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Collective nouns are singular nouns that refer to a group of people, like "group" or "team."
British English tends to default to using the plural verb forms for collective nouns.
American English uses the singular verb form for collective nouns.
British and American English have some differences in how they might spell the past tense forms of some verbs.
British English might use '-t' to end the past tense forms of verbs ending in 'l,' 'm,' or 'n.'
American English will use '-ed' for the past tense of pretty much all regular verbs.
There are other differences between British and American English, but these are some of the common ones that come up in academic writing.
Oxford International Education Group. (n.d.). The main differences in British and American spelling. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/differences-in-british-and-american-spelling/
The Punctuation Guide. (n.d.). British versus American style. Retrieved from: https://www.thepunctuationguide.com/british-versus-american-style.html
This free guide provides an overview of the most common spelling differences in research papers when choosing American English or British English.
Updated on December 4, 2012
In a simpler world, English would be written the same way everywhere. However, when Noah Webster set out to create an American English dictionary in the early 1800s, he did more than just add new words to British English: he also revised the spelling of many common words to eliminate what he saw as unnecessary letters. His new spellings were adopted in the US but not the UK, and these spelling differences remain to this day.
The list below is intended to provide an overview of the most common spelling differences between British and American English. The words beginning each list are intended to establish overall patterns, whereas the words in italics towards the end of the lists are examples of deviations from the rule. Remember that you can choose between “English (U.S.)” and “English (U.K.)” in Microsoft Word when setting the language for your document. This change allows the spell check to help catch these differences in spelling.
Click here to download a list of American English and British English spelling differences for future reference.
American/british.
characterize/characterise
prioritize/prioritise
specialize/specialise
analyze/analyse
catalyze/catalyse
size /s ize
exercise / exercise
The products of the catalyzed reaction were characterized using specialized equipment/The products of the catalysed reaction were characterised using specialised equipment.
behavior/behaviour
color/colour
favor/favour
contour / contour
Because of its decolorization behavior , this material is favored /Because of its decolourisation behaviour , this material is favoured .
center/centre
fiber/fibre
liter/litre
parameter / parameter
Five milliliters of the mixture containing the fibers was pipetted on the center of the slide/Five millilitres of the mixture containing the fibres was pipetted on the centre of the slide.
ameba/amoeba
anesthesia/anaesthesia
diarrhea/diarrhoea
leukemia/leukaemia
cesium/caesium
The patient with leukemia was given anesthesia before the procedure/The patient with leukaemia was given anaesthesia before the procedure.
defense/defence
practice (noun and verb)/ practice (noun) /practise (verb)
license (noun and verb)/licence (noun)/ license (verb)
defensive / defensive
advice (noun) and advise (verb) / advice (noun) and advise (verb)
The defense attorney had practiced law for over thirty years/The defence attorney had practised law for over thirty years.
aging/ageing
acknowledgment/acknowledgement
judgment/judgement
analog/analogue
dialog/dialogue
dying/dyeing (from die/dye) / dying/dyeing (from die/dye)
The aging analog -to-digital converter is slowly dying/The ageing analogue -to-digital converter is slowly dying.
fulfill/fulfil
enroll/enrol
skill , skillful/ skill , skilful
labeled/labelled
signaling/signalling
propelled / propelled
revealing / revealing
The skillful student noted that the drop in enrollment may be signaling a problem with the study design. The skilful student noted that the drop in enrolment may be signalling a problem with the study design.
This list of differences between American English and British English is by no means exhaustive, but we hope that it helps give you an idea of the distinctions between the two styles of writing. For guaranteed correct word usage, trust one of our editors to edit your manuscript . If you have questions about any particular word, please contact us .
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Distinguishing between american and british english: what you need to know.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of a blank stare when using a word that's perfectly normal in your country but foreign in another? English is spoken by millions of people around the world, and depending on where you're from, the way you speak may differ from others. In this article, we'll delve into the nuances of American and British English and equip you with the knowledge you need to understand both languages in all their glory.
Let’s take a quick trip back in time to understand the origins of these two languages. British English, as the name suggests, originated in the United Kingdom and was brought over to America by British colonizers. However, as the language developed separately in both regions, differences in vocabulary and grammar began to emerge.
American and British English share many similarities because they both evolved from the same language and have a common linguistic heritage. However, there are also some important differences that can affect communication, especially in terms of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and spelling.
