteen PM. The shift ends at five o'clock PM."

How long is the lunch break described in the memo?

  1. The lunch break is 30 minutes long, from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM.
  2. The lunch break is 1 hour long, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM.
  3. The lunch break is 45 minutes long, from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM. (correct answer)
  4. The lunch break is 15 minutes long, from 1:00 PM to 1:15 PM.
Explanation: When a question asks you to find how long a time period lasts, your job is to calculate the elapsed time — the difference between the start time and the end time. The key is to count carefully, especially when the times cross over the hour mark. The memo states the lunch break runs from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM. Here's how to count it: from 12:30 to 1:00 is 30 minutes, and from 1:00 to 1:15 is 15 more minutes. Add those together: 30+15=45 minutes30 + 15 = 45 \text{ minutes}. That confirms C is correct — the lunch break is 45 minutes long. Looking at the wrong choices helps you understand common mistakes. A says the break ends at 1:00 PM, but the memo clearly states it ends at 1:15 PM — this answer ignores the last 15 minutes. B says the break is 1 full hour, ending at 1:30 PM, which is incorrect because 1:30 is not mentioned anywhere; this is a trap for students who assume "lunch break" means exactly one hour. D says the break is only 15 minutes, starting at 1:00 PM — this only counts the time from 1:00 to 1:15 and completely ignores the first half of the break from 12:30 to 1:00. A helpful tip: when calculating time that crosses an hour boundary, split the problem into two steps — count up to the next full hour first, then count the remaining minutes. This prevents errors and keeps your thinking organized.

Question 6

A utility bill states: "Account Number: 4471-882. Bill Date: November 8th. Amount Due: $127.53. If payment is received after November 22nd, a late fee of $12.75 will be added."

David receives this bill and pays it on November 29th. How much does David pay in total?

  1. David pays $127.53 because he paid before the end of November.
  2. David pays $140.53 because a flat $13.00 late fee is rounded up and added to his bill.
  3. David pays $140.28 because the late fee of $12.75 is added to his $127.53 bill. (correct answer)
  4. David pays $12.75 because he only needs to pay the late fee, not the original amount.
Explanation: When you read a utility bill (or any bill with a deadline), focus on two things: the due date and what happens if you pay after that date. This question tests whether you can find key numbers in a real-world document and do a simple addition. The bill tells you clearly: if payment arrives after November 22nd, a late fee of $12.75 is added. David pays on November 29th, which is after the deadline. That means he owes the original amount plus the late fee: $\127.53 + $12.75 = $140.28 So C is correct — David pays $140.28 total. Here's why the other choices miss the mark. A is wrong because paying "before the end of November" is not the rule — the rule is paying before November 22nd. David missed that specific deadline, so the late fee applies. B uses the right idea (original amount + late fee), but it rounds $12.75 up to $13.00, which the bill never says to do — always use the exact numbers given. D is a serious misreading of the bill; the late fee is an extra charge added on top of the full amount owed, not a replacement for it. David must still pay $127.53. A good strategy: on bill-reading questions, underline the deadline and the late fee amount before you do any math. Bills use very precise language — words like "after" and "added" tell you exactly when and how extra charges apply.

Question 7

A store sign reads: "Sale! All shoes: $49.99. Buy 2 pairs, save $10.00 total."

Maria wants to buy 2 pairs of shoes during the sale. What is the total price she will pay?

  1. Maria will pay $99.98 for 2 pairs of shoes during the sale.
  2. Maria will pay $89.98 for 2 pairs of shoes during the sale. (correct answer)
  3. Maria will pay $79.99 for 2 pairs of shoes during the sale.
  4. Maria will pay $39.99 for 2 pairs of shoes during the sale.
Explanation: When you see a sale sign at a store, slow down and read it carefully — there are often two steps to find the final price. First, calculate the regular total, then apply the discount. Here, each pair of shoes costs $49.99. Maria wants 2 pairs, so start by multiplying: $49.99×2=99.9849.99 \times 2 = 99.98 $ The regular total is $99.98. But the sign says "Buy 2 pairs, save $10.00 total." That means $10.00 comes off the full price: $$99.98 - 10.00 = 89.98$$ Maria pays $89.98, which makes B the correct answer. Now let's look at why the other choices are wrong. A gives you $99.98 — that's the price before the discount. This is a common trap: the student does the multiplication correctly but forgets to subtract the savings. Always finish the problem! C gives $79.99, which looks like someone subtracted 10.00fromjust∗one∗pair(10.00 from just *one* pair (49.99 − $10.00 = 39.99)andthenaddedthesecondpair(39.99) and then added the second pair (39.99 + $40.00). This misreads the sign — the $10.00 savings applies to the total, not one pair. D gives $39.99, which is roughly half of $79.99 — it's unclear how a student arrives here, but it ignores the second pair entirely. A helpful tip: on sale problems, always write out two steps — (1) find the full price, then (2) apply the discount. Never skip step two, and never apply the discount to just one item when the sign says "total."

