Cool MateBill vs Legislation
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Bill
Legislation
| Bill | Legislation | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/bɪl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/bɪl/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌledʒɪsˈleɪʃn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌledʒɪsˈleɪʃn/"]/ |
| Meaning | A piece of paper that shows how much money you need to pay. | A set of laws or rules made by a government. |
| Example | Bill was excited to start his new job today. | The government introduced new legislation to combat climate change. |
| Register | Neutral | Formal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | big, hefty, high, get, receive, be landed with, arrive, come in, amount to, payment, collector, bill for, ask for, bring, get, arrive, come, come to, five-dollar, twenty-dollar, etc., count, count out, controversial, comprehensive, sweeping, bring forward, bring in, introduce, become law, contain, include something, double, head, top, share, on a/the bill | federal, national, parliamentary, piece, need, require, call for, come into effect, come into force, allow something, under legislation, legislation against, legislation on, federal, national, parliamentary, piece, need, require, call for, come into effect, come into force, allow something, under legislation, legislation against, legislation on |
| Antonyms | credit, refund | anarchy, chaos, lawlessness |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'check' in American English vs 'bill' in British English., Using 'bill' to describe a document that requires payment but is not a bill., Saying 'bills' instead of 'bill' when referring to the total amount. | Confused with 'legislature' which refers to the body that makes laws., Using 'legislation' as a countable noun (it is uncountable)., Confusing 'legislation' with general rules or policies. |
| Usage notes | Used when referencing payments, like at a restaurant. Avoid using 'bill' in very formal written contexts; 'invoice' may be better there. | Commonly used in legal contexts and formal discussions. Avoid using in casual conversations. Often associated with political processes. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Bill vs Legislation
What's the difference between Bill and Legislation?
Bill: A piece of paper that shows how much money you need to pay. Legislation: A set of laws or rules made by a government.
Which is more formal: Bill and Legislation?
Legislation is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Bill and Legislation?
Bill is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Bill and Legislation?
Legislation is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Bill and Legislation the same CEFR level?
Bill: A1, Legislation: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Bill and Legislation?
Bill: noun, Legislation: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Bill: Bill was excited to start his new job today. Legislation: The government introduced new legislation to combat climate change.
Can I use Bill and Legislation interchangeably?
Not always. Bill and Legislation are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.