What is the term for work done by someone else for which a consumer, business, or government is willing to pay, such as teaching or childcare?

• A. Goods
• B. Capital
• C. Utilities
• D. Services

Answer: (D)

Think about how economists categorize what is produced. When someone performs work for pay—like teaching or childcare—that is a service: an activity provided by labor to satisfy a need. Services are intangible and delivered by people rather than being physical items you own. Goods, by contrast, are tangible items you can touch and keep, such as a book or a meal. Capital refers to produced inputs used to make other goods, like machines and buildings. Utilities, in this context, isn’t the term for paid work; it more commonly relates to the usefulness or to public utilities. So the paid work produced by others for a price is best described as a service.