Lead-In
Label the pictures below.
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Check the words you have written using the vocabulary list below. Did you use more British English or American English words?
Vocabulary
- food – toit
- aubergine (BrE), eggplant (AmE) – baklažaan
- biscuit (BrE), cookie (AmE) – küpsis
- chips (BrE), (French) fries – friikartulid
- courgette (BrE), zucchini (AmE) – suvikõrvits
- crisps (BrE), (potato) chips (AmE) – kartulikrõpsud
- maize (BrE), corn (AmE) – mais
- starter (BrE), appetizer (AmE) – eelroog
- sweet(s) (BrE), candy (AmE) – maiustus, komm
- takeaway (food) (BrE), takeout (AmE), to go (AmE) – kaasavõetav (toit)
- tin (BrE), can (AmE) – (konservi)purk
- school – kool
- primary school (BrE), elementary school (AmE) – algkool
- public school (BrE), private school (AmE) – erakool
- state school (BrE), public school (AmE) – riigikool
- rubber (BrE), eraser (AmE) – kustukumm
- timetable (BrE), schedule (AmE) – tunniplaan
- clothes – rõivad
- dressing gown (BrE), (bath)robe (AmE) – hommikumantel
- handbag (BrE), purse (AmE) – käekott
- jumper (BrE), sweater (AmE) – džemper
- pants (BrE), underpants, drawers (AmE) – aluspüksid
- rucksack (BrE), backpack – seljakott
- trainers (BrE), sneakers (AmE) – spordikingad, tennised
- trousers, pants (AmE) – püksid
- wellington boots (BrE), wellies (BrE), rubber boots (AmE), rain boots (AmE) – kummikud
- zip (BrE), zipper (AmE) – tõmblukk
- living – elamine
- block of flats (BrE), apartment building (AmE) – korrusmaja, korterelamu
- terraced house (BrE), row house (AmE) – ridaelamu
- flat (BrE), apartment (AmE) – korter
- ground floor (BrE), first floor (AmE) – esimene korrus
- lift (BrE), elevator (AmE) – lift
- wardrobe (BrE), closet (AmE) – riidekapp
- garden (BrE), yard (AmE), lawn (AmE) – hoov
Let’s Practise!
- a small dish served before the main course –
- an object used to remove pencil marks from paper –
- a chart showing when lessons take place –
- comfortable shoes that can be worn for sports –
- a machine that lets you go from one floor to another –
- waterproof shoes covering the foot and lower part of the leg –
- a space used for storing clothes –
American English:
- r
- o
- c
- n
- s
- r
- p
- u
- e
- o
- o
- c
- i
- k
- e
- i
- e
- p
- r
- z
- p
- c
- c
- i
- n
- h
- i
- z
- u
- t
- p
- e
- g
- l
- g
- a
- n
- rench fres
- potto cips
- blok of flts
- dresing gwn
- teraed huse
- tkeway fod
- apatmnt bildin
- elmetar shol
Pairwork 1
Say a sentence to your partner using the other variety[explanation: variety [vəˈraɪəti] – (keele)variant] of English. Then your partner checks. Switch roles.
Example: I often eat pasta with zucchini.
I often eat pasta with courgette.
Correct!
- We’re having grilled eggplant for dinner. Do you want some?
- Are you going to sell chocolate biscuits at the school’s Christmas fair?
- When Tom watches movies at home, he usually snacks on potato chips.
- Their flat is on the ground floor, so they don’t need to take the lift.
- This restaurant serves truly delicious shrimps as an appetizer.
- How often do you order takeaway?
Varieties are different forms of a language. |  |
Pairwork 2
Say a sentence to your partner using a British English word. Your partner then says your sentence using the corresponding American English word. Switch roles.
Would you like some chips?
Would you like some French fries?
Colour or Color?
British English and American English also differ in spelling.
Compare:
British English | American English |
colour | color |
neighbour | neighbor |
humour | humor |
NB! This is true for words where -our has no stress[explanation: stress [stres] – siin: rõhk] and is pronounced as [ə(r)]. In contrast, flour, hour, tour and contour [ˈkɒntɔː(r)] do not change their spelling.
-or remains the same if a word refers to a person: actor, emperor, vendor.
English has many words of Latin, Greek and French origin, and British English has kept their original ending -re.
Compare:
British English | American English |
theatre | theater |
metre (as a unit of measurement[explanation: unit of measurement [ˈjuːnɪt əv ˈmeʒəmənt] – mõõtühik]) | meter |
centre | center |
NB! Some exceptions:
acre[explanation: acre [ˈeɪkə(r)] – aaker] (BrE and AmE)
genre (BrE and AmE)
What a lovely day I had yesterday! In the morning, my mom put my favorite cookies in my backpack. It was a real treat eating them after lunch!
Since I’m in elementary school, my schedule isn’t very busy. Yesterday after classes, I had a quick snack at home and headed to the yard to play with my friends. Our neighbor’s kids joined us too. We had so much fun playing tag!
How Am I Doing?
I can name words related to food, school, clothes and living in both British and American English. | |
I can recognise words written in American English and change the spelling according to British English. |
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