Debt vs. debit

[Honnor]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #121 "Real Life: Grocery Stores (1)", question 5

If a shopper doesn't want to pay with cash, he/she can use a credit or ......... card to pay for the groceries.

(a) debit
(b) business
(c) playing
(d) calendar

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #121 "Real Life: Grocery Stores (1)", answer 5

If a shopper doesn't want to pay with cash, he/she can use a credit or debit card to pay for the groceries.

Correct answer: (a) debit
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Debt or debit?

Honnor

[Alan]

Hi,

'Debit' is something that you owe. A debit card will take the amount you are paying straight from your account whereas a credit card will put the amount you pay on an account for you to pay later.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Read all about it

[Gray]

'Debt' is something you already owe to someone, for example, it is a debt if you have borrowed money from the bank.

Accounting book has two sides - debit side (your withdrawals) and credit side (your deposits). With 'debit card', you debit your own account, that is, when you swipe the card, a debit entry is made on your account provided your account has that much of money.

Therefore, there is no 'debt card'
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First lesson - English, not english. I, not i. ~A student of English

[Cwmccsln]

Howdy,
A debit card uses the money you have and a credit card uses the money you don't have. If I give you credit = you give me debit. It seems backwards but debit is a positive, credit is a negative. You incur a debt with credit, you pay it off with a debit. clear as mud ? CW