American English versus British English

In formal written English there are virtually no differences between British and American English and it is often impossible to tell if a document was written in Britain or the United States. However, in spoken English the differences become clear, primarily through accent, and then through the various features listed below:

The differences between British and American English can summarized in the following four categories:

1. Grammatical differences

2. Differences in pronunciation

3. Spelling differences

4. Differences in vocabulary

1. Grammatical differences

• In American English the simple past is often preferred where the present perfect would be used in Britain - particularly when giving news of recent events.

(US) He just went home (UK) He's just gone home.

• Americans use 'have sth' for states and actions, while in British English 'have got sth' is used for states like possession, illness and relationships.

(US) Do you have a problem? (UK) Have you got a problem?

• The past participle of 'got' in American English is 'gotten'. In British English, the past participle is the same as the infinitive.

(US) She's just gotten a raise . (UK) She's just got a raise.

burn, dream, lean, learn, smell, spell, spill and spoil are regular in American English, but often spelt ending in a 't' in British English in both the past and past participle forms.

(US) burned, dreamed, leaned, learned, smelled, spelled, spilled and spoiled.

(UK) burnt, dreamt, leant, learnt, smelt, spelt, spilt and spoilt

fit, quit and wet are regular in British English, but in American English past and past participle forms are the same as the infinitive.

(US) He fit the new carpet (UK) He fitted the new carpet

Other verbs which are different are:

Infinitive Past Past participle

(US) wake waked waked

(UK) wake woke woken

(US) dive dove dived

(UK) dive dived dived

• 'In informal American English 'already' can be used in questions. British English uses 'yet'.

(US) Have you done it already? (UK) Have you done it yet?

• In informal American English, adverbs are sometimes used without the 'ly' ending.

(US) He looked at me real strange. (UK) He looked at me really strangely.

2. Differences in pronunciation

The differences in pronunciation between Britain and America can only be generalized as there are many different regional accents in both countries. Nevertheless, here are some of the main differences between standard British and American English

• Stressed vowel sounds are usually lengthened in American English.

(US) hello /halaow/ (UK) hello /halow/

• Vowels are often nasalized in American English (air comes out through the nose and mouth at the same time).

(US) mummy /mmaaimmi/ (UK) mummy /mumi/

• The /o/ sound is pronounced more like an /a/ sound in American English, and the /a/ sound is usually pronounced using the back of the mouth in British English and the front of the mouth in American English.

(US) pot /part/ (UK) pot /pot/

(US) can't /cairnt/, fast /fairst/, glass /glairs/, staff /stairf/, after /airfta/, example /egzairmpl/

(UK) can't /carnt/, fast /farst/, glass /glars/, staff /starf/, after /arfta/, example /egzampl/

• In American English 't' in middle position is often pronounced as a 'd'.

(US) writer /rida/ (UK) writer /raita/

• In British English, 'r' is only pronounced before a vowel. In American English it is pronounced in all positions

(US) car /kair/, turn /teurn/, offer /arfur/ (UK) car /ku/, turn /tun/, after /arfta/

• Before 'u' and 'ew', the British pronounce 'n' as /ñ/, d as /dj/ and 't' as /ch/. Americans pronounce them as they are written.

(US) new /nuw/, duke /dewk/, tune /toown/ (UK) new /ñuw/, duke /djewk/, tune /tchoon/

• Words ending in 'tile' are pronounced /tiyl/ in British English and /til/ in American English.

(US) fertile /fertil/, reptile /reptil/, futile /fewtil/ (UK) fertile /fertiyl/, reptile /reptiyl/

• 'Borough' and 'thorough' are pronounced differently.

(US) borough /burow/, thorough /thurow/ (UK) borough /buruh/, thorough /thuruh/

NOTE! THE WORDS BETWEEN SLASHES (IN BOLD) ARE WRITTEN PHONETICALLY AND ARE NOT SPELT CORRECTLY!

3. Spelling differences

• In American English final 'l' is not usually doubled if it is not stressed.

(US) traveler, leveling (UK) traveller, levelling

• Some words end in 'ter' in American English and 'tre' in British English.

(US) theater, center, meter (UK) theatre, centre, metre

• Some words end in 'or' in American English and 'our' in British English.

(US) labor, honor, color (UK) labour, honour, colour

• Some words end in 'og' in America and 'ogue' in Britain.

