British or American English board game

🎲 British or American? · Speaking Board Game

In this activity, we are going to practise the differences between British English and American English.

We have already seen that English changes depending on the country: sometimes the word changes, sometimes the pronunciation changes, and sometimes both.

Now it is time to play, remember the vocabulary and speak in English with your classmates.

🧩 The board game

This is the board we are going to use in class:

The board includes common words from everyday life: transport, food, places, objects and jobs. Your task is to say the word in the correct variety of English.

💂🏼 = say the word in British English
🗽 = say the word in American English
🗣️ = ask a question to the next player

📌 How to play

1. You will work in small groups.
2. Each group needs one board, one die and counters.
3. The player with the highest number starts.
4. Players take turns in order.
5. Roll the die and move your counter.
6. When you land on a square, look at the flag and say the word in that variety of English.
7. If your answer is correct, you stay on the square.
8. If your answer is not correct, go back one square.
9. When you have already answered, ask the next player a question about that topic.
10. If you land on square 13, go back to square 7 -sorry.
11. The first player to reach Finish wins.

🧠 What are we practising?

Before we start, remember this:

• British English and American English are both correct.
• Sometimes they use different words for the same thing.
• For example: lorry / truck, flat / apartment, chips / fries.
• In this game, we are not translating into Spanish. We are moving from one kind of English to another.

lorry / truck taxi / cab shop / store film / movie postman / mailman rubbish / garbage

🗣 Useful classroom language

These expressions can help you while you play:

• In British English, it’s…
• In American English, it’s…
• I’m not sure, but I think it’s…
• Can you repeat that, please?
• Is that British or American?
• I think both are correct.
• Whose turn is it?
• Roll the die!

💬 Model examples

Here you have one example:

1. Square with a picture of a phone box:
“In British English, I think it's phone box. In American English, I would say phone booth.”

2. Once you've answered, ask the next player:
“When was the last time you used a phone booth?”

Ready? 🎲

The aim is simple: play, remember vocabulary and speak as much English as possible.

Don’t worry if you make mistakes. This game is for practising, helping each other and noticing how English changes from one place to another.

Listen carefully, take your turn and enjoy the game!