Source: http://www.doksi.
hu
American and British English
These two varieties of English are very similar. The differences that exist are gradually disappearing, mainly
because modern British English is heavily influenced by American English. The main differences are in
vocabulary and idiom, but there are also differences in grammar, spelling and pronunciation.
Vocabulary
Sometimes the same word has different meanings (GB mad = ‘crazy’; US mad = ‘angry’). Very often different
words are used for the same idea (GB lorry = US truck). Here are some examples:
American English British English American English British English
airplane aeroplane pavement road surface
anyplace/anywhere anywhere pitcher jug
apartment flat/apartment purse, handbag handbag
area code (phone) dialling code (potato) chips crisps
attorney, lawyer barrister, solicitor, lawyer railroad railway
busy (phone) engaged raise rise (in salary)
call collect (phone) reverse the charges rest room public toilet
can tin round trip return (journey/ticket)
candy sweets schedule, timetable timetable
check/bill (restaurant) bill sidewalk pavement
coin-purse purse sneakers trainers (= sports shoes)
cookie, cracker biscuit spigot, faucet tap (outdoors)
corn sweet corn, maize stand in line queue
crazy mad store, shop shop
cuffs (trousers) turn-ups subway underground, tube
diaper nappy truck lorry
doctor’s office doctor’s surgery trunk boot (of a car)
dumb, stupid stupid two weeks fortnight, two weeks
elevator lift vacation holiday(s)
eraser rubber, eraser windshield windscreen (of a car)
fall, autumn autumn zee zed (name of letter ‘z’)
faucet, tap tap stroller pram, pushchair
first floor, second floor ground floor, first floor shopping cart shopping trolley
flashlight torch cell phone mobile phone
flat (tire) flat tyre, puncture checking account current account
french fries chips turn signal indicator
garbage, trash rubbish Add your own examples:
garbage can, trashcan dustbin, rubbish bin
gas(oline) petrol
gear shift (on a car) gear lever
highway, freeway main road, motorway
hood (on a car) bonnet
intersection crossroads
mad angry
mail post
mean nasty
movie, film film
movie theater cinema
one-way (ticket) single (ticket)
pants, trousers pants
Expressions with prepositions and particles
American English British English American English British English
different from/than different from/to live on a street live in a street
check something out check something on a team in a team
do something over/again do something again Monday through Friday Monday to Friday
be good in something be good at something Please write me soon. Please write to me soon.
fill out a form fill in a form
Source: http://www.doksi.hu
Grammar
American English British English
He just went home. The use of the He’s just gone home.
(Or: He’s just gone home.) simple past is more
Did you eat already? common in AE. Have you eaten yet?
I ate already. I’ve already eaten.
Do you have a problem? Have you got a problem?
(Or: Have you got a problem?)
I’ve never really gotten to know her. I’ve never really got to know her.
(on the phone) Hello, is this Susan? Hello, is that Susan?
It looks like it’s going to rain. It looks as if/like it’s going to rain.
He looked at me real strange. (very informal) He looked at me really strangely.
(Or: He looked at me really strangely.)
He probably has arrived by now. He has probably arrived by now.
(Or: He has probably arrived by now.)
Spelling
A number of words end in –or in American English and in –our in British English (e.g. color/colour).
Some words end in –er in American English and in –re in British English (e.g. center/centre).
Many verbs which end in –ize in American English (e.g. realize) can be spelt in British English with –ize or –ise.
Here are some of the commonest words with different forms:
American English British English American English British English
aluminum aluminium pajamas pyjamas
analyze analyse paralyze paralyse
catalog catalogue practice, practise practise (verb)
center centre program programme
check cheque organize organise/organize
color colour theater theatre
defense defence tire tyre
honor honour gray grey
jewelry jewellery whiskey (Scotch) whisky
labor labour spelt spelled
Further points
American English British English
The trend to eliminate periods (BE: A.D. AD
full stops) is more marked in Mrs. Mrs
American English. e.g. eg
British English can be more This problem is an ongoing This problem continues.
restrained, concise or impersonal. situation.
The project team is violating The project team is breaking the
accepted norms. rules.
You are not obligated to do this. You are not obliged to do this.
You did a fantastic job. You’ve done rather well.
Which English is spoken where?
• British English: The British Commonwealth of Nations, (e.g. Australia, Singapore) and among most English –
speaking Africans, Asians and Europeans. In former British colonies such as India, Pakistan and Nigeria,
British English is a common standard where many languages are spoken. All of these parts of the world, of
course, have their own variety of ‘British English’ (e.g. the ‘Singlese’ of Singapore).
• American English: the United States and among most English-speaking Pacific Rim Asians.
For differences in pronunciation, see sources below.
Sources:
Pronunciation: http://www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionary/pronunciation.html
Vocabulary: http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/American_and_British_English_Differences
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage (OUP) ISBN 0-19-431197-X
Franklin Covey Style Guide, Franklin Covey Co. ISBN 188321982-5
