England and America are two countries divided by a common language. — George Bernard Shaw
vocabulary
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| airplane | aeroplane |
| anyplace, anywhere | anywhere |
| apartment | flat, apartment |
| area code | dialing code (phone) |
| attorney, lawyer | barrister, solicitor, lawyer |
| bar | pub |
| billfold | wallet |
| busy | engaged (phone) |
| cab | taxi |
| call collect | reverse the charges (phone) |
| can | tin, can |
| candy | sweets |
| cellphone | mobile |
| check/bill | bill (in a restaurant) |
| coin-purse | purse |
| cookie, cracker | biscuit |
| corn | sweet corn, maize |
| crib | cot |
| crazy | mad |
| crosswalk | pedestrian, zebra crossing |
| cuffs | turn-ups (on trousers) |
| diaper | nappy |
| doctor’s office | doctor’s surgery |
| drugstore | chemist |
| dumb, stupid | stupid |
| elevator | lift |
| eraser | rubber, eraser |
| fall, autumn | autumn |
| faucet, tap | tap (indoors) |
| first floor, second floor etc | ground floor, first floor etc |
| flashlight | torch |
| flat (tire) | flat tyre, puncture |
| french fries | chips |
| garbage, trash | rubbish |
| garbage can, trashcan | dustbin, rubbish bin |
| gas(oline) | Petrol |
| gear shift | gear lever (on a car) |
| highway, freeway | main road, motorway |
| hood | bonnet (of a car, at the front) |
| intersection | crossroads |
| mad | angry |
| post | |
| mean | nasty |
| movie, film | film |
| movies | cinema |
| one-way (ticket) | single (ticket) |
| pants, trousers | trousers |
| parking lot | car park |
| pavement | road surface |
| pitcher | jug |
| pocketbook, purse, handbag | handbag |
| (potato) chips | crisps |
| railroad | railway |
| raise | rise (in salary) |
| rest room, bathroom | (public) toilet |
| resume | cv |
| round trip | return (journey / ticket) |
| schedule, timetable | timetable |
| shorts | pants |
| sidewalk | pavement |
| sneakers | trainers (=sports shoes) |
| spigot, faucet | tap (outdoors) |
| stand in line | queue |
| stingy | mean (opposite of generous) |
| store, shop | shop |
| subway | underground, tube (train) |
| truck | van, lorry |
| trunk | boot (of a car, at the back) |
| two weeks | fortnight, two weeks |
| undershirt | vest |
| vacation | holiday(s) |
| windshield | windscreen (on a car) |
| zee | zed (the name of the letter z) |
| zip code | postcode |
| zipper | zip |
spelling
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| center | centre |
| analyze | analyse |
| tire | tyre(on a wheel) |
| neighbor | neighbour |
Resources
- Practical English Usage, by Michael Swan
- Learning English as a Foreign Language FOR DUMmIES, By Gavin Dudeney and Nicky Hockly