Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[lenin95]

I wonder about the usage of words story and floor. Is it that floor is used in British English and story in the US? Is it as simple as that?

So a British would say - I live in the first floor of a three-floor building.
And an American would say - I live in the second story of a three-story building.

Is that correct

[pugachevV]

They are synonymous.
The Brits. spell it:- storey and the Americans story.

[redset]

Storey is fairly uncommon in British English, and if it's used at all it would probably be in describing the height of a building ('a fifteen-storey tower block') rather than a location ('I'm on the third floor' instead of 'I'm on the third storey').

Bonus fun fact - in British English the floor at ground level is called the 'ground floor', the one above is the 'first floor' and so on.

[lenin95]

thanks a lot!

to redset: yes, i think the 'ground floor' is common in most European countries.

[dragn]