Vocabulary Differences Between American and British English

(A - L)

1. aeroplane (BrE) — airplane (AmE)

Our first example is actually very similar, and is more a difference in spelling (but the pronunciation is a bit different).

1. biscuit (BrE) — cookie/cracker (AmE)

If you go to the United States, you’ll possibly get to try chocolate chip cookies. They’re delicious, of course, but in British English they’d be called biscuits.

A biscuit in American English is very different. There, it’s a kind of buttery bread which is thicker than a cookie.

Also, an American cracker is very similar in shape to a cookie, but cookies are sweet and crackers are savory (not sweet).

1. chemist (BrE) — drugstore/pharmacy (AmE)

This is a store where you can buy medicine or other small items. In the United States, a pharmacy usually just sells medicine, and pharmacies are often part of larger stores.

A drugstore, for example, may have a pharmacy inside of it. And a drugstore is a store that sells a variety of things, and it usually is open longer hours, some even 24 hours a day.

1. chips (BrE) — fries/french fries (AmE)

This is the name for pieces of fried potatoes. A common meal in England is fish and chips, which is a piece of fried fish and some potato wedges. British potato chips are usually thicker and larger than American french fries.

You can find french fries all over the United States (and all over the world, actually), but they’re generally longer and skinnier than British chips.

1. crisps (BrE) — chips (AmE)

These words also describe fried potatoes, but they’re much smaller and thinner than British chips or American french fries.

So if you order chips in the United States or crisps in the United Kingdom, you’ll get something like in a bag of Lays potato chips.

But per #4 above, if you order chips in the United Kingdom or fries in the United States, you’ll get the kind of potatoes you might get at McDonalds.

1. dustbin (BrE) — trashcan/garbage can (AmE)

This is the name for the container where you can put your garbage, trash or waste.

This is usually smaller and inside of a house in American English, but it can also refer to a larger container that’s outside, especially in British English.

1. cinema (BrE) — movie theater (AmE)

This is the place where you can watch the latest “Fast and the Furious” or “Transformers” movie in public.

In American English, the word cinema usually describes an entire group of movies. So you might hear a phrase like “The cinema of the 1920s” because it describes all of the movies in that decade.

1. film (BrE) | movie (AmE)

This is what you watch when you’re on Netflix or when you go to the movie theater (AmE) or cinema (BrE).

The word film is also common in American English, but it usually refers to the physical product (for example, non-digital cameras use film).

1. fizzy drink (BrE) — pop/soda (AmE)

These words describe carbonated drinks that usually are sweet (such as Coca-Cola/Coke).

In American English, there’s a big debate about what to call these drinks (pop vs. soda); there’s even a whole website about it! I think that may be my new favorite website.

It’s also interesting to note that in many parts of the southern United States, all carbonated drinks are called coke, even if it’s not a Coke.

1. flat (BrE) — apartment (AmE)

This is the name for a small rented home. They’re attached to other apartments or flats in a larger building.

1. football (BrE) — soccer (AmE)

Ahh, this is always controversial.

In British English, this game is called football, and in many parts of the world, there is a similar word to describe this sport.

But not all parts of the world! It’s notable that in other English-speaking countries like Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and, of course, the USA, the word soccer is also common. That’s because football can describe a different sport in those countries.

It’s also interesting to note that the word “soccer” actually came to American English from British English, even though they don’t use it anymore in the UK.

1. holiday (BrE) — vacation (AmE)

This is a word that describes when you take a trip to a different place.

For example, in British English you can say “Last year we went on holiday to Greece.” But in American English you would say “Last year we took a vacation to Mexico.”

The word “holiday” is also common in American English, but it describes a special day or a day when you don’t have to work or go to school, like Christmas or Thanksgiving.

1. jumper (BrE) — sweater/sweatshirt (AmE)

This is a word that describes a piece of clothing with long sleeves that you wear on the top of your body.

There are many different varieties of jumpers, sweaters and sweatshirts. In the US, a sweater is usually a bit more formal, and a sweatshirt is often used for doing exercise. Many people who wear a sweatshirt for exercise also wear a pair of sweatpants, which are made of the same material.

1. lift (BrE) — elevator (AmE)

This is the name for the machine that takes you from one floor of a building to another.

1. lorry (BrE) — semi truck (AmE)

This describes a large vehicle that can carry cargo. In American English it’s called a semi or a semi truck.

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