6.1 Weights and Measures
Weights
1 ounce (oz) |
28 grams or 2 tablespoons |
1 deciliter (dl) |
6-7 tablespoons, 3-4 ounces or ¼ cup (scant) |
1 cup |
½ pint, ¼ liter or 2 ½ deciliters |
1 pound (lb) |
16 ounces or 450 grams |
1 kilo (kg) |
2.2 pounds |
1 hekto |
100 grams |
1 stone |
14 pounds or 6.3 kilo |
Measures
1 centimeter 8cm) |
0.3944 inch |
1 inch (in) |
2.54 cm |
1 foot (ft) |
12 in or 30.48 cm |
1 yard (yd) |
36 in, 3 ft or 91.44 cm |
1 meter (m) |
39.37 in, 3.281 ft, 1.094 yds |
1 kilometre (km) |
0.621 mile or 5/8 mile |
1 statute mile |
1609.344 m, 1760 yards |
6.2 Baking
Flour & Other Dry Ingredients
There are numerous different types of flour in Britain, so make sure you read the label carefully.
Plain flour |
Used for pastry or for thickening sauces. Substitute for American all-purpose flour |
Superfine plain flour |
Light, white flour used in British recipes for baking cakes |
Self raising flour |
Requires no extra baking powder, as it is already included. |
Strong flour |
High gluten content and used to make bread and puff pastry. |
Malted wheat flour |
Distinctive texture and nutty flavor and brown in color. |
Baking Powder |
When using American recipes, double the amount of English baking powder. |
Yeast |
Dry yeast sold in sachet packets. App. 2 ½ US tsp of dry yeast = 1 sachet or ¼ oz. When substituting dry yeast in a recipe, use half the amount called for. Fresh yeast sold in some bakeries and bakery dept. in supermarkets. |
Sugars
Granulated |
Very coarse and generally used to sweeten tea, coffee etc. Do not use for baking |
Caster sugar |
Ideal product for baking. Finely granulated/super fine. |
Demerara |
Coarse brown, crunchy sugar, good over cereals and in tea/coffee |
Muscovade |
Soft and dark sugar used in cooking. |
Soft light or dark brown sugar |
Either of these is comparable to the US style brown sugar |
Vanilla sugar |
Flavored sugar used in custards and puddings |
Icing sugar |
Same as confectioner’s sugar. Can be used to decorate cakes. |
Chocolate
Bitter or dark |
Bittersweet, often used in desserts and cakes (the darker, the more bitter) |
Plain |
Comparable to US semi-sweet chocolate |
Bakers unsweetened |
No equivalent to this in the UK, but might be found at Cobham Allsorts or Selfridges Food Hall. As a substitute: 3 ½ tbsp of unsweetened cocoa + 1 tbsp of butter = 1 oz square of chocolate |
Cream
UHT single cream |
Use it like Half’n Half (American product) |
Single cream |
18% butterfat and slightly thicker than half cream |
Double cream |
48% butterfat, used to pour over fruits and desserts |
Spooning cream |
30% butterfat, used to spoon over desserts |
Whipping cream |
40% butterfat, suitable for recipes that call for heavier cream |
Clotted cream |
55% butterfat, used instead of butter on scones |
Quark |
Thickened cream |
Sour cream |
18% butterfat. Thinner than US sour cream |
Créme fraiche |
Good substitute for sour cream |
Liquid Measures
Teaspoon (tsp) |
1/6 oz (US) or 5 ml |
Dessert spoon |
1/3 oz or 10 ml |
Table spoon (tbsp) |
½ oz or 15 ml |
Cup |
8 oz/225 ml (US) or 10 oz/290 ml (UK) |
Pint |
16 oz/470 ml (US) or 20 oz/585 ml (UK) |
Dry Measures
|
US |
UK |
METRIC |
Flour |
1 cup |
5 oz |
140 g |
Sugar |
2 tbsp |
1 oz |
25 g |
|
1 cup |
8 oz |
225 g |
Brown sugar |
1 cup |
6 oz |
170 g |
Bread crumbs/nuts |
1 cup |
4 oz |
115 g |
Butter |
1 tbsp |
1 oz |
25 g |
|
1 cup |
8 oz |
225 g |
Yeast |
1 US pkg |
¼ oz |
7 g |
Cooking Temperatures
Fan Assisted Ovens
Lots of ovens in use are “fan-assisted”. In general, when using fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20ºC to a “normal” oven. Due to fan assistance, baking times may be reduced. Check the oven manual for further details.
