Free Reading Lesson Plans by Paul Sparks: American and British English, Differences in Word Usage

Paul Sparks, Sino-Canadian International College, Guangxi University, Online English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas for Reading Lessons...

Source: http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~jphb/american.html (by Peter Burden)

Differences in Word Usage: Different words are used to describe the same thing

American	British
airplane	aeroplane
AM	Medium Wave
antenna	aerial
apartment	flat
apartment house/building	block of flats
appetizer	starter, hors d'oeuvre
area code	dialling code
asphalt	Tarmac
attached home	semi-detached house
attorney	lawyer
auto, automobile	car
automated teller machine (ATM)	cashpoint
baby carriage	pram
backpack/backbag	rucksack
back-up light	reversing light
baked potato	jacket potato
baking soda	bicarbonate of soda
Band-Aid	sticking plaster
bandshell	bandstand
bangs	fringe
bankroll	foot the bill
bar	pub, public house
barrette	hair slide
baseboard	skirting board
bathrobe	dressing gown
bathroom	toilet
bathtub	bath
battle stations	action stations
beater	banger
beer	lager
bell pepper	red pepper, green pepper
beltway, loop	ring road, circular road
bill	note
billfold	wallet
billion	thousand million
binder clip	bulldog clip
biscuit	scone
blacktop	Tarmac
blinders	blinkers
blinkers	indicators
blood sausage	black pudding
bobby pin	hair grip, Kirby grip
boneyard	scrapyard, junkyard
bouillon cube	stock cube
boxcar	no equivalent
braid	plait
breakdown lane	hard shoulder
brewpub	no equivalent
Brit	Briton
brown bag lunch	packed lunch
bun	bap, roll
bureau	chest of drawers
burlap	hessian
bus	coach
busy signal	engaged tone
caboose	guard's van
cadaver	corpse
cafeteria	canteen
candy	sweet
canine cookie	dog biscuit
car	carriage
caravan	convoy
carnival	travelling fair or circus
carousel	merry-go-round
cart	trolley
casket	coffin
cattle guard	cattle grid
cell phone, cellular phone	mobile phone
check	cheque
checkers	draughts
checking account	current account
chesterfield	settee
chicory	endive
chief executive officer (CEO)	managing director (MD)
chifforobe	gentleman's wardrobe
chips	crisps
city	town
closet	fitted wardrobe
closing out	closing down
clothes pin	clothes peg
coach	economy
collect call	reverse charge call
comfort station	public convenience, toilet
comforter	quilt, eiderdown
concert master	leading or first violin, leader
condominium, condo	block of flats
conductor	guard
consignment	second hand goods
cookie	biscuit (sweet)
cooler	cool box
cord	lead, flex
corn	sweet corn, maize, corn-on-the-cob
corn starch	corn flour
cotton batting obs	cotton wool
cotton candy	candy floss
cotton swab	cotton bud
couch	settee
county
cow pie	cow pat
crackers	biscuits
crane fly	daddy-long-legs
crawl space	under floor void
crazy bone	funny bone
cream of wheat	semolina
creek	stream, brook
crosswalk	pedestrian crossing
cuffs	turn-ups
cupcake	fairy cake
custom made	bespoke, made to measure
davenport	bed-settee
daylight saving(s) time	(British) summer time
dead end	cul-de-sac
deck	pack
deck	no equivalent
deductible	excess
deep freeze	freezer
delivery tanker	tanker
delivery truck	van
denatured alcohol	methylated spirits, meths
desk clerk	receptionist
dessert	pudding
detour	diversion
diaper	nappy
differ... than	differ... from
dime	no equivalent
diner	café
discount	concession
district attorney	public prosecutor
divided highway	dual carriageway
docent	curator, guide
doctor's office	surgery
double whole note	breve
downtown	town centre
(the) draft	conscription
drapes	net curtains
dresser	chest of drawers, dressing table
driver's license US, driver's permit Can	driving licence
drug store	pharmacy, chemists
druggist	chemist, pharmacist
dry goods store	drapery, haberdashery
dumpster	skip
duplex (house)	semi-detached house
editorial	leader
eggplant	aubergine
eighth note	quaver
electrician's tape	insulating tape
elevator	lift
England	United Kingdom
entree	main course
eraser	rubber
exit	junction
expressway	main road
Exxon	Esso
eyeglasses	spectacles, specs
fair	show
fall	autumn
fanny pack	bum bag
faucet	tap
fava bean	broad bean
feminine napkin	sanitary towel
fender	wing
fender	mudguard
field	pitch
fire hall	fire station
firehouse	fire station
fire starter	fire lighter
fire truck	fire engine or fire appliance
first floor	ground floor
First Nations	Native Americans, Indians
flagstaff	flag pole
flashlight	torch
flatware	cutlery
