British vs american english vocabulary
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This document provides two activities to teach students the differences between American and British English. In the first activity, students are put into groups and given words to match between the two versions, like "sneakers" and "trainers." The second activity uses dominoes with words on them, like "cell phone" and "mobile phone", for students to match up the equivalents. It includes a discussion at the end about rules for spelling differences.
British vs american english vocabulary
- 1. You say aubergine...I say eggplant Aim: To raise awareness of differences between British and American English. Resources: White boards or Word cards if you choose. List of common words in American and British English. Dictionaries for further reference. Activity 1 Ask the class: o What are sneakers? (sports shoes) o Is this American English or British English? (American English) o What is the word in British English? (trainers) Put the students in groups. Read out a selection from the list below of common words in American and British English (or use words that you have recently covered in class or that are coming in your lesson perhaps in a reading or listening text). Students must write the correct British English word/s for American English words. To make it more fun set it up as a competition and give points to the group that says the correct word first. Alternatively you can read out a selection of British English words and students write the correct US equivalent. Activity 2 Cut out the dominoes and distribute them to the students. Ask one student to start by reading out the second word on his/her domino (this will be an American English word). Ask the student who has the British English equivalent to read it out and then read the other word on his/her domino. Continue this pattern around the classroom until the cycle is complete. Alternatively, you could spread the dominoes out on a table and get the students to make a paper trail by joining the equivalent terms to one another. Discussion How / why are we familiar with these words and terms? (TV/films/ American books/music) In the future will there be more or fewer words that are different? What rules should you follow when checking that you have used British English rather than American English? Warning: Problem with computer spelling check if on American English. Extension Have students look up key words that are Americanized in their spelling, e.g. colour/color; programme/program; theatre/theater; metre/meter; humour/humor; favourite/favourite; skilful/skilful; centre/center etc. and see if they can come up with rules for the spelling changes. 息 2008 www.teachitworld.com 9298 Page 1 of 5
- 2. You say aubergine...I say eggplant American British American British cell phone mobile phone truck lorry trash can bin corn maize cookie biscuit ground beef mince faucet tap highway motorway hood (car) bonnet (car) diaper nappy trunk (car) boot (car) suspenders braces parking lot car park license plate number plate motor home caravan gas petrol pharmacist chemist sidewalk pavement fries chips garbage rubbish movie theater cinema band-aid plaster potato chips crisps mail post pacifier dummy zip code postal code apartment flat stroller pram overpass flyover line queue soccer football stove cooker vacation holiday eraser rubber jelly jam napkin serviette candy sweets eggplant aubergine sweater jumper can tin elevator lift flashlight torch bathroom loo or WC pants trousers windshield (car) windscreen vest waistcoat 息 2008 www.teachitworld.com 9298 Page 2 of 5
- 3. You say aubergine...I say eggplant waistcoat cell phone caravan pharmacist mobile phone trash can chemist fries movie bin cookie chips theater biscuit faucet cinema potato chips tap hood (car) crisps pacifier bonnet (car) trunk (car) dummy apartment boot (car) parking lot flat overpass car park motor home flyover soccer 息 2008 www.teachitworld.com 9298 Page 3 of 5
- 4. You say aubergine...I say eggplant football vacation lorry corn holiday jelly maize ground beef jam candy mince highway sweets sweater motorway diaper jumper elevator nappy suspenders lift bathroom braces license plate windshield loo number plate gas (car) windscreen truck petrol sidewalk 息 2008 www.teachitworld.com 9298 Page 4 of 5
- 5. You say aubergine...I say eggplant pavement garbage cooker eraser rubbish band-aid rubber napkin plaster mail serviette eggplant post zip code aubergine can post code stroller tin flashlight pram line torch pants queue stove trousers vest 息 2008 www.teachitworld.com 9298 Page 5 of 5