Celsius |
Fan assisted oven |
Fahrenheit |
Gas mark |
110 |
90 |
224 |
¼ |
125 |
105 |
250 |
½ |
140 |
120 |
275 |
1 |
150 |
130 |
300 |
2 |
165 |
145 |
325 |
3 |
180 |
160 |
350 |
4 |
190 |
170 |
375 |
5 |
200 |
180 |
400 |
6 |
220 |
200 |
425 |
7 |
230 |
210 |
450 |
8 |
240 |
220 |
475 |
9 |
6.3 Clothing & Shoe Sizes
Clothing and shoe sizes may be shown in US, UK or European sizing. You may also see children's clothing sizes in centimeters. Generally, the UK clothing size for women is two more than the US size.
You will probably find that the washing instructions are mostly symbolic. You have to understand the symbols in order to know how to properly wash your clothes! You might want to ask at a laundry service for an explanation of the symbols. Note that the wash cycle time might vary with front loading machines.
Women's Clothing
US |
6 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
18 |
20 |
UK |
8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
18 |
20 |
22 |
Europe |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
46 |
48 |
Women's Shoes
US |
5 ½ |
6 |
6 ½ |
7 |
7 ½ |
8 etc |
UK |
3.5 |
4 |
4.5 |
5 |
5.5 |
6 etc |
Europe |
37 |
37,5 |
38 |
38,5 |
39 |
38,5 etc |
Men's Clothing
US/UK |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
Europe |
46 |
48 |
50 |
52 |
54 |
Metric (cm) |
91 |
97 |
102 |
107 |
112 |
Men's Shirts
US/UK |
14 ½ |
15 |
15 ½ |
16 |
16 ½ |
17 |
Metric (cm) |
37 |
38 |
39,5 |
41 |
42 |
43 |
Men's Sweaters
US |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
Extra large |
UK |
34 |
36-38 |
40 |
42-44 |
Europe |
44 |
46-48 |
50 |
52-54 |
Men's Shoes
US |
8 |
8 ½ |
9 |
9 ½ |
10 etc |
UK |
7,5 |
8 |
8,5 |
9 |
9,5 etc |
Europe |
40-41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 etc |
Children's Clothing
US (yrs) |
2-3 |
4-5 |
6-6X |
7-8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
UK (yrs)
(cm) |
2-3
86-92 |
4-5
98-104 |
6-7
110-116 |
8-9
122-128 |
10-11
134-140 |
12
146-152 |
14 -16
158-164 |
Europe (cm) |
86-92 |
98-104 |
110-116 |
122-128 |
134-140 |
146-152 |
158-164 |
Children’s Shoes
US |
9 ½ |
10 |
10 ½ |
11 |
11 ½ |
12 |
12 ½ |
13 |
13 ½ |
1 |
1 ½ |
2 |
2 ½ |
3 |
3 ½ |
4 |
UK |
8 |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.5 |
11 |
11.5 |
12 |
12.5 |
13 |
13.5 |
1 |
1.5 |
2 |
2.5 |
Eur |
26 |
26.5 |
27 |
27.5 |
28 |
28.5 |
29 |
30 |
30.5 |
31 |
31.5 |
32 |
33 |
33.5 |
34 |
35 |
6.4 Temperature
Temperature is typically reported in Fahrenheit or Celsius. To get a rough idea of the temperature in Fahrenheit: °F = 1.8° C + 32.