While both dialects share many similar rules, there are some important differences in spelling, punctuation, and word choice. Let's take a closer look at each one:
One of the most notable differences between American and British English is the pronunciation. Americans tend to pronounce words with more emphasis on the vowels, while the British accent is characterized by the way they emphasize consonants. British English is often characterized by the way speakers emphasize consonants and the way they pronounce vowels.
British English tends to use more intonation in speech. For instance, while Americans might say "tomayto," Brits say "tomahto." Americans also tend to stress the first syllable of words, while Brits often stress the second. Confused yet?
Another significant difference is the spelling of certain words, such as color instead of colour, or flavor instead of flavour. Additionally, there are a number of words and phrases unique to American English, such as "truck" instead of "lorry" and "apartment" instead of "flat."
Another area where American and British English diverge is in vocabulary. In America, for example, we call it an "elevator," while in the UK, it's a "lift." Americans go to the "movies," while Brits go to the "cinema." And don't even get us started on "fries" vs. "chips" and "chips" vs. "crisps."
It's important to note that the differences between American and British English aren't just linguistic; they're also cultural. Americans, for instance, tend to be more direct and to the point in their communication, while Brits value politeness and diplomacy. Understanding these cultural nuances is crucial to effective cross-cultural communication.
When it comes to academic writing, adhering to a specific style of English is a must. Whether you're working on a dissertation, research paper, or essay, following the conventions of a particular writing style is crucial to ensure that your work is credible, well-structured, and easy to understand.
Choosing the right English writing style is essential for academic success. By following the conventions of a specific style, you can ensure that your work is well-organized, easy to read, and credible. Remember to consult the style guide recommended by your professor or institution, and always double-check your citations and formatting to avoid any mistakes.
In conclusion, navigating the differences between American and British English can be tricky, but it's also incredibly rewarding. By understanding these nuances, we can better appreciate the diversity of languages and cultures around the world. So, whether you prefer "pants" or "trousers," "gas" or "petrol," we hope this comprehensive guide has given you a better understanding of both American and British English.
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Date: may 21, 2022 | grammar.
The English language includes several varieties, including British, American, Canadian, Australian, etc. However, the most commonly taught in ESL/EFL programs are American and British English. There is no “correct” variety of English, but it’s important to understand the differences between them. Major differences include:
Ginger enables you to choose between American and British English when performing an online grammar check. That way, whichever you choose, we have you covered!
Don’t get stuck with writer’s block Ginger creatively suggests alternatives to your sentences with Sentence Rephrase
Spelling is the most noticeable difference between American and British English. Famed American lexicographer, Noah Webster, introduced the American spelling reform in the early 1800’s. Major spelling differences include:
1. -er vs. -re
British spelling uses -re which originally comes from French. In the United States, it was replaced with -er to better reflect American pronunciation.
2. -or vs. -our
One of the more famous spelling differences also comes from French influence.
*Some exception in American usage exist such as the word glamour.
3. -ize vs. -ise / -yze vs. -yse
The -ize spelling is often incorrectly seen as an Americanism in Britain. While British spelling mostly uses the -ise ending as it’s more common, it’s just a convention and not a rule. However, the -ize ending is always used in the United States. However, the -yse ending in the UK is a rule and most be followed unless American printing style is being used.
4. Double consonants
This rule is more tricky as both varieties have different rules regarding doubled consonants. There are specific rules for words ending in L and before the -ment ending.
In British English when a words ends in -l, the final -l is often doubled (even when the final syllable is unstressed).
In the United States, the L is doubled before the -ment ending.
5. -se vs -ce
Many nouns that end in –ence in British English end in –ense in the US. UK English only uses –ense for the corresponding verb. For example, you can license someone to do something, after which they hold a licence to do it.
6. -og vs -ogue
American English commonly uses the ending -og while UK uses -ogue.
*There are some exceptions such as demagogue, pedagogue, and synagogue are seldom used without -ue even in American English.
7. Different spellings for different pronunciations
Other spelling reforms were changed to simplify the pronunciation or changed due to pronunciation differences in American English vs. British English.
The list of vocabulary differences between the US and UK is long. However, the main ones include:
1. Use of Present Perfect
In British English, the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past. The American standard is to use the simple past.
