Cost means require a particular amount of money to buy or do something.

The idea

Put the item or activity first: the ticket costs ten dollars. Ask How much does it cost? The past is cost: the book cost five dollars yesterday.

Examples

  • The ticket costs ten dollars.
  • How much does the train ticket cost?
  • These apples cost three dollars.
  • The book cost five dollars yesterday.
  • The trip will cost more in July.
  • The table cost us twenty dollars.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

The thing costs money; a person pays or spends money. After does, use the base form cost, not costs.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the verb describing the ticket’s price. The ticket ___ ten dollars. (costs / pays)

    Show answer or example answer

    costs

    Costs agrees with singular the ticket in the present.

  2. Choose the base form after does. How much does the ticket ___? (cost / costs)

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    cost

    After does, use the base form cost.

  3. Choose the past form for yesterday. Yesterday the book ___ five dollars. (cost / costed)

    Show answer or example answer

    cost

    The irregular past form is also cost.

Use it today

Ask the price of an item and answer with an amount.