Celsius |
Fahrenheit |
- 18 |
0 |
- 12 |
10 |
- 4 |
25 |
0 |
32 (freezing) |
5 |
41 |
10 |
50 |
15 |
59 |
21 |
70 |
26 |
80 |
32 |
90 |
37 |
98.6 (body temp.) |
38 |
100.4 |
40 |
104 |
93 |
199 |
100 |
212 (boiling) |
6.5 British Terminology
Below you will find several charts with UK definitions, which are explained in general or given the US term, in the column to the right.
Food
UK (Europe) |
US (Europe) |
Aubergine |
Eggplant |
Bangers |
Sausages |
Biscuits |
Cookies |
Chips |
French Fries |
Chippy |
Fish & chip shop |
Corn |
Wheat/barley |
Courgette |
Zucchini (small) |
Crackling |
Pork rinds |
Crisps |
Potato chips |
Doner (kebabs) |
Gyro |
Lemonade |
Any 7-Up type of soda |
Maize |
Corn |
Marrow |
Zucchini (large) |
Mineral water |
Soda |
Mousse |
Fluffy chocolate pudding |
Muffin |
Muffin/cupcake |
Pudding |
Dessert |
Beer does not usually mean lager, but ale, bitter, porter, and the like. The term tea can mean an afternoon snack at 4 pm, or a light evening meal. A cream tea is a treat of tea and scones with clotted cream and jam. The Devon area is well known for its clotted cream.
School
UK |
US |
Biro |
Ball point pen |
Infants |
Grades K - 2 |
Maths |
Math |
Middle |
Grades 3 - 6 |
Nursery |
Pre-School |
Primary |
Grades K - 6 |
Rubber |
Eraser |
Secondary |
Grades 7 - 12 |
College |
University |
Comprehensive |
Average state-run high school |
Grammar school |
Prep school |
Grant Maintained |
State school financially independent from the LEA |
LEA |
Local Education Authority |
Oxbridge |
Refers to Oxford and/or Cambridge |
Public school |
An exclusive private school. Fee based |
State school |
Public school/state school. Non-fee based. |
GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) tests are taken at the end of Fifth Form in the British school system (10th grade in US system). Students take between 8 and 11 subject tests. From these test results, 3 to 5 subjects are chosen for further study in Sixth Form College (11th and 12th grade). GCSE tests have replaced the O-level exams.
A-levels, much more advanced testing than the GCSE tests, are taken at the end of Sixth Form College in the British school system (12th grade in US system). Three to five A-level subject exams are taken and a student must pass at least 3 to enter university. Scores on the exams determine acceptance into university.
Travel
UK |
US/Explanation |
’A’ road |
Arterial road between towns (e.g. the A3) |
‘B’ road |
Secondary road between town, sometimes poor condition |
Bonnet |
Car hood |
Boot |
Car trunk |
Bureau de Change |
Foreign Exchange |
Coach |
Bus (like a Greyhound) |
Dual carriageway |
Divided highway with two lanes in each direction |
Lorry |
Truck |
Manual transmission |
Stick/gear shift |
Motorway |
Highway (e.g. the M25, which goes in a circle around London) |
Railway |
Railroad |
Return |
Round trip (e.g. return ticket) |
Silencer |
Muffler |
Single |
One way ticket |
Tram |
Streetcar |
Underground/Tube |
Subway |
Windscreen |
Windshield |
Houses
UK |
US/Explanation |
2 up/2 down |
A 2 storey house with 2 rooms on each floor |
Council house/flat |
Subsidized housing |
Detached house |
A free standing house |
Ensuite |
A bathroom adjoining a bedroom |
First floor |
Second floor |
Flat |
Apartment |
Ground floor |
First floor |
Lift |
Elevator |
Semi-detached |
2 or more houses “connected” |
Settee |
Sofa/couch |
Terraced house |
Townhouse |
WC/Loo |
Toilet |
The word bathroom is never used to mean "toilet". A bathroom always has a bathtub.