I’ ve lost my key. Can you help me look for it? (UK)
I lost my key. Can you help me look for it? (US)
In American English, the words already, just and yet can be used with the simple past or present perfect . In British English, only present perfect tense can be use with already, just and yet.
British English:
I’ ve just had lunch.
I’ ve already seen that film.
Have you finished your homework yet ?
American English:
I just had lunch OR I’ ve just had lunch.
I already saw that film OR I’ ve already seen that film
Did you finish your homework yet ? OR Have you finished your homework yet ?
2. Verb Endings
In British English, some verbs form the past tense with the suffix –t, while in American English they have regular past tense forms ending in –ed. Other differences include the extremely popular past particle of the verb get – in US (gotten), in UK (got).
English writers, compound sentence definition & examples.
T he British and Americans have never gotten along very well where the English language is concerned. British mockery and indignation over what Americans were doing with and to the language began long before Independence, but after that it blossomed into a fully-fledged, ill-spirited, relentless attack that is still going on today. The conservative British politician and Brexit supporter Jacob Rees-Mogg, for example, has been defended as “one who dares to eschew the current, Americanized, mode of behaviour, speech, and dress.” In our own time, as has been the case for more than two centuries, fights about nationalism easily turn into skirmishes over language.
British ridicule of American ways of speaking became a vitriolic and crowded sport in the 18th and 19th centuries. New American words were springing up seemingly out of nowhere, and the British had no clue what many of them meant. Although he greatly admired America and Americans, the expatriate Scottish churchman John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and member of Congress, had no taste for the language he heard cropping up in all walks of life in the country. “I have heard in this country,” he wrote in 1781, “in the senate, at the bar, and from the pulpit, and see daily in dissertations from the press, errors in grammar, improprieties and vulgarisms which hardly any person of the same class in point of rank and literature would have fallen into in Great Britain.” Among the Americanisms he said he heard everywhere were the use of “every” instead of “every one” and “mad” for “angry.” He particularly disliked “this here” or “that there.”
The British cringed over new American accents, coinages and vulgarisms. Prophets of doom flourished; the English language in America was going to disappear. “Their language will become as independent of England, as they themselves are,” wrote Jonathan Boucher, an English clergyman living in Maryland. Frances Trollope, mother of the novelist Anthony Trollope, was disgusted by “strange uncouth phrases and pronunciation” when she travelled in America in 1832. “Here then is the ruination of our classic English tongue,” mourned the British engineer, John Mactaggart. Even Thomas Jefferson found himself on the receiving end of an avalanche of British mockery, as The London Magazine in 1787 raged against his propensity to coin Americanisms: “For shame, Mr. Jefferson. Why, after trampling upon the honour of our country, and representing it as little better than a land of barbarism – why, we say, perpetually trample also upon the very grammar of our language? … Freely, good sir, will we forgive all your attacks, impotent as they are illiberal, upon our national character; but for the future, spare – O spare, we beseech you, our mother-tongue!”
But such protests did not stop Americans from telling the British to mind their own business, as they continued to use the language the way they felt they needed to in building their nation.
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Independence, it was felt by many, was a cultural as well as political matter that could never be complete without Americans taking pride in their own language. On the part of the more zealous American patriots like Thomas Jefferson and Noah Webster, the goal was national unity fostered by a conviction that Americans now ought to own and possess their own language. Jefferson led the charge by declaring war against Samuel Johnson’s famous Dictionary of the English Language , which continued to reign supreme for a century after its publication in 1755. Unless Johnson were toppled from his perch as the sage of the English language, he argued, America could remain hostage to British English deep into the 19th century. Webster, the self-styled grammarian who egotistically claimed for himself the role of “prophet of language to the American people,” was by far the most hostile to British interference in the development of the American language. He wrote an essay entitled, “English Corruption of the American Language,” casting Johnson as “the insidious Delilah by which the Samsons of our country are shorn of their locks.”
“Great Britain, whose children we are,” he claimed, “and whose language we speak, should no longer be our standard; for the taste of her writers is already corrupted, and her language on the decline.”
Yet, not all Americans were on board with Webster’s ideas and many Americans fought back, thoroughly and lastingly mocking him for his egregious reforms of the language, especially spelling, as a way of banishing the persistent American subservience to British culture. Pointing to him, one of his many American enemies remarked, “I expect to encounter the displeasure of our American reformers, who think we ought to throw off our native tongue as one of the badges of English servitude, and establish a new tongue for ourselves. … the best scholars in our country treat such a scheme with derision.”
