What does “lift” mean in British English?
Describing a rooftop pool in British English
A1 English listening practice · British English · Picked for people who know a little
A lift is the machine that takes you up and down in a tall building. In British English you say lift. In American English people say “elevator”. They are the same thing. You get in, you press a button, and it takes you to the floor you want. People in the UK, Australia, and India all say lift.
In the clip a man steps into one and says, “This is an elevator. In British English, we say a lift.” So if you visit London and want to go up, look for the lift, not the elevator.
How common are the words?
How common are the words in this A1 English listening practice video?
How common in written English
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Harder words in this video
These words are harder than A1. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.