float home obs	house boat
float plane	sea plane
floor lamp	standard lamp
football	American football
four way (stop)	cross roads
freeway	motorway
french fries	chips
freshman	no equivalent
funeral director	undertaker
furnace	central heating boiler
galoshes	Wellington boots, wellies
garbage, trash	rubbish, refuse
garbage can	dustbin
garter belt	suspender
gas	petrol
gear shift, gear stick	gear lever
generator	dynamo
girl scouts US	girl guides
goaltender	goalkeeper
goatsucker	nightjar
golden raisin US	sultana
goose bumps	goose pimples
gotten	got
grade	gradient (slope)
grade crossing	level crossing
graham crackers	digestive biscuits
grease pencil	chinagraph pencil
ground	earth
ground	minced
GST	VAT
gumboot	wellington
gurney	no equivalent
half note	minim
hardware store	ironmonger
hat check girl	cloakroom attendant
headlamp	headlight
heavy cream	double cream
hex	cast a spell on
Hidabed, hideaway	bed-settee
high school	no equivalent
highway	main road
hoagie	roll
hobo	tramp
hog	pig
hood	bonnet
horny	randy
(house numbering)
house-trailer	caravan
hutch	chest, Welsh dresser
icebox	refrigerator
ice chest	cool box
incorporated	limited
industrial park	industrial estate
installment plan	hire purchase
instant replay	action replay
intersection	cross roads
intermission	interval
interstate	main road, major road, trunk road
intimate apparel	underwear
Inuit	Eskimo
janitor	caretaker
jack	socket
jelly	No equivalent
jelly roll	Swiss roll
Jell-o	jelly
john	toilet
jump rope	skipping rope
jumper	short dress
kerb side	near side
kerosene	paraffin
kindergarten	nursery
Kleenex	tissues
knickers/knickerbockers	plus fours
last name	surname
lawyer, advocate, attorney	lawyer, solicitor, barrister
lead	cable
legal holiday	bank holiday
lemonade	real lemonade, squash, cordial
license plate / license tag	number plate
Lifesavers	Polo
lima bean	butter bean
line	queue
line cord	mains lead
liquor	spirits
liquor store	off licence
lobby	foyer
locker room	changing room
long distance	trunk call
loon	great northern diver
loonie	no equivalent
lorry	hand cart, dolly
lost and found	lost property
lot	plot
love seat	settee
low fat milk	semi skimmed milk
luggage rack	roof rack
lumber	timber
M & M	Smarties
mail	post
mail man	postman
mail slot	letter box
main street	high street
maize	sweet corn
mall	shopping centre
Mason jar	Kilner jar
mass transit	public transport
Master Card	Access
master of ceremonies	compere
mean	bad tempered
meat grinder	mincer
median (strip)	central reservation
military time	24 hour clock
mimosa	Buck's Fizz
mobile home	caravan
mortician	undertaker
movies	films
movie theater	cinema
moving company	removal company
moving van	pantechnicon, removal van
muffler	silencer
mutual fund	unit trust
napkin	serviette
nickel	no equivalent
nightstick	truncheon
notions	haberdashery
number sign	hash mark
oatmeal	porridge
offense players	forwards
oh	nil
oil pan	sump
on-ramp, off-ramp	sliproad
operating room	operating theatre
orchestra seat	stalls
outhouse	privy
overalls	dungarees
outlet	socket
overpass	flyover
pacifier	dummy
paddle	bat
panhandler *	beggar
pantihose/pantyhose	tights
pants	trousers
paraffin	wax
parka	anorak
parkade Can	multi-storey car park
parking garage/ramp	multi-storey car park
parking lot	car park
parking stall	parking bay
pass	overtake
pastor	minister, vicar, rector
paved shoulder	hard shoulder
pavement	paved area
penitentiary	prison
penny	cent
period	full stop
personalty	personal property
petroleum	crude oil
phonograph	record player, gramophone
pitcher	jug
plastic wrap	clingfilm
pocketbook obs	wallet, purse
polliwog	tadpole
pool	snooker
popsicle	lollipop
pork rinds	pork scratchings
postal code	post code
postal outlet	sub post office
potato chips	crisps
pot holders	oven gloves
pound sign, number sign	hash sign
powdered sugar US	icing sugar
pre-natal	ante-natal
preserves	jam, marmalade
pressure	pressurise
private school	public school
proctor	invigilator
professor	lecturer
prong	pin
public school	state school
pullout, pulloff	lay by
pump	court shoe
purse	handbag
quarter	no equivalent
quarter note	crotchet
Quonset hut	Nissen hut
radio	wireless
Radio Shack	Tandy
railroad	railway
rain check	no equivalent
rappel	abseil
Realtor	estate agent
Realty	estate agency
recess	break
reforestation	reafforestation
rent	hire
restroom	toilet
résumé	curriculum vitae (CV)
retirement fund	superannuation
(American) Revolutionary War	American War of Independence
roast	joint
robe	dressing gown
roll	tube