(US) catalog, dialog, analog (UK) catalogue, dialogue, analogue

• The common suffix for a verb in the USA is ~ize. In Britain, it can be either ~ize or ~ise.

(US) realize (UK) realize or realise

• Some individual words are spelt differently.

USA	UK
aluminum	aluminium
analyze	analyse
check	cheque
defense	defence
gray	grey
jail	gaol / jail
jewelry	jewellery
offense	offence
pajamas	pyjamas
plow	plough
practice (V)	practise (V)
pretense	pretence
program	programme (tv or schedule)
specialty	speciality
tire	tyre (car)

 

3. Vocabulary differences

  (Adapted from the internet- http://pages.prodigy.com/NY/NYC/britspk/main.html)

• Words which have two distinct meanings in Britain and America.

WORD	IN THE USA	IN BRITAIN
Bomb	Big Failure	Great Success
Braces	Wire device worn to straighten teeth	Straps worn to hold up trousers (US, suspenders)
Bum	Homeless person	Buttocks
Chips	Thin wafers of potato	Fried rectangles of potato
Cider	Non-alcoholic beverage made from apples	Alcoholic beverage made from apples
Corn	Maize	Wheat or oats
Cot	Small, collapsible bed	Small bed for a baby (US, crib)
Decorator	Person whose job is to plan the decorations for homes and offices	Person whose job is to paint homes and offices
Fag	Rude word for a homosexual man	Cigarette
Faggot	Rude word for a homosexual man	1. Sausage patty, 2. Sticks of wood tied together and used to start a fire
Fanny	Buttocks	Female sex organs
First Floor	Street level	One floor above street level
Flat	Punctured tyre of a car.	Apartment
Garden	Plot of land used to cultivate flowers or vegetables (UK allotment)	Plot of grass adjacent to a house (US, yard)
Gas	Fuel for cars (a liquid)	Fuel used in cooking (a gas)
Haberdashery	Men's clothing	Sewing supplies
Hamper	Large basket for dirty clothing (clothes hamper)	Large basket for food (picnic hamper)
Homely	Ugly	Pleasant
Hump	(Vulgar slang) Have sex with	Carry a heavy object
Hush Puppy	Cornmeal fritter	Suede shoe
Inside Lane	Lane nearest center of road	Lane nearest side of road
Jelly	Preserve made from fruit	Gelatin
Jumper	Sleeveless dress worn over a blouse	Knitted pullover (US, sweater)
Knickers	Short trousers	Woman's undergarment
Knock up	Impregnate	1. Awaken by knocking on door, 2. In tennis, a warm up session, 3. Prepare hastily
Lemonade	Non carbonated beverage and sugar	Carbonated beverage
Mad	Angry	Crazy
Mail	Send a letter (UK = post)	Letters received
Mean (ADJ)	Nasty, vicious	Opposite of generous
Momentarily	In a moment	For a moment
One way	Ticket in one direction (UK= single)	A street where you can drive in one direction
Overalls	Loose fitting trousers with a bib front and shoulder straps	Outer garment worn to protect clothes
Pants	Trousers	Masculine underwear
Paraffin	Candle wax	Oil distilled from petroleum or shale (US, kerosene)
Pavement	Paved surface of a road	Paved walkway beside a road (US= sidewalk)
Pissed	Angry	Inebriated
Poof	Exclamation used to express that something has happened suddenly or magically	Rude word for a homosexual man
Pot plant	Marijuana	Potted plant
Precinct	City district, for electoral or police administration purposes	Pedestrian shopping area
Presently	Now	Soon
Public School	State school	Private school
Punter	Person who kicks the ball in American football.	Customer or gambler
Purse	Where a woman keeps everything essential (UK=handbag)	Where a woman keeps her money
Randy	Man or woman's name	Sexuallly excited
Revise	Correct or update	Review
Robin	Larger bird; symbol of Spring	Smaller bird; symbol of Christmas
Rubber	Condom	Eraser
Semi	Tractor-trailer	Semi-detached house
Shorts	Worn under trousers	Worn during sport or at the beach
Sick	Unwell	Nauseated
Slate	List of candidates	Criticize or type of stone
Sod	Turf	Unpleasant person (deriv. sodomite)
Stove	The whole cooker	Part of a cooker for heating water or frying things
Stuffed	Full from overeating	Part of a rude expression: "Get stuffed!"
Subway	Underground railway	Underground walkway
Suspenders	Straps worn to hold up trousers (UK= braces)	Straps worn to hold up a woman's stockings
Table (V)	Set aside	Bring to a vote
Tick Off	Make angry	Reprimand
Vest	Garment worn over a shirt (UK= waistcoat)	Garment worn under a shirt
Wash up	Wash hands and face	Wash dishes after a meal

 

• Words which mean different things in the USA and the UK.

