American English vs. British English: The School Edition

blog home

This month’s American English vs. British English blog post theme is school. 

Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spelling, and here for more detailed information.

Here are 25 American English school-themed words and their British English counterparts:

  1. break – holidays 
  2. cafeteria – canteen 
  3. college – university 
  4. elementary school – primary school, junior school 
  5. eraser – rubber 
  6. exclamation point – exclamation mark
  7. faculty – staff 
  8. freshman (college) – fresher (university)
  9. grade, point – mark 
  10. high school – secondary school, college
  11. homeroom – form room, registration 
  12. junior (college) – third year (university)
  13. math – maths 
  14. period (punctuation) – full stop (punctuation)
  15. principal – headteacher 
  16. private school – public school 
  17. public school – state school
  18. quiz – test 
  19. recess – playtime, break 
  20. schedule – timetable 
  21. semester – term 
  22. senior (college) – final year (university)
  23. sophomore (college) – second year (university), 
  24. teachers’ lounge – staff room
  25. test – exam

How many more can you think of?

You may also like: 


20 May 2021
blog home

"Spellzone fits in beautifully with our Scope and Sequence of Phonological Awareness and Spelling. It also aligns perfectly with the four areas of spelling knowledge and uses the Brain, Ears, Eyes approach to learning spelling."
Thank you!

Teacher, Australia