EFL teacher David Appleyard
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Smoothing and improving transatlantic communication
Index of Americanisms
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Briticisms

 

AmericanAmerican term or expression BritishBritish equivalent, or explanation
gadfly breeze
gallon (1 U.S. gallon = 3.79 liters) gallon (1 imperial gallon = 4.55 litres)
game (sports event) match (soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis, etc.)
garbage rubbish, refuse
garbage can, garbage barrel dustbin, rubbish bin, waste bin
garbage dump rubbish tip
garbage man dustman, rubbish collector, refuse collector [formal]
garbage truck dustcart
garter belt suspender belt
garters (support for women's stockings) suspenders
gasoline, gas petrol
gas gauge petrol gauge, fuel gauge
gas pedal accelerator
gas pump petrol pump
gas station petrol station, filling station, service station, garage
gas stove gas cooker
gasoline, gas [colloq.] petrol
gate, turnstile (at train or subway station) barrier, ticket barrier  
gawk [colloq.] (stare in a rude or stupid manner) gawp [colloq.] 
gear changer (on bicycle) gear lever
gearshift (in vehicle) gear lever, gearstick  
general (U.S. Air Force) Air Chief Marshal (Royal Air Force)
general delivery (mail to pick up at a post office) poste restante
General of the Air Force (U.S. Air Force) Marshal of the Royal Air Force (RAF)
General of the Army (U.S. Army) Field Marshal (British Army)
German shepherd dog Alsatian dog
get your panties in a knot [colloq.]
      (get agitated over something)  
get your knickers in a twist [colloq.]  
G.I. Joe™ (military-themed doll) Action Man™ (UK equivalent)
give someone a call  (telephone) give someone a ring
give someone a ride give someone a lift
glasshouse greenhouse
glom [colloq.] (steal or take without permission) pinch [colloq.]
glom on to [colloq.] begin to show keen interest in something
go (n.) (try, attempt) (as in 'I had a go at fixing it') bash, crack, whack [all colloq.], go
go to a movie theater, go to the movies go to the cinema; go to the flicks / pictures [colloq.]
gob [slang] sailor
gofer [colloq.] (person assigned only boring tasks) dogsbody [colloq.]
golden raisin sultana
gondola (railroad freight car) goods wag(g)on (open, flat-bottomed type)
goof, goofball [colloq.] (inept, annoying, foolish male) prat, jerk [both slang]
goof, goof-up [colloq.] (blunder) cock-up [colloq.]
goof around [colloq.] fool around wasting time
goof up (v.) [colloq.] bungle or spoil through clumsiness
goon (thug or criminal) man hired to threaten, intimidate or hurt opponents
goose bumps goose pimples
GOP ('Grand Old Party') US Repubican Party
grab bag lucky dip
grade (school students in same year of study) form (as in 'from September he's in the 2nd form')
grade crossing, railroad crossing level crossing, railway crossing
graduate (n.) US student who has successfully completed high school or been awarded a first degree at college or university
graduate (v.) successfully complete US high school, college or university
graduate school (division of college or university) postgraduate school
graduate studies postgraduate studies
graduated beaker (in science lab) measuring beaker
graduated cylinder (in science lab) measuring cylinder
green bean French bean
green onion spring onion
green thumb (as in 'she has a green thumb',
                       i.e. she is good at growing plants)
green fingers (as in 'she's got green fingers')  
greeting card greetings card
gridiron playing field marked with lines for American football
grind (v.) (for an exam, etc.) swot, cram
ground (electrical); grounded earth; earthed
ground meat mince, minced meat
ground wire earth wire
groundhog woodchuck
groundskeeper (looks after sports field, park, etc.) groundsman
guardrail crash barrier
gumshoe [old-fashioned slang]   detective (who moves stealthily in rubber shoes)
gurney light bed on wheels for moving hospital patients
guy (male person, fellow) bloke, geezer, mush [all slang], chap