British vs American English

American vs British English

British English US English

US English British English
A-Z A-Z
bank holiday3 public holiday apartment flat
basin *sink baby buggy pram
big wheel Ferris wheel band-aid plaster
biscuits cookies bathroom toilet
bonnet hood bellboy page
boot trunk braid plait
braces suspenders bureau office
break (play time) recess busy engaged
candyfloss cotton candy can tin
car park parking lot candy apple toffee apple
chest (set) of drawers bureau carnival funfair
chips French fries checking account current account
compere emcee chips crisps
cinema movie theater cookies biscuits
crisps chips cotton candy candyfloss
crossroads intersection curb kerb
current account checking account detergent washing powder
curtains drapes diapers nappies
drawing-pin thumbtack dishwashing
washing up liquid
drink-driving drunk driving liquid
dummy pacifier drapes curtains
dustbin trashcan drunk driving drink-driving
engaged busy elevator lift
film movie emcee compere
fish fingers fish sticks eraser !rubber
flannel washcloth faucet tap
flat apartment Ferris wheel big wheel
flu grippe fish sticks fish fingers
frying-pan skillet flashlight torch
funfair carnival free time spare time
garden yard freeway / turnpike motorway
ground floor first floor French fries chips
handbag purse garbage rubbish
holiday vacation garters !suspenders
hoover vacuum cleaner gas petrol
jam jelly grippe flu
jug pitcher ground beef minced beef
jumper sweater first floor ground floor
kerb curb highway main road
ladder run hood bonnet
last post taps intersection crossroads
lift elevator jelly jam
lorry truck knapsack rucksack
mackintosh slicker motorway exit ramp
main road highway movie film
minced beef ground beef movie theater cinema
motorway freeway / turnpike moving van removal van
nail varnish nail polish nail polish nail varnish
nappies diapers oatmeal porridge
page bellboy pacifier dummy
pants panties !pants knickers
pavement sidewalk panty hose tights
petrol gas parking lot car park
plait braid pitcher jug
plaster band-aid private school public school
porridge oatmeal public holiday bank holiday3
postcode zip code purse handbag
pram baby buggy ramp1 slip road
public school private school recess break (play time)
pupil student report card school report
removal van moving van ! rubber ! condom
! rubber ! eraser rubber boots wellies / wellingtons
rubbish garbage run ladder
rubbish trash scallion spring onion
rucksack knapsack Scotch tape Sellotape
saloon car sedan sedan saloon car
school report report card sidewalk pavement
Sellotape Scotch tape *sink basin
shares stocks skillet frying-pan
spare time free time slicker mackintosh
spring onion scallion stocks shares
!suspenders (used streetcar tram
to hold up ladies garters student pupil
stockings) !suspenders braces
tap faucet sweater jumper
tights panty hose taps last post
tin can thumbtack drawing-pin
toffee apple candy apple !toilet (but the loo not the
toilet
toilet bathroom room)
torch flashlight trash rubbis
streetcar trashcan dustbin
tram
trolley car trolley car tram
trousers !pants truck lorry
vest undershirt trunk boot
washing powder detergent undershirt vest
washing up liquid dishwashing liquid vacation holiday
wellies / wellingtons rubber boots vacuum cleaner hoover
windscreen windshield washcloth flannel
yard2 yard windshield windscreen
zip zipper yard garden
zip code postcode
zipper zip

1
- When used to talk about roads and motorways. Someone I know took over 4 hours to
complete a 25 minute drive, because he didn't know what his sat nav system meant when it said
"Take the ramp".
2
- When a Brit hears the word "yard" in connection with houses, we think of a concrete area,
usually full of building materials, or work tools.

3 - Bank holidays have to follow certain rules, otherwise they are also known as public holidays in
the UK. You can read more about what makes a bank holiday here in the British Culture section.

Another huge difference that causes great confusion is writing the date. When you write the date
in numbers British and American English differ. To write the date 7th of September 2007 a Brit
would write dd/mm/yy (07/09/07) and an American would write mm/dd/yy (09/07/07). This often
causes great confusion. It's better to write the date in full (7th September 2007 or September 7th
2007). It also looks nicer.

Spelling - some spellings in AmE are different to BrE. Here are a couple:-

ise vs ize

! - watch out! These words could prove embarassing.

!Note - *if the sink is in the kitchen - it's a sink, but if it's in the bathroom it's a basin.