We have to give it to Webster that he did write, as he made a point of putting it in his title, the first comprehensive unabridged “ American ” dictionary of the language. That effort, such as it was, 30 years in the making, brought on the golden age of American dictionaries — that is, those written in the U.S. The great historical irony, in light of decades of British ridicule of what Americans were doing with the language, is that Americans, like Webster’s superior and forgotten lexicographical rival Joseph Emerson Worcester, quickly surpassed British writers of dictionaries and continued to do so for more than half a century, until the birth of the monumental Oxford English Dictionary finally began to replace Johnson’s as Britain’s national dictionary.
Nonetheless, the flow of bad blood shed throughout the tortuous language and dictionary wars in the 19th century continued well into the 20th century, confirming that America and Britain were then and still are, as is often said, two nations “divided by a common language.” Divided, indeed, as with the same language they have always been able to understand their insults of one another.
Peter Martin is the author of the book The Dictionary Wars: The American Fight over the English Language (Princeton University Press 2019). He is also the author of the biographies Samuel Johnson and A Life of James Boswell . He has taught English literature in the United States and England.
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George Bernard Shaw famously said that “England and America are two countries divided by a common language,” and any American who’s ever been asked to write in British English has quickly seen why. The differences in American English vs. British English are many, and while there are a few rules of thumb you can follow when trying to adapt to British spelling, punctuation, and grammar rules, both dialects contain plenty of exceptions, contradictions, and things that just plain don’t make sense.
The differences between American and British English started with the Norman Conquest in 1066, when French started creeping into English, bringing not only new words but new spellings of words we already had. In the following centuries, some of those spellings shifted back to the original British ones, but in the 1700s, the English aristocracy became enamored with the fashionable French, adopting French-influenced spellings once again.
Here, then, for American writers who find themselves asked to write in British, are some of the major differences between British and American English.
Many common words that end in -or end in -our across the pond, so we disagree with the British on how to spell “favorite,” “color,” and “neighbor.” They say “favourite,” “colour,” and “neighbour.”
What do the Brits have against Z (or “zed,” as they call it)? You might start to wonder when you see words like “civilise.” If it ends in -ize or -yze here, it probably ends in -ise or -yse there, so whether it’s “realise” or “realize,” “analyse” or “analyze” depends on what country you’re in.
How do you spell “theater”? If you’re in New York, you might enjoy a night out at a Broadway theater, but if you’re going to the West End for a show, you’re headed to the “theatre.” Similarly, you’ll see “centre” for “center” and “metre” for “meter.”
If a word ends in -og here, it likely ends in -ogue there. The most common example of this British English spelling convention is “catalogue.”
For a noun ending in -ce , the verb form will generally end in -se : They say “practice” as a noun but “practise” as a verb, for instance. American English usually picks one form and sticks with it, such as “license” and “practice,” which are both nouns and verbs here.
The British spellings of some prepositions add an extra -s or -st , such as in “towards” or “amongst.”
As English lost the ligatures æ and œ , the British converted them to digraphs, such as in “orthopaedic,” “encyclopaedia,” and “manoeuvre.” Meanwhile, Webster stripped them down to single vowels, so we save a little ink when we spell “orthopedic,” “encyclopedia,” and “maneuver.”
Verbs ending in a vowel followed by L often double the L when you add a suffix that starts with a vowel, such as in “traveller” or “cancelling” instead of the American “traveler” and “canceling.” But this is a pretty tricky area because the British aren’t consistent about it, and neither are we: We use “excelling,” for example, but they use “fooling.”
Here are a few other differences in British vs. American spelling that don’t seem to fall under any specific rule of thumb but might be helpful to know:
American | British |
airplane | aeroplane |
aluminum | aluminium |
artifact | artefact |
check | cheque |
cozy | cosy |
gray | grey |
inquire | enquire |
Mom | Mum |
pajamas | pyjamas |
No oxford commas.
You might think that the country where Oxford commas came from would use them, but no. The truth is that the only place in Britain that uses the serial comma is, well, the Oxford University Press. While a lot of Americans like it, they’ll find very little company: The Brits don’t use it, the Canadians don’t use it, and neither do the world’s English-speaking journalists.
While we use double quotation marks (“”) to enclose a quote, in Britain, they prefer single ones instead (‘’).
