IELTS

Session-2 Vocabulary (British & American) - Handout

http://cutewriting.blogspot.com/2008/12/british-english-americandifferences_07.html

A word used in BrE (British English) may have an entirely different spelling and set of meanings in AmE (American English), and some words with the same spelling can have entirely different meanings.

BRITISH ENGLISH WORD Aerial anywhere aubergine autocue autumn banknote/currency note

AMERICAN ENGLISH COMMENTS COUNTERPART antenna anyplace eggplant teleprompter fall bill In UK, the word bill is a note of charges for products/services offered, which in AmE is invoice In AmE, solicitor is a top legal officer To mean the explosive cartridge, use the word autocue/teleprompter is the device that shows lines of text for newsreaders The same goes for somewhere

barrister/lawyer/solicit attorney/lawyer or biscuit cracker/cookie

Session2_Basic Grammar_IELTS Ghazala Tazmeen

firecracker bonnet break time boot braces car park hood recess trunk suspenders parking lot Suspenders may also be called stockings

chemical shop/pharmacy/chemi drugstore st's chips french fries In AmE, chips still exists, but it is used for the BrE term, crisps Cinema is the place where films are exhibited. In UK, it can also mean movie industry. In India, the word theater is more widely used for cinema.

cinema

the movies/movie theater

constable cooker cot cotton crash crossroads curtains diversion drawing pin

patrolman stove crib thread wreck intersection drapes detour thumbtack

Session2_Basic Grammar_IELTS Ghazala Tazmeen

dustbin dustman dynamo engine estate film flat flyover/over bridge

trashcan/garbage can garbage collector generator motor station wagon movie apartment overpass In the UK, the rugby is known as American football. Other terms like rugby, rugby football, etc., are also used. Estate here is a large vehicle, and not the land property

football

soccer

garden grill ground floor gym shoe/trainers hand brake holiday ill interval

yard broiler first floor sneakers emergency brake vacation sick intermission Yes, in American English, there is no ground floor. Trainers or sneakers are a better word than gym shoe.

jersey/jumper/pullover sweater knickers panties

Session2_Basic Grammar_IELTS Ghazala Tazmeen

stone ladybird lift lorry luggage main road mate/bloke maths motorway nappy newsagent optician paraffin pavement peep petrol post post box postman

kilo gram/ gram Ladybug elevator truck baggage highway dude/guy math superhighway/express way diaper news dealer optometrist kerosene sidewalk peek gasoline/gas mail mailbox mailman/mail carrier There are other words like 'gas station', which is 'petrol station' in UK. Newsagent is anyone that sells newspapers at newsstands. These words should be used in singular. In plural form, it should be 'pieces of luggage'.

Session2_Basic Grammar_IELTS Ghazala Tazmeen

pub toilet/loo pal/mate postcode/postal code pushchair/buggy queue railway rise saloon shop silencer sophister spanner

bar restroom buddy ZIP code stroller line railroad raise sedan store muffler sophomore wrench This is especially true in the case of staff of the universities or other educational institutions. Muffler is the device attached to firearms to silence shots. Sophister is a second-year undergraduate in the UK. This is especially in the case of salary Sedan is a type of car. ZIP is acronym for Zone Improvement Program Pushchair is a baby's carriage. Loo is a rather less-used term in UK to mean toilet. There is also the term, 'bathroom'.

staff

faculty

sweet sweets tap

dessert candy/confectionery faucet

Session2_Basic Grammar_IELTS Ghazala Tazmeen

taxi tea towel term tights timetable tin toll road torch tram tramp trousers underground railroad/underground railway undertaker

cab dishtowel/dishcloth semester pantyhose schedule can turnpike flashlight streetcar hobo pants subway funeral director/mortician

In Indian English, you will find the word taxicab in widespread use.

Toll road is a road in which a toll (a fee) is levied to use.

Underground road is also called subway. Definitely I am not a fan of 'funeral director'.

vest/singlet/waistcoat undershirt windscreen windshield pedestrian crossing/crosswalk Zebra crossing comes from the fact that the crossing areas in roads have white stripes as a zebra.

zebra crossing

Session2_Basic Grammar_IELTS Ghazala Tazmeen