traffic delay/traffic jam/traffic backup?

[hhtt21]

Hi. I would like to learn about "traffic delay", "traffic jam", "traffic backup" in everyday use. I think these also depends on the dialects of English: British, American, Australian, South African. I mainly learn AE and BrE. Would someone please explain them, with examples? What are the basic differences between them?

1. A: Why are you late?
B: There was a traffic delay\traffic backup\traffic jam.

 

[jutfrank]

Where did you find these three phrases? In what context?

The word delay has a sense of 'lateness'. If you're driving to work and there's a delay on the motorway caused by congestion, it means you're going to get to work later than usual.

Don't make up contexts for words you don't know how to use properly. Find examples of words from authentic, well-written texts and work out the meaning and use from there.