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what is the difference between timetables and schedules?


PS: Take a look at these free English educational resources: Module: Tonga TimelineThe Hyphen and The DashCONJUNCTIONS → ContrastCan't versus can in American English

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AussieInBg profile picture AussieInBgApril 2021
Firstly, ”timetable” is generally much more used in British English and ”schedule” in American.

Now, ”schedule” does get used in British English and ”timetable” in American but with a different meaning from the most common usage.

”timetable” is used in British English to describe something that occurs regularly, e.g. hourly, daily or weekly. ”schedule” is used like this in American English.

For example, the times that a train arrives daily in British English generally is referred to as a ”train timetable”. In American English, it’s ”train schedule”.

However, in British English, if a train arrives or departs at the exact time as written on the timetable, it’s not ”the train has arrived/departed on timetable” but ”the train has arrived/departed on schedule”.

For a single arranged meeting/arrangement with a specific time, in British English it can be either ”to timetable” or ”to schedule”. When ”to schedule” is used, it usually emphasises that the meeting/arrangement is only ever going to happen once. In American English, ”to schedule” would be usually used here.

Now, for a project where there are certain things that need to be achieved at specific times, both ”timetable” and ”schedule” get used in British English and American English. ”schedule” is preferentially used in Britsh English to describe a project that happens just once whereas ”timetable” is used more often in American English. However, from what I’ve seen, ”timetable” in American English seems to be more and more replaced with ”timeline” in this usage.

Also a note about pronunciation. In British English, ”sch” in ”schedule” is pronounced as ”sh”, in American English, it is said as ”sk”.

Australians use both pronunciations for the word ”schedule”
Bluebird0 profile picture Bluebird0April 2021
They are kind of similar but used at different instances. Timetable is this complete structure of what you have to do at what time. We used have a time table in school to tell us when a particular class will start and end.
Schedule is more broader in sense, I guess. Its like a plan. For example, you have 3 meetings scheduled for you today to attend. And your schedule is not fixed. It can change. You might not have 3 meetings the next day as well.
But, overall, I think, both these words are quite similar.