British vs American English – The Grammar Goat Online English Language School

British vs American English

There are many wonderful similarities and differences between British and American English. One curious difference is when it comes to the floor labelling system in hotels/ buildings.

On which floor would you find the reception in Britain? And how about the front desk in America?  Look at the diagram to check.

Do you know why there is never a thirteenth (13th) floor in a hotel?  This is because of a fear of the number 13, also know as triskaidekaphobia.

British and American English has some curious differences. Please read my two hotel reports from yesterday evening. It was quite an eventful night at the Grammar Goat 5 star hotel! Can you guess which report is written in American English and which report is written in British English?
Below is the glossary so that you can check.

Report A:
Front desk report. There were lots of problems last night. A faucet in the restaurant restroom on the first floor broke. Water got into the electrical outlets and caused a power outage. Elevator six got stuck on the second floor and a guest wearing only a bathrobe and sneakers was spotted running across the parking lot.

Report B:
Hotel Reception report. There were lots of problems last night. A tap in the restaurant toilet on the ground floor broke. Water got into the electrical socket and caused a power cut. Lift six got stuck on the first floor and a guest wearing only a dressing gown and trainers was spotted running across the car park.

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Intercultural awareness is at the heart of our pedagogy. I hope you have discovered some new vocabulary when reading my blog post today.