CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 98
Divided by a common language
Very
few words and expressions are used exclusively in either British or American
English, and you are likely to hear and read words from both varieties.
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A
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Streets and roads
Street
has a wider range of meaning in American English.
American
speaker: Let’s cross the street here; there’s more traffic further
down.
However,
a British speaker would normally say cross the road, especially in a
busy city.
Here
are some more examples of American English words and expressions not used in
British English.
The
British English expressions are given in square brackets.
Go
two blocks down and the car rental office is kitty-corner to the gas
station. [diagonally opposite; informal] [petrol station]
You
should always use the crosswalk to cross the street. [pedestrian
crossing / zebra crossing]
There’s
a trail that leads down to the creek. [path] [stream, small
river]
Take
a left here and you’ll come to the Interstate
after about three miles. [turn left] [major motorway in the US connecting
different states]
After
the intersection, look for a sign saying ‘International Airport’. [junction]
I
hit a shopping cart in the parking lot when
I
was backing up. [trolley] [car park] [reversing]
Look
for the overpass and then take the next exit for downtown Chicago. [flyover,
i.e. bridge that carries one road over another]
Language
help
In
British English road numbers use the; in American English no article
is used.
British
English: Take the M4 as far as Newbury, then turn off on to the A34
for Oxford. American English: Take I-45 north for about 20
miles, then take 25 west.
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B
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Educational terminology
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C
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Around
the home
This
cable is the ground (US) / earth (UK). [cable that takes electricity
safely into the ground]
We
need a dumpster (US) / skip (UK) to put all this old stuff in. [large
metal container for rubbish]
The
faucet (US) / tap (UK) in the kitchen never stops dripping!
I
have to cook for five people, so we need a big stove (US) / cooker (UK).
[piece of kitchen equipment to cook food]
I
fried the fish in a skillet (US) / frying pan (UK).
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EXERCISES
98.1
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Who
do you think is most likely to be speaking, an American or a British person?
What would someone who speaks the other variety probably have said instead?
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98.2
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Match
the words on the left with their equivalent on the right, and write US for
American English and UK for British English in the boxes.
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98.3
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Answer
the questions.
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ANSWER KEY
98.1
1
American. British version: I lost my way at the big junction just
south of the city.
2 British. American version: Why are there always so many shopping carts left in the parking lot? 3 British. American version: Cross the street at the crosswalk, then take a left. 4 American. British version: You can’t drive any further; you’ll have to reverse, the road is very narrow. 5 British. American version: You’ll see the gas station just after the overpass on I-34. 6 American. British version: Once you get on to the motorway, it will only take you two hours to get there. 7 American. British version: The office is diagonally opposite the Chinese restaurant. 8 American. British version: There’s a stream at the end of the (foot)path. It’s about three miles from here.
98.2
1
e dumpster US = skip UK
2 d ground US = earth UK 3 a frying pan UK = skillet US 4 c cooker UK = stove US 5 b faucet US = tap UK
98.3
1
A fresher, as they are younger.
2 At more or less the same level. 3 ‘Professor’ is an appropriate form of address for any university teacher in the US. In Britain it is a title given only to those of the highest academic rank. 4 Britain 5 The second year. 6 They mean psychology is their main subject of study. 7 No. In Britain it is likely to mean going to an institution for 16+ students to learn some special knowledge or skill (e.g. a teacher-training college). In the USA, it usually means going to university. 8 British |
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