In the U.S., if we’re writing a sentence that’s a quote, we’ll usually put the period or comma at the end before the closing quotation mark. But in the U.K., they usually close the quotation marks first, then write the period or comma.
If an abbreviation of an English courtesy title includes the first and last letters of a word, it doesn’t need a period after it in British English, so they’d write “Mr John Smith” or “Dr Mary Jones” without punctuation.
In America, we often treat a company, brand, or other group as a singular collective noun taking a singular verb. But the British often treat these as plurals, taking plural forms of verbs, so they might say things like “IBM issued their earnings report” or “the team have won three games in a row.”
The British seem to like the word “got” a whole lot. For one, they don’t use the word “gotten”: While we’d say that “it’s gotten windy out there,” they’d just say that “it’s got windy out there.” Also, where we use “have,” the Brits tend to use “have got.” While we say “they have three apples,” they’d say “they’ve got three apples,” and if I want to say that “I have to go home early” and I’m writing for a British audience, I’d say that “I’ve got to go home early.”
Here’s one specific quirk that has come up a lot in past projects: In British English, if you’re in the hospital, you’re merely “in hospital.” They draw a very fine distinction between being “in hospital,” meaning that you’re a patient being treated there, and being “in the hospital,” which to them often means only that you’re physically inside of a hospital building. It can also mean that someone is a patient at a specific hospital that’s already been referred to by name.
Mindy Young, an editor for Online Writing Jobs, got her start as a newspaper copy editor after earning her B.A. from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. She spent nearly 13 years editing stories, writing headlines, and putting together pages for daily newspapers, and along the way, she also had the opportunity to write food columns and restaurant reviews. After earning a pair of Associated Press awards and a Suburban Newspaper Association award, she left journalism for the world of content marketing, where she puts her skills to work every day for OWJ clients and writers.
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The English language spoken in the United States of America is what is referred to us as American English. The Americans born in this environment are considered the native speakers of this language.
On the other hand, the English language being spoken by the people living in the British Commonwealth countries is what is referred to us as British English. Although the English language may seem as just English to some people who are not native speakers, the American English differs considerably from the British variant in spelling, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
The first instance of differences in American and British English occurs in spelling. This is well portrayed in the way different forms of stressed and unstressed syllables are written.
For instance, in British English, the stressed form of the word ‘travel’ has a double ‘l’ syllables and is thus written as ‘travelled’, while in American English, the word ‘travel’ has a single ‘l’ in its stressed form and is thus written as ‘traveled’ in the stressed form (Hargis 64).
Grammatically, American and British variants differ in several ways. The differences normally come out in many ways; however, one in which these differences are the most evident is in the way collective nouns are applied in a sentence.
Collective noun being the general name for a group of people or things is normally followed by a singular or plural form of a verb, depending on the way the group is conceptualized by an individual. In British English, the collective noun can agree either with plural form of the verb or with a singular one.
However, in American English, the collective noun is always followed by a verb in a singular form. For example, in American English, one can only say “which squad is loosing?” while in British English, one says “which squad is loosing?” or “which squad are loosing?” (Bragg 2).
Additionally, American and British variants differ in pronunciations to a certain extent. The way certain words are articulated in British dialect is not the same as they are articulated in American one. The way American English sounds is called general American pronunciation; such as that heard over the radio (Bragg 1).
The British equivalent pronunciation is termed as the Received Pronunciation, such as that heard over the radio. One point in which the British and American pronunciation differs is the way ‘r’ is pronounced in words.
In the general American pronunciation, the letter ‘r’ is always pronounced and termed as rhetoric, while in the British Received Pronunciation, the letter ‘r’ is always silent and termed as ‘non-rhetoric’. Thus, in American English, the letter ‘r’ in the word ‘car’ will be loud and sound as ‘ kar ’, but in British English, the letter ‘r’ in the same word will be silent and thus pronounced as ‘ kah ’.
There is also a considerable lexical difference between American and British English. Some vocabulary use in the American context may differ in pronunciation, spelling and meaning. For instance, in the vocabulary used in transport industry, the use of some terminologies differs.
In the United Kingdom, the part of the road used by people is termed as a pavement, while in America; it is called a sidewalk (Blunt 59). Generally, there are some considerable differences in English spoken by Americans. These differences are associated with culture and environment that exist in Britain and the USA. However, despite the differences, English spoken by the two regions is generally understood by all.
