The pattern

"How much does it cost to" plus a verb asks the price of doing something. "How much does it cost to park here?" "How much does it cost to send this to Canada?" It asks about a service or an action, not a single object. For an object, "How much is this?" is shorter and more common.

Prices in American English are said in a particular way. "$12.50" is "twelve fifty". "$1,200" is "twelve hundred" or "one thousand two hundred". "$4.99" is "four ninety-nine". Hearing the answer is half the skill.

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

  6. For a single object, "How much is this?" is the natural question.

  7. Plural: "are".

  8. $12.50. Americans usually drop "dollars" and "cents".

  9. $1,200. "Twelve hundred" is very common for rent.

Check yourself

1Which question fits a single item in a shop?
2How do Americans usually say $12.50?
3Why do people in the US ask "Is that with tax?"

Practice · 3 min

Ask about prices. Prompt on the left, one natural sentence on the right.

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Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.