rooming house	lodging house
rotary	roundabout
round trip	return
row house	terrace house
rubber boots	wellingtons
rubbers	condoms
rubbing alcohol	surgical spirit
run	ladder
run for office	stand for election
runners	trainers
running shoes	trainers
rutabaga	swede
sack lunch	packed lunch
sales clerk	shop assistant
sales tax	VAT
sand box	sand pit
sanitary napkin	sanitary towel
savings and loan trust	building society
sawbuck	sawhorse
scale	weighbridge
scallion	spring onion
schedule	timetable
scheme	plot
Scotch Tape	Sellotape
second floor	first floor
sedan	saloon
seeing eye dog	guide dog
semi-trailer	articulated lorry
server	waiter or waitress
senior	pensioner
shade	blind
sherbet	sorbet
shoestring	bootlace, shoelace
shrimp	prawn
sidewalk	pavement or footpath
silverware	cutlery
sixteenth note	semi-quaver
ski mask	balaclava
skivvies	underpants & vest
sled	sledge
slingshot	catapult
smoked herring	kipper
snaps	press studs
sneakers	trainers
snowpack	lying snow
snow peas	mangetout
soccer	football
social security number	national insurance number
soda	soft drink
soother	dummy
sophomore	no equivalent
spool	reel
spur line	branch line
squash	vegetable marrow
standings	table, league table
none	special school
station wagon	estate car
statutory holiday	bank holiday
stemware	wineglasses
stick shift	gear lever
stocking stuffer	stocking filler
store	shop
stove	cooker, oven
straight	neat
streetcar	tram
strip mall	parade of shops
stroller	push chair, baby buggy
stub	counterfoil
subway	underground railway
suspenders	braces
sweeper	vaccuum cleaner
switch	points
switchback	hairpin bend
switchblade knife	flick knife
switcher	shunter
switchyard	marshalling yard
telephone pole	telegraph pole
teleprompter	autocue
teller	cashier
texas gate	cattle grid
thread	cotton
thumbtack	drawing pin
tic-tac-toe	noughts and crosses
tie	sleeper
tie	draw
toonie	no equivalent
townhouse	terrace house
tractor-trailer	articulated lorry or "artic"
traffic circle US	roundabout
trail	track, footpath
trailer, trailer home	caravan
train station	railway station
transit	public transport
transmission tower	electricity pylon
trash	rubbish
trash can	dustbin
trolley
truck	lorry
truck stop	transport café
trunk	boot
tub	bath
tube	valve
turn signals	indicators
turtle neck	polo neck
tuxedo	dinner jacket
two-four	no equivalent
two weeks	fortnight
under basement	cellar
undershirt	vest
unemployment compensation/insurance	dole, unemployment pay/benefit
union suit	long johns, combinations
utility pole	telegraph pole
vacation	holiday
valance	pelmet
vacationer	holidaymaker
vest	waistcoat
veterans' day	remembrance day
wall to wall (carpet)	fitted carpet
wallet	purse
wash cloth	(face) flannel
washroom	toilet
water heater	immersion heater, geyser
weed wacker, weed eater	strimmer
welfare	benefit
wheat bread	brown bread
whiskey	whisky
whole note	semi-breve
windshield	windscreen
wire	telegram
wrench	spanner
yard	garden
zee	zed
zip code	post code
zucchini	courgette
911	999

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Reading: British English Compared to American English

Source: http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~jphb/american.html (by Peter Burden) Differences in Word Usage: Different words are used to describe the same thing

American

British

airplane

aeroplane

AM

Medium Wave

antenna

aerial

apartment

flat

apartment house/building

block of flats

appetizer

starter, hors d'oeuvre

area code

dialling code

asphalt

Tarmac

attached home

semi-detached house

attorney

lawyer

auto, automobile

car

automated teller machine (ATM)

cashpoint

baby carriage

pram

backpack/backbag

rucksack

back-up light

reversing light

baked potato

jacket potato

baking soda

bicarbonate of soda

Band-Aid

sticking plaster

bandshell

bandstand

bangs

fringe

bankroll

foot the bill

bar

pub, public house

barrette

hair slide

baseboard

skirting board

bathrobe

dressing gown

bathroom

toilet

bathtub

bath

battle stations

action stations

beater

banger

beer

lager

bell pepper

red pepper, green pepper

beltway, loop

ring road, circular road

bill

note

billfold

wallet

billion

thousand million

binder clip

bulldog clip

biscuit

scone

blacktop

Click Here to return to the previous page

Source: http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~jphb/american.html (by Peter Burden)

Differences in Word Usage: Different words are used to describe the same thing