[Vocabulary] storey / level

[Julie17]

Could somebody please explain the different usage of 'storey' and 'level'? Why can't you use 'level' in the following sentence?
- The building was many storeys high.

 

[Rover_KE]

You can use 'level' for 'storey' (AE 'story') if you wish, but I don't know why you would want to.

Rover

 

[Gillnetter]

You can use 'level' for 'storey' (AE 'story') if you wish, but I don't know why you would want to.

Rover

I hadn't thought much about this, but I park my car on the fifth level and walk across a bridge to the fifth floor. As far as I can tell, in the US, parking structures have levels and buildings have floors. "story" is used more for private homes - "I have a three story home in the country". I suppose that one could say, "It's a 14 story building", but, when giving directions one would almost always say, "His office is on the 14th floor."

 

[SoothingDave]

I too think of parking garages or large stadiums when I would use "level." We're not parked on this level. Our seats are three levels up.

Shopping malls, too. They may have an upper level and a lower level.

 

[emsr2d2]

Here in the UK, I park on Level 4 of a multi-storey car park and head for the second floor of a building for work. Then I go home to a ground floor flat in a two storey building!

 

[Julie17]

Well, yes, but how to explain this to a student?? :-?

 

[5jj]

Well, yes, but how to explain this to a student?? :-?

You don't have to explain. Just tell them that's the way it is.