Blunt, Jerry. Special English words with American equivalents . New York: Stage Dialects Dramatic Publishing Company, 1994. Print.
Bragg, Rebecca. “The grammatical differences between American & British English “. Ehow. 2012. Web.
Hargis, Summers. Rules Britannia: An insider’s guide to life in the United Kingdom . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2006. Print.
IvyPanda. (2019, April 2). The differences between American and British English. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-differences-between-american-and-british-english/
"The differences between American and British English." IvyPanda , 2 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/the-differences-between-american-and-british-english/.
IvyPanda . (2019) 'The differences between American and British English'. 2 April.
IvyPanda . 2019. "The differences between American and British English." April 2, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-differences-between-american-and-british-english/.
1. IvyPanda . "The differences between American and British English." April 2, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-differences-between-american-and-british-english/.
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IvyPanda . "The differences between American and British English." April 2, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-differences-between-american-and-british-english/.
English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and you’ll find its more than 1 billion speakers just about everywhere. (It’s fun to note that scientists have even taken the English language to Antarctica!)
But there are two particular groups of English speakers we’ll focus on in this article—and they are the ones who live on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, or what the Brits like to call “the pond.” If you’ve enjoyed some British football , puzzled over a British biscuit , or just watched a little “Peppa Pig” with your kids recently, we probably won’t surprise you when we say there are some key and noteworthy differences in how English functions in the United States versus the United Kingdom.
Let’s take a quick look at some fun and noteworthy examples of how English vocabulary, slang, spelling and pronunciation can vary depending on your location.
In general, most words mean the same thing in British and American English. For example, the words apple and chair refer to the same objects in both versions of English. For the most part, speakers of American English and British English won’t have much trouble at all understanding one another when it comes to vocabulary.
However, there are many examples of the same thing being referred to by different words depending on if you are using American or British English. For a well-known example, British English uses the word football to refer to the sport that Americans know as soccer . For the sport that Americans know as football , Brits use the term … American football .
This is far from the only example, though. Here are just a few more examples of two different words being used to refer to the same thing:
We can find similar examples when we look at slang words. Sometimes, different slang words are used in American and British English to refer to the same things.
Finally, both American and British English have words that are used exclusively. For example, American English has words like bayou and cleats for which there is no British equivalent. On the other side, British English uses terms like bunce , niff , and jiggery pokery that don’t really have American equivalents.
Read about other British slang that may have flummoxed you.
Generally speaking, most English words are spelled the same in American and British English. However, there are some notable spelling patterns that are preferred depending on which form of English is used.
Listed below are just some examples of spelling differences you may encounter:
-our (British) vs. -or (American)
-ise or -ize (British) vs. only -ize (American)
-yse (British) vs. – yze (American)
Doubling the L in a verb conjugation (British) vs. keeping the single L (American)
AE (British) vs. E (American)
-ence (British) vs. -ense (American)
only -ogue (British) vs. -og or -ogue (American)
-re (British) vs. -er (American)
In addition to these common patterns, some specific words are spelled differently in American and British English. Some examples include airplane (the first in each pair is the common American term) and aeroplane , gray and grey , tire and tyre , and mold and mould .
Go Behind The Words!
Before we dive into pronunciation differences, we need to address the elephant in the room. Yes, we know both the United States and the United Kingdom have many, many different accents and dialects that are spoken in their respective country. In particular, most (but not all) American accents are rhotic whereas most (but not all) British accents are nonrhotic . This means that most Americans will pronounce the R in certain syllables while most Brits will not, as in the word number (pronounced as “numbuh” by a nonrhotic speaker).
Additionally, even Americans and Brits with the same accent or dialect may pronounce a word differently. Ask some of your friends how they pronounce “New Orleans” and you’ll probably get a quick example of this.
All of that being said, there are many words that, in general, are often pronounced differently by many speakers of British English and American English.
Some of these different pronunciations are less dramatic. Here are some examples of words that have relatively minor pronunciation differences:
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Learn the difference between different British monetary terms with this look at quid vs. pound.
Other words have much more dramatic pronunciation differences. Some examples include:
And we’ll finish with an especially strange one:
As you can see, English can change quite a bit when going from Big Ben to the Big Apple. We merely scratched the surface, and there are tons more differences to be found, but you can test yourself on the nuances you’ve learned here with this quiz . You may want to keep an eye out the next time you check out a word or phrase in our dictionary because you might just discover a new difference in American and British English you didn’t even know about!
