Meaning & use
money on the books
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrasebusinessinformal
money that is recorded in official accounts or financial records, whether or not it has actually been received
Grammar: Fixed phrase; it usually follows 'have', 'be', or 'put' and does not take 'a' or 'the' before 'money'.
Patterns
- have money on the books
- money on the books from something
- put money on the books
The charity has money on the books, but it cannot spend it until next year.
There is still money on the books from the old contract.
He put the donation on the books as soon as it arrived.
phrasefixed phrasebusiness
money that a business or organization is officially said to have, especially when the real amount is uncertain
Grammar: Often used with 'show' or 'report' to talk about what accounts claim.
Patterns
- show money on the books
- report money on the books
The company showed millions of dollars on the books, but the cash was missing.
The report claimed there was money on the books, but auditors disagreed.
Common combinations
- have money on the books
- They have money on the books, but it is all tied up in investments.
- money on the books from last year
- There is still money on the books from last year that needs to be written off.
- put money on the books
- The treasurer put the grant money on the books immediately.
- show money on the books
- The accounts show money on the books, but no one can find the cash.
Synonyms and how they differ
- recorded funds
- More formal and neutral; use it in official reports instead of the informal 'money on the books'.
- book money
- Rare and informal; it can mean the same, but 'money on the books' is much more common.
Opposites
Word family
- money on his books phrase
- The possessive form used for a specific male person's records.
Commonly confused: money on the books or money on his books?
money on the books vs money on his books
Use 'the' for general or shared records; use 'his' when the records belong to a particular male person.
Practice
The company showed millions of dollars ______, but the cash was missing.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'on the books', meaning recorded in official accounts. 'On his books' would require a specific male owner, and 'on the book' and 'on books' are not the correct forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “money on the books”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.