[Vocabulary] He needed to have his leg put in PLASTER vs He needed to have his leg put in a CAST

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ChessEnthusiast

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What is the difference between the capitalized words (if any) ?
 

GoesStation

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Only the second is natural in American English. It's been a long time since casts were made out of plaster here.
 

emsr2d2

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We still use "plaster" in BrE, regardless of what the cast is made from. As you correctly showed in your title, one takes the article and the other doesn't.

I've broken my leg and it's in plaster.
I've broken my leg and it's in a cast.
My arm will be in plaster for six weeks.
I'll have a cast on my arm for six weeks.
 
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