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Britain introduced the English language to the Americas during the 16th century. Over time, the American version of English changed significantly. In the United Kingdom, London-based scholars compiled a dictionary. The United States was not left out either. As a way of expressing cultural differences from her mother country, Noah Webster, a lexicographer changed how the words were spelt in the USA.
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You will find many similarities when comparing British English vs. American English. However, the two have a wide array of differences. This means that using one pronunciation instead in place of the other will guarantee a miscommunication. That said, Brits and Americans communicate and share media without many issues.
When differentiating British English vs American English, even Brits are caught out occasionally. The main difference between American and British English is that American spellings are mainly based on how the word is pronounced. On the other hand, British English maintains spelling of words as absorbed from other languages for instance Germany and English.
aeon or eon aesthetic or esthetic aluminium or aluminum anaemia or anemia anaesthesia or anesthesia annexe or annex apologise or apologize appal or appall armour or armor behaviour or behavior burned or burnt canceled or cancelled catalogue or catalog center or centre color or colour counsellor or counselor defence or defense demeanour or demeanor dialogue or dialog distil or distill
dreamed or dreamt endeavour or endeavor enrol or enroll favor or favour favourite or favorite flavour or flavor fuelled or fueled fulfil or fulfill glycerine or glycerin gramme or gram gray or grey grille or grill honor or honour humour or humor instalment or installment instil or instill judgment or judgement kneeled or knelt labelled or labeled labor or labour
learned or learnt liter or litre manoeuvre or maneuver maximize or maximise meter or metre modelling or modeling offence or offense organisation or organization pretence or pretense programme or program realize or realise recognise or recognize skilful or skillful smelled or smelt spelt or spelled theatre or theater tonne or ton traveling or travelling tyre or tire
English learners in New York might find their accent different from other learners in London. Wondering why? Read on!
The American dictionary differs from the British dictionary because they were written by different authors with diverse perspectives on language. The UK dictionary was compiled by learners whose goal was to gather all known English words. On the other hand, the main aim of the author of the American dictionary was to show American independence from British rule.
Another difference between American and British English is in the way Americans drop words from sentences. For instance, an American will say “I’ll write them” when saying they will write a letter to someone. Similarly, when asked to go for shopping, they are likely to say, “I will”. This is contrary to a Brit, as they would include all the essential words. For example, “I’ll write to you” or “I will go”.
The difference between American and British English also results from the adoption of words from different languages. For example, the British derive the word ‘coriander’ from the French language while American derived the word ‘cilantro’ from the Spanish language. As a leaner of British English and American English, the important thing is to remember the country you are studying in and know the origin of their words.
France invaded British in the 11th century and made the French language mandatory in universities, schools, courts and even upper classes. After the invasion, the language did not stick around but instead changed into Middle English. Meanwhile Americans had settled across the Atlantic and hence, didn’t take part in the evolvement. As a result, British English has extra linguistic similarities to French in comparison to the American English.
British english vs american english spelling.
British English and American English have some differences in spelling that learners should be keen on. Here are some common examples:
Apologise | Apologize |
Organise | Organize |
Recognise | Recognize |
Analyse | Analyze |
Burnt | Burned |
Smelt | Smelled |
Spilt | Spilled |
Humour | Humor |
Labour | Labor |
Colour | Color |
Flavour | Flavor |
Favourite | Favorite |
Colourful | Colorful |
Honourable | Honorable |
Most learners are aware of the grammar and spelling differences when comparing British English vs American English. But are you aware of the punctuation difference between American and British English? Let’s take a look.
Quotation Marks
One key difference between British English and American English is in relation to quotations. It covers two separate issues:
In American English, you should use double quotation marks on the main quote. Subsequently, you should use single quote marks for a quote found within a quote. It’s the exact opposite in British language.
“heard him shout ‘Duck’ loudly”
‘heard him shout “Duck” loudly’
Additionally, American English has punctuation rules that require all periods and commas to be given inside quotation marks. BE however, places punctuation marks within the quotation marks only if it’s part of the original text.
