(in cooperation with BBC UK, Learning English - Learn it Program and Roger Woodham)

What exactly is the difference between to hire and to rent? I know American English uses to rent whereas British English uses to hire, but I thought there might also be a difference between what you can hire and what you can rent. 'Hire a help' but surely not 'rent a help'?? 'Rent a car', but not 'hire a car'?

 hire or rent?

The meaning is the same: to rent or hire something, you pay money in order to be allowed to use it for a limited amount of time. It is simply a matter of usage. With some nouns you can use one or the other � it doesn�t matter which as both are freely used. You can: rent or hire cars, bikes, electronic equipment:

    * 'We rented a TV and video as we intended to stay in England for only six months.'

    * 'If you�re planning to go to Cambridge for the day, hire a bike when you arrive. It�s the best way to get round the town.' 

With other nouns it is customary in British English to use one and not the other. We would: rent a flat, caravan, cottage, house:

    * 'I rented a cottage by the sea for the summer.'

    * 'He rented me his flat in London while he was on holiday in Greece.' 

(However, note the difference in use, depending on whether it is used as a verb or a noun: �flats to rent�, but �bikes for hire�)

 
				
	We hire some help (i.e people), tools, equipment:

    * 'I had too much to do on the farm, so I decided to hire some help three mornings a week.'

    * 'The police enquiries were making no progress, so we decided to hire a private detective.'

    * 'I was painting the outside of the house and had to hire a tall ladder to get to the top.' 

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