In the UK, we drive slowly over sleeping policemen.
Are we afraid of waking them up?
| British English | American English |
| Sleeping Policeman /speed bump | Speed bump |
| Car park | Parking Lot |
| Car Journey / drive | Road Trip |
| Zebra Crossing / Pedestrian Crossing | Cross Walk |
| Lollipop Man or Lady | Crossing Guard |
| Motorway | Freeway |
| Traffic Jam / Tailback | Traffic Jam |
| Lorry | Truck |
| Articulated Lorry | Tractor Trailer / Trailer Truck |
| Petrol | Gas / Gasoline |
| Pavement | Sidewalk |
| Petrol Station | Gas Station |
| Skip | Dumpster |
| Diversion | Detour |
| Fire Engine | Fire Truck |
| Phone Box | Telephone Booth |
Buildings / Shops
| British English | American English |
| Semi-Detached House | Duplex |
| Flat (one storey) appartment | Apartment |
| Terrace (row of houses joined) | Town House |
| Chemist | Drug Store / Druggist |
| Cafe / Caff (not 24 hrs) | Diner |
| Bungalow | House (one story) Ranch House |
Vocabulry differences
A.part-I
When it comes to vocabulary, American English differs significantly from British English. Sometimes the same word has different meaning. There are also different words with the same meaning. A few examples are given below.
| American English | British English |
| Airplane | Aeroplane |
| Apartment | Flat/ apartment |
| Area code | Dialling code |
| Attorney, lawyer | Barrister, solicitor |
| Busy | Engaged (phone) |
| Cab/taxi | Taxi |
| Can | Tin |
| Candy | Sweets |
| Check/bill | Bill |
| Cookie, cracker | Biscuit |
| Corn | Maize |
| Crib | Cot |
| Crazy | Mad |
| Diaper | Nappy |
| Dumb, stupid | Stupid |
| Elevator | Lift |
| Eraser | Rubber, eraser |
| Fall, autumn | Autumn |
| Faucet, tap | Tap |
| First floor, second floor | Ground floor, first floor |
| Flashlight | Torch |
| French fries | Chips |
| Garbage, trash | Rubbish |
| Garbage can, trashcan | Dustbin, rubbish bin |
| Gas, gasoline | Petrol |
| Highway, freeway | Main road, motorway |
| Hood | Bonnet |
| Intersection | Crossroads |
| Mad | Angry |
| Post | |
| Mean | Nasty |
| Movie, film | Film |
| Pants, trousers | Trousers |
| Pavement | Road surface |
| Pitcher | Jug |
| Potato chips | Crisps |
| Purse | Handbag |
| Raise | Rise (salary) |
| Railroad | Railway |
| Rest room | Public toilet |
| Schedule, timetable | Timetable |
| Sneakers | Trainers (sports shoes) |
| Stand in line | Queue |
| Stingy | Mean |
| Store, shop | Shop |
| Subway | Underground |
| Truck | Van, lorry |
| Trunk | Boot (of a car) |
| Stand in line | Queue |
| Two weeks | Fortnight, two weeks |
| Vacation | Holiday(s) |
| Windshield | Windscreen |
| Zee | Zed |
| Stand in line | Queue |
| Zipper | Zip |
B.part-II
The same word may be used differently in British and American English.
Real
In informal American English, real is often used instead of really before adjectives and adverbs.
Sure
Sure is often used to mean certainly in an informal style. This is common in American English.
Slow
Slow is used as an adverb in road signs, and informally after go and some other verbs especially in American English.
Examples are: go slow, drive slow.
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