Politics
UK |
Explanation |
Conservatives (Tories) |
Middle-right wing |
Labor |
Left wing |
Liberal Democrats |
Small middle-of-the-road party |
SNP (Scottish Nationalist Party) |
In Scotland |
Plaid Cymru (pronounced “Pliyd Kumree”) |
Welsh Nationalist Party |
(Ulster) Unionists |
Want Northern Ireland to stay in the UK |
Nationalists |
Want a reunited Ireland |
EU |
European Union, commissions is in Brussels and the parliament is in Strasbourg. Is also known as the EC, EEC and Common Market |
Brussels |
Often used by the media to mean EU |
The City |
London’s financial district (within the confines of the old Roman city) |
Entertainment
UK |
US/Explanation |
Bangra |
A type of Pakistani rap/hip-hop |
Bank Holiday |
State Holiday (e.g. Dec. 26) |
Cinema |
Movie |
Disco |
Nightclub |
Film |
Movie |
Football |
Soccer |
Holiday |
Vacation |
Panto(mime) |
A farcical play for the whole family. Popular at Christmas time. |
Ragga |
Hip-hop Reggae |
Rave |
A (sometimes illegal) dance |
Telly |
Television |
Wireless |
Radio |
Religion
UK |
US/Explanation |
Curate |
Associate Pastor |
C of E |
Church of England |
Vicar |
Anglican pastor, also used to mean any cleric |
PP (Parish Priest) |
Pastor |
Evensong |
Anglican sung evening prayer |
Lauds/Vespers |
Anglican/Catholic morning/evening prayer (from the Breviary) |
Clothing
UK |
US/Explanation |
Braces |
Suspenders |
Jumper |
Sweater |
Pants |
Underpants |
Suspenders |
Garter/garter belt |
Trainers |
Gym shoes |
Trousers/nickers |
Slacks/pants (not jeans) |
Vest |
Sleeveless undershirt |
Wellies |
Wellington/rubber boots |
Miscellaneous
UK |
US/Explanation |
A shot |
A shot (of liquor) |
Bespoke |
Individual case basis (ex. Bespoke tailer- custom made) |
Bloke |
guy |
Call |
Visit (not a phone call) |
Car boot sale |
A type of flea market where people sell used goods from their cars |
Chemist |
Drugstore/pharmacy |
Cockney |
One from the east end of London, also a rhyming slang (e.g. “dog and bone” = phone) |
CV (Curriculum vitae) |
Resume |
Done & Dusted |
Done/finished/task completed |
Fags |
Cigarettes |
Fanny |
Considered profanity |
Garden |
Yard |
Gobsmacked |
Taken by surprise |
Grill |
Broil |
High Street |
Main street in every village/town |
Ironmongers |
Hardware store |
Jab |
Medical injection/shot/immunization |
Lad |
Boy |
Mate |
BuddyFriend |
Naught |
Zero/nothing |
Newsagent |
A local shop selling newspapers, magazines etc |
Nil |
Zero |
Off-License |
Liquor store |
Queue |
Stand in lineLine |
Ring/phone |
To call someone on the telephone |
Shopping trolley |
Shopping cart |
Skip |
Garbage dumpster |
Solicitor |
LawyerAttorney |
Sorted |
Way to discribe doing a task |
Places and pronunciation
Spelling |
Pronunciation |
Bicester |
BISter |
Greenwich |
GRENich |
Leicester |
LESter |
Leicestershire |
LEStersheer |
Worchester |
WUster |
Cholmondeley |
CHUMlee |
Featherstonegagh |
FanSHAW |
Time
In the UK, time is often reported in the “military format”. This means that times after 12:00 noon continue with 13:00 (= 1 pm), 14:00 (= 2 pm), and so on. If you are more familiar with a 12-hour clock, you can quickly convert to this by subtracting 12 from whatever the time is, when it is after midday. Alternatively, you can drop the one and subtract two. Example: 15:00 = 5-2 = 3 pm.
You will also hear people saying “half three”, meaning “half PAST three”, 3:30.
