Different Meanings in British and American English- Jigsaw
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Students review expressions that have different meanings in the UK and US and so could be confusing with a fun jigsaw exercise.
Lesson Plan Content:
Different meanings in British and American jigsaw
Instructions for teachers
Copy one set of cards per group of two to four students. Decide which cards you want to use, for example by cutting off the cards which are too easy from the top and cutting off the cards which are too difficult from the bottom.
Cut up the cards like a jigsaw, with a mix of different sizes and maybe shapes, with at least two cards in each piece of the jigsaw, and maybe with the whole middle column not cut up at all. Don’t leave any individual cards on their own. Students should match the word cards to the two meanings cards, using words above and below and the shapes of the cards to help when they aren’t sure about the meanings and about which one is British and which one is American. Note that the words used in the explanations sometimes come from the opposite kind of English, so they should just think about the meaning of the word in the middle column, not the origin of the words used to describe it. Many of the words (like “gas”) also have shared meanings that are not included due to lack of space, but which you could tell them if they get stuck. You could also:
- Tell them a few matches
- Tell them one column and get them to match the others
- Let them look at an un-cut-up copy of the worksheet without touching the cards, then try again after they hide the answer sheet
After they check their answers with the answer sheet, they can test each other on the same words by:
- Reading out two meanings for their partner to guess the word for
- Read out a list of words and meanings from one side of the table until their partner is sure if it is all British and if it is all American (maybe with points off if they are wrong)
- Reading out a word and one meaning for their partner to say the other meaning of
- Reading out a word for their partner to say both meanings for
Cards to cut up/ Suggested answers
|
British meaning of the word |
word |
American meaning of the word |
|
just above ground level
|
first floor |
at ground level |
|
pedestrian underpass
|
subway |
underground railway |
|
natural gas
|
gas |
gasoline/ petrol |
|
wallet for coins/ women
|
purse |
handbag |
|
vacation
|
holiday |
public holiday |
|
underpants
|
pants |
trousers/ slacks |
|
French fries, as in fish and… |
chips |
crisps, as in nacho… |
|
place with a bathtub/ shower |
bathroom |
toilet |
|
starter
|
entrée |
main course |
|
soccer
|
football |
American football |
|
a kind of private school
|
public school |
a government-funded school |
|
top level academic
|
professor |
university teaching staff |
|
crazy
|
mad |
angry |
|
stove/ range
|
cooker |
cook/ chef |
|
the opposite of generous
|
mean |
the opposite of kind |
|
cookie, as in “chocolate…”
|
biscuit |
a kind of savoury scone |
|
field hockey
|
hockey |
ice hockey |
|
wheat, as in “fields of…”
|
corn |
sweetcorn, as in “tuna and” |
|
one pence
|
penny |
a cent |
|
track and field (sprint, etc)
|
athletics |
sport |
sprinter, etc
|
athlete |
sportsman (generally) |
cook under heat/ broil
|
grill |
barbecue on a hot plate |
|
long distance highway bus
|
coach |
economy class |
|
allowing free choice
|
liberal |
left wing/ progressive |
|
finish an undergrad course
|
graduate |
successfully finish education |
|
technician
|
engineer |
train driver |
|
undershirt
|
vest |
waistcoat |
|
petrol station
|
garage |
multi-storey car park |
|
sweater/ pullover
|
jumper |
knitted dress |
alcoholic apple drink
|
cider |
apple juice |
|
dessert (generally)
|
pudding |
crème caramel |
|
eraser
|
rubber |
condom |
|
railway coach
|
carriage |
baby carriage/ pram |
|
pushchair/ stroller
|
buggy |
baby carriage/ pram |
|
zipper
|
zip |
postcode/ nothing |
|
nylons/ pantyhose
|
tights |
leggings/ unitard |
|
doctor’s office/ clinic
|
surgery |
operating theatre |
|
revenue/ gross sales
|
turnover |
staff turnover |
|
do the dishes
|
wash up |
wash your hands |
|
passage for cars
|
underpass |
pedestrians’ way |
|
drunk
|
pissed |
annoyed |
Jello (a kind of dessert)
|
jelly |
a kind of jam |
baby’s bed/ crib
|
cot |
camp bed |
|
top of a convertible car
|
hood |
bonnet |
|
to hold up stockings
|
suspenders |
braces, to hold up trousers |
cart/ wagon
|
trolley |
streetcar/ tram |
|
round brackets
|
brackets |
square brackets |
|
telephone box/ booth
|
callbox |
roadside emergency phone |
|
campground
|
campsite |
pitch for a tent |
|
freight car on a train
|
wagon |
shopping cart/ trolley |
|
sleeveless sweater
|
tank top |
sleeveless T-shirt |
|
bring into discussion
|
table a topic |
lay aside/ delay |
|
picnic basket
|
hamper |
laundry/ linen basket |
|
day care/ nursery
|
crèche |
Xmas nativity scene |
|
criticize
|
tick off |
annoy |
|
duplex (as in “… detached”)
|
semi |
articulated lorry (“… trailer”) |
|
a position in rugby
|
hooker |
slang for prostitute |
|
sidewalk (for walking on)
|
pavement |
asphalt/ road surface |
|
panto, a kind of Xmas play
|
pantomime |
miming |
|
detective constable
|
DC |
District of Columbia |
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