When you start thinking about your first job, you might hear the words "wage" and "salary" used. They both refer to money you earn for work, but there are key differences. Wages are usually paid on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis. Salaries, on the other hand, are typically paid monthly or annually. This means you usually get a set amount per paycheck with a salary, whereas your total wages depend on how many hours you worked.

Another important difference is how they are calculated. Wages are often calculated by multiplying your hourly rate by the number of hours you worked. For example, if you earn $15 per hour and work 40 hours a week, your weekly wage will be $600 ($15/hour * 40 hours = $600). Salaries are usually a fixed annual amount, divided into payments over the year. If your annual salary is $40,000, your monthly salary would be about $3,333 ($40,000/year / 12 months = $3,333). Note that overtime pay is common with wages but less so with salaries.

Here are some example sentences to help you understand:

• "I earn a weekly wage of $500." (This means the person receives $500 every week for their work.)
• "My wage is $20 per hour." (This means the person earns $20 for every hour they work.)
• "She receives a monthly salary of $2,500." (This means the person gets paid $2,500 every month regardless of how many hours they work.)
• "His annual salary is $60,000." (This means the person earns $60,000 per year.)

It's important to understand the difference between wages and salaries because it directly affects how your income is calculated and paid. So, if you see these words while searching for a job, make sure you know exactly what they mean!

Happy learning!