British vs. American words can be tricky because some differences are real (flat/apartment, petrol/gasoline), while others are not “UK vs. US” at all (they’re simply different foods or different meanings).
Below is a cleaner, more accurate list of British English vs. American English vocabulary differences, with examples.
British vs. American Words
Here are commonly used British vs. American words with example sentences.
Education & Work
RESUME vs. CV
- UK: Send a full CV with your job application.
- US: Send your resume with a cover letter for the role.
STAFF vs. FACULTY
- The university’s medical faculty published a new study. (teaching staff)
- Our staff will be available to give you technical support. (employees/support team)
EXAM vs. TEST
- UK: I think I did OK in the exam.
- US: He’s anxiously awaiting his test results.
HEADMASTER vs. PRINCIPAL
- UK: Our teacher has been promoted to headmaster.
- US: The principal is a very busy woman.
Home & Daily Life
SOFA vs. COUCH
- UK: I just want to crash out on the sofa.
- US: Tom offered to sleep on the couch.
CURTAINS vs. DRAPES
- UK: She blinked when I opened the curtains.
- US: The door was partially concealed by the drapes.
POST vs. MAIL
- UK: The letter is ready for the post.
- US: We do our business by mail.
WARDROBE vs. CLOSET
- UK: She hung the dress up in the wardrobe.
- US: I need to clear out my closet.
NAPPY vs. DIAPER
- UK: Excuse me while I change the baby’s nappy.
- US: I bathed him and changed his diaper.
TROUSERS vs. PANTS
- UK: You look great in those trousers.
- US: You can’t wear those red pants to the interview.
HANDBAG vs. PURSE
- UK: She put her keys back into her handbag.
- US: The thieves stole her purse.
Note: In British English, purse often means a small coin wallet, while in American English it usually means a handbag.
Housing
FLAT vs. APARTMENT
- UK: She pays £200 a week for this flat.
- US: She rents a small apartment downtown.
Food & Drink
- UK: Add chopped coriander on top.
- US: Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
PORRIDGE vs. OATMEAL
- UK: Someone’s been and eaten my porridge!
- US: Oatmeal is a common breakfast food.
BISCUIT vs. COOKIE
- UK: Would you like some cake or a biscuit?
- US: She took a nibble of her cookie.
CRISPS vs. CHIPS vs. FRIES
- UK: Would you like to try some crisps? (US: chips)
- UK: He’s gone to get some fish and chips. (US: fish and fries)
- US: I ordered fries with my burger. (UK: chips)
- Sorbet is a frozen dessert made mostly from fruit and sugar (typically dairy-free).
- Sherbet is similar, but it often contains a small amount of milk or cream.
GAMMON vs. HAM
- UK: Turn the gammon over once during cooking. (cured pork, often sold uncooked)
- Would you like another slice of ham? (cured pork, often cooked/smoked and ready to eat)
POWDERED MILK vs. SUGAR
- Shall I put some powdered milk in your coffee?
- She sprinkled the strawberries with sugar.
Note: These are not “UK vs US” equivalents — they are different products.
Transport & Travel
PETROL vs. GASOLINE
- UK: The petrol tank is empty.
- US: His old car consumed much gasoline.
LORRY vs. TRUCK
- UK: I had a near collision with a lorry.
- US: The truck picked up speed slowly.
HOLIDAY vs. VACATION
- UK: We had good weather on our holiday.
- US: We’re taking a vacation in June.
TAXI vs. CAB
- UK: Can you get me a taxi, please?
- US: It’ll save time if we go by cab.
Everyday Objects
TORCH vs. FLASHLIGHT
- UK: She flashed the torch as a signal.
- US: I saw the sudden flare of a flashlight in the darkness.
TAP vs. FAUCET
- UK: The water was barely dribbling out of the tap.
- US: The sink and the faucet are spotless.
RUBBER vs. ERASER
- UK: Pencil marks can be erased with a rubber.
- US: You can rub out chalk marks with the eraser.
TIN vs. CAN
- UK: They opened a tin of sardines.
- US: All we’ve got is a couple of cans of soup.
JUG vs. PITCHER
- UK: He filled a jug with juice.
- US: He poured the milk out of the pitcher.
Entertainment & Sports
FILM vs. MOVIE
- UK: We stayed up late to see the film on television.
- US: The movie was a great success.
FOOTBALL vs. SOCCER
- US: FIFA is the governing body of world soccer.
- UK: The boys wanted to play football.
Other Common Differences
AUTUMN vs. FALL
- UK: The leaves begin to fall when autumn comes.
- US: The leaves turn crimson in fall.
WAISTCOAT vs. VEST
- UK: Ossie was standing there in a waistcoat.
- US: He wore a woolen vest beneath his shirt.
MATHS vs. MATH
- UK: How did you do on your maths test?
- US: Tim’s good at math and science.
AUBERGINE vs. EGGPLANT
- UK: Cut the aubergines in half lengthways.
- US: He likes to eat eggplant.
BEETROOT vs. BEET
- UK: We fed the rabbit some beetroot tops.
- US: They talked endlessly about beet and cattle feed.
COURGETTE vs. ZUCCHINI
- UK: She was shaving thin slices off a courgette.
- US: Just rinse off the zucchini and dry it.
CUTLERY vs. SILVERWARE
- UK: Where do you keep the cutlery?
- US: Silverware and glasses gleamed like ornaments.
Restaurant Note: BILL vs. CHECK
- UK (restaurant): Could we have the bill, please?
- US (restaurant): Could we have the check, please?
Note: In American English, a check can also mean a bank cheque (payment). In restaurants, it means the bill.
Last Updated on March 3, 2026
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very helpful; however, my one qualm is that instead of invigilate it should be invigilator