Differences Between American and British English Terms

• English
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 1,2

Differences Between American and British English Terms

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson you will be able to identify common differences between American and British English vocabulary. At the end of the lesson you will be able to match American English words with their British English counterparts.

What do you already know about American and British English vocabulary?

Understanding American and British English vocabulary differences

Highlighting the lexical variations between American and British English terms.

Learning specific vocabulary terms in American and British English

Exploring specific examples of vocabulary differences between American and British English.

Apartment/Flat

Apartment: A place to live usually rented. Flat: The British English term for apartment.

Elevator/Lift

Elevator: A device for moving people or goods up or down. Lift: The British English term for elevator.

Truck/Lorry

Truck: A large motor vehicle for transporting goods. Lorry: The British English term for truck.

Flashlight/Torch

Flashlight: A portable hand-held light source. Torch: The British English term for flashlight.

Gasoline/Petrol

Gasoline: Fuel for cars. Petrol: The British English term for gasoline.

Soccer/Football

Soccer: The sport known as soccer in the US and football in British English.

Diaper/Nappy

Diaper: A garment worn by babies to absorb waste. Nappy: The British English term for diaper.

Trash can/Bin

Trash can: A container for rubbish or waste. Bin: The British English term for trash can.

Candy/Sweets

Candy: Small sugary confections. Sweets: The British English term for candy.

Cookie/Biscuit

Cookie: A sweet baked good. Biscuit: The British English term for cookie.

Vacation/Holiday

Vacation: A period of time for rest or travel. Holiday: The British English term for vacation.

Sidewalk/Pavement

Sidewalk: The path beside a road for pedestrians. Pavement: The British English term for sidewalk.

Zucchini/Courgette

Zucchini: A type of summer squash. Courgette: The British English term for zucchini.

Eggplant/Aubergine

Eggplant: A purple vegetable. Aubergine: The British English term for eggplant.

Fall/Autumn

Fall: The season between summer and winter. Autumn: The British English term for fall.

Closet/Wardrobe

Closet: A large cupboard for storing clothes. Wardrobe: The British English term for closet.

Pants/Trousers

Pants: An outer garment covering the body from the waist to the ankles. Trousers: The British English term for pants.

Eraser/Rubber

Eraser: A tool for erasing pencil marks. Rubber: The British English term for eraser.

Sneakers/Trainers

Sneakers: Athletic shoes. Trainers: The British English term for sneakers.

Schedule/Timetable

Schedule: A plan for carrying out a process or procedure. Timetable: The British English term for schedule.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.