USA	UK
Alumnus	graduate
Antsy	Fidgety
Anyplace	Anywhere
Apartment	Flat
Attorney	Barister, Solicitor
Automobile	(Motor) Car
Baby carriage	Pram
Bar	Pub
Barf	Vomit
Billboard	Hoarding
Billfold	Wallet
Broiler	Grill
Cab	Taxi
Cabana	Beach hut
Call collect	Reverse charges
Can	Tin
Candy	Sweets
Checkers	Draughts
Cheesecloth	Muslin
Closet	Cupboard
Coin purse	Purse
Cookie	Biscuit
Corn	Maize
Cotton candy	Candy floss
Crib	Cot
Crosswalk	Pedestrian crossing
Cuffs	Turn ups (on trousers)
Dessert	Sweet
Detour	Diversion
Diaper	Nappy
Dish towel	Tea towel
Divided highway	Dual carriageway
Downspout	Drainpipe
Drug store	Chemist('s)
Duplex	Semi detached house
Elevator	Lift
Eraser	Rubber
Faculty	Staff (of a university)
Fall	Autumn
Faucet	Tap (indoors)
Fender	Wing or Bumper (car)
Flashlight	Torch
Freeway / Expressway	Motorway
Garbage can	Dustbin, rubbish bin
Garbage collector	Dustman
Gear shift	Gear lever (car)
Generator	Dynamo (car)
Goldbricker	Skiver
Ground round	Best mince
Highway	Main road
Hobo	Tramp
Hood	Bonnet (car)
Intermission	Interval (entertainment)
Intersection	Crossroads
Janitor	Caretaker
Kerosene	Parafin
Lightening bug	Glow worm
Liquor store	Off licence
Mail (V)	Post
Mailbox	Postbox
Mailman, mail carrier	Postman
Math	Maths
Motor	Engine
Movie	Film
Muffler	Silencer (car)
Noplace	Nowhere
Oil pan	Sump (car)
One way	Single (ticket)
Optometrist	Optician
Overpass	Flyover
Pacifier	Baby’s dummy
Pants	Trousers
Panty hose	Tights
Patrolman	Constable (policeman)
Pavement	Surface (road)
Peek	Peep
Pitcher	Jug
Pocket book	Handbag
Potato chips	Crisps
Private hospital	Nursing home
Railroad (car)	Railway (carriage)
Raise	Rise (salary)
Realtor	Estate Agent
Rest room	(Public) Toilet
Round trip	Return (ticket)
Rubbers	Wellington boots
Run	Ladder (in tights)
Schedule	Timetable
Sedan	Saloon (car)
Shoulder	Verge (road)
Sidewalk	Pavement
Sneakers	Tennis or training shoes
Someplace	Somewhere
Spigot	Tap (outdoors)
Spool of thread	Reel of cotton
Station wagon	Estate car
Store	Shop
Stroller	Push chair
Subway	Tube or underground
Sweater	Jumper, jersey, pullover
Teeter totter	See saw
Thread	Cotton
The movies	The cinema
Thumbtack	Drawing pin
Tidbit	Titbit
Traffic circle	Roundabout
Trailer	Caravan
Trash	Rubbish
Trashcan	Dust bin, rubbish bin
Truck	Lorry
Trunk	Boot (car)
Turnpike	Toll motorway
Undershirt	Vest
Vacation	Holiday
Wheat	Corn
Windshield	Windscreen (car)
Wreck	Crash (vehicle)
Wrench	Spanner
Yard	Garden
Zipper	Zip
Zucchini	Corgette

• Some phrasal verbs and prepositions are different in British an American English

(US) Check sth out	(UK) Check sth
(US) Do sth over	(UK) Do sth again
(US) Fill out a form	(UK) Fill in a form
(US) In back of swh	(UK) At the back of swh
(US) Meet with sb	(UK) Meet sb
(US) Monday through Friday	(UK) Monday to Friday
(US) Protest sth	(UK) Protest against sth
(US) Stay home	(UK) Stay at home
(US) Visit with sb	(UK) Visit sb
(US) Write sb	(UK) Write to sb