Question 8

Listen to the announcement: "The pharmacy closes at six forty-five in the evening on weekdays, and at two fifteen on Saturdays."

A customer calls on a Saturday. She wants to pick up her medicine. It is currently 2:00 PM. How much time does she have before the pharmacy closes?

  1. She has 45 minutes before the pharmacy closes on Saturday.
  2. She has 15 minutes before the pharmacy closes on Saturday. (correct answer)
  3. She has 30 minutes before the pharmacy closes on Saturday.
  4. She has 4 hours and 45 minutes before the pharmacy closes on Saturday.
Explanation: When a question asks "how much time does she have before closing," you need to find the difference between the current time and the closing time. Start by identifying the right closing time — this is a Saturday call, so ignore the weekday hours entirely and focus on the Saturday closing time: 2:15 PM. Now subtract: the current time is 2:00 PM, and the pharmacy closes at 2:15 PM. The difference is exactly 15 minutes. That makes B the correct answer — she has 15 minutes to get there before the pharmacy closes. Here's why the other choices miss the mark. A says 45 minutes, which likely comes from misreading "two fifteen" as "two forty-five" — an easy mix-up when you're listening to numbers quickly. C says 30 minutes, which has no basis in the times given; it may come from guessing a "round" number without doing the math. D says 4 hours and 45 minutes — this is what you'd get if you accidentally used the weekday closing time of 6:45 PM instead of the Saturday time. This is the trickiest distractor because the information is in the passage — you just have to apply the right closing time for the right day. A useful strategy: in listening or reading questions with multiple details (different times for different days), underline or mentally flag which detail applies to your specific situation before calculating. Always match the condition in the question (Saturday) to the correct fact (2:15 PM).

Question 9

A radio advertisement says: "Call us now! Our phone number is one-eight-hundred, five-five-five, twenty-one hundred. That's 1-800-555-2100. We are open Monday through Friday, nine AM to five-thirty PM."

Ana wants to call the company on a Friday. It is currently 5:15 PM. Which statement is true?

  1. Ana can call now because 5:15 PM is before the 5:30 PM closing time on weekdays. (correct answer)
  2. Ana cannot call now because the company closes at 5:00 PM on Fridays, not 5:30 PM.
  3. Ana cannot call now because 5:15 PM is after the company's 5:00 PM closing time on all days.
  4. Ana can call now because the company is open until 6:00 PM on Fridays only.
Explanation: When a question asks you whether a business is open at a specific time, your job is to compare the current time to the stated hours — carefully and without adding information that isn't there. The advertisement clearly states the company is open "Monday through Friday, nine AM to five-thirty PM." Friday is a weekday, so the 5:30 PM closing time applies. Ana wants to call at 5:15 PM. Since 5:15 comes before 5:30, the company is still open. Answer A is correct — Ana can call right now. Answer B is a trap that invents a rule. It claims the company closes at 5:00 PM on Fridays specifically, but the advertisement says nothing like that. The hours are the same for all weekdays. Never add details that the passage doesn't give you. Answer C makes a similar mistake by claiming the company closes at 5:00 PM on all days. Again, the passage clearly says 5:30 PM — not 5:00 PM. This distractor tests whether you read the closing time carefully or just assumed an even-numbered hour. Answer D goes in the opposite direction, inventing a later closing time of 6:00 PM on Fridays. The passage gives only one set of weekday hours with no special Friday exceptions. A good strategy here: when reading business hours in a passage, underline or note the exact times and exact days. Distractors on these questions almost always change one of those details — either the time, the day, or both — hoping you'll rely on memory instead of going back to the text.