confusing words - part two: holiday vs vacation vs leave

HOLIDAY vs VACATION vs LEAVE

HOLIDAY/HOLIDAYS (British English) -  a time of rest from work/school etc.

[`holɪdeɪ] countable and uncountable

Where are you going for your holiday this year?

Sandra is on holiday all next month.

I get 22 days' holiday with my new job.

Where are you going for your holidays this year?

VACATION (American English) - a time of rest from work/school etc.

[və`keɪʃən] uncountable and countable

Did your parents really go to Tasmania on vacation?

When are you going to take a vacation: in August or in September?

British English speakers say holiday , not holidays in the structuresbe on holiday, go on holiday and return/come back from holiday• something to read when you are on holiday (NOT when you are on holidays)• When you come back from holiday, it's hard to work (NOT When you come back from holidays).Holidays is usually used after the, my, your etc• Soon it will be the holidays.• Where do you want to go for your holidays?!! Do not say 'be in (your) holidays' or 'go in (your) holidays'. Say goon holiday or go on your holidays or be on holiday or be on your holidays.!! Do not say 'make a holiday'. Say have a holiday .

COLLOCATIONS:

HOLIDAY:

on holidaygo on holiday also go on your holidayshave/take a holidayholiday abroadsummer holidayfamily holidayskiing/camping/walking etc holidayholiday resort (=a place with many hotels where a lot of people go on their holidays)holiday brochure (=a magazine that advertises holidays)holiday snaps informal (=photographs taken while on holiday)holiday romance
VACATION:

summer vacationtake/have a vacationChristmas vacationfamily vacationtwo-week/three-day etc vacationvacation spot (=a place where a lot of people go on vacation)

LEAVE - time that you are allowed to spend away from your work.

annual leave

maternity leave

paid/unpaid leave

sick leave

compassionate leave

I've applied for three days' leave.

She's on leave.

Your basic annual leave is 20 days.

We can also say to TAKE/HAVE some time ( e.g. a few days) OFF.

Would you be able to take some time off?

I have time off at Christmas.

And now the promised answers to the Waking Life part 2 listening:

1) life's waiting room

2) infinite possibilities

3) minimum wage

4) fancy myself

5) anxiety stuff

6) less bizarre

7) alternate universe

8) going off

9) in the first place

10) awake

11) sleepwalking

12) unstable

13) light switch

14) dimensions of reality

15) dig

16) whispers

source: google images; Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English; Angielski Wyrazy Kłopotliwe.