“He suffered headaches,”
‘He suffered headaches’,
The Oxford/Serial Comma
Another difference between British English vs American English is in the use of commas. The Oxford comma is placed afore the last item in a list consisting of three or more things. In American English the oxford comma is used as standard.
Mother bought cups, plates, and spoons.
Mother bought cups, plates and spoons.
In American English, you place a period after titles which British English doesn’t require. Examples:
Mr. Hughes walked home.
Mr Hughes walked home.
Verb conjunction denotes how verb changes to show a dissimilar tense, mood, number or person.
Treats collective nouns as singular | Treats collective nouns as plural |
Verbs take -ed endings for past participles and simple past tense. | Verbs take -ed endings for past participles and simple past tense but on this case have more exceptions |
There is also contrast in British English vs American English when it comes to how to use periods in abbreviations .
Abbreviation tittles take a period | Abbreviations take period only when the abbreviation doesn’t end with the last letter of the abbreviated word |
When comparing British English vs American English, you will get different grammar and spelling rules, vocabularies and accents. The important thing is to ensure that you can communicate adequately. Who is your audience? What version of English do they speak? These are two vital questions to consider when making official communication. But in the long run, all English speakers understand each other. Both Americans and Brits work together, read each other news, and even watch the same movies.
What are the main differences between british english vs american english.
The main difference between American and British English is in spelling. The accent is also different and will even vary across the USA. Another key difference between the two versions of English is in the punctuation. For example, in American English, you don’t have to place commas after the second-last item in a list. In American English, you would be required to place the Oxford comma at the end of the second-last item of the list.
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Differences between British English and American English came as a result of American protest to show independence from the British rule. When the USA gained independence, they wanted to feel like they were separated from Britain, and this led to the creation of new spellings and other differences in language. As the years passed the two countries adapted different cultural influences and hence, evolved some words. US English has mostly been influenced by Spanish, while American English has been influenced by French.
Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas in the 15th century. Later in the 16th century, British people would settle in the present-day USA region, and they ended up introducing their language to the place. Since then, the language has evolved significantly and has become quite different from British English.
British English and American English are extremely similar and hence they are both equally simple to study. When learning American or British English, your teacher is likely to point out differences between the two versions of the language. You can also use tools like Grammarly or Microsoft Word to determine whether you are using the right version of English.
As noted above, the difference between American and British English is not significant, and hence an American can comfortably communicate with a Brit. Written English is especially easy to understand, regardless of the version the students use. With spoken English, the students may need time to adapt to the different accents.
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Playwright George Bernard Shaw once claimed, England and America are two countries divided by a common language. Since the Americas were colonized over 400 years ago, the form of English used in the United States has deviated from that used in the United Kingdom. Therefore, the form of English used in the United Kingdom is called British English, and the form of English used in the United States is called American English.
During the course of writing, you may be asked to write in your non-native format. For example, some academic journals require articles to be formatted in a particular style. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the ways in which the two forms differ. It is also important to point out that the differences in style extend beyond what your spell check may highlight. This article will address the differences between the two forms, including spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, idioms, and formatting of dates and numbers.
For spelling issues, the safest option is to consult a dictionary. Use the Oxford Dictionary for British English and the Merriam Webster Dictionary for American English. A few common differences are listed below.
The most important difference involves the use of quotation marks. Double quotation marks are used as primary quotes in American English, whereas single quotation marks are used in British English.
For quotes within quotes, single quotation marks are used in American English, and double quotations marks are used in British English.
To add to the confusion, periods and commas are generally placed inside closing quotes in American English and placed outside closing quotes in British English. In both styles, question marks and exclamation points are placed inside the quotation marks if they belong to the quotation and outside otherwise.
The following sentences highlight the key differences.
My father always said, "Be careful what you wish for." (American English) My father always said, 'Be careful what you wish for'. (British English)
Another difference appears in letter writing. In American English, a comma follows the salutation in an informal letter (Dear John,), and a colon follows the salutation in a business letter (Dear John:). In British English, a comma follows the salutation in all letters.
Writers should also be careful when using the term "i.e." as the punctuation that follows also differs. In American English, a comma follows "i.e." or "e.g." No comma is used in British English.
Abbreviations may also be expressed differently. In American English, a period is typically used with abbreviations (Ph.D and Mr.), but in British English, no period is used (PhD and Mr).
Finally, it is also worthwhile to note that "( )" marks are referred to as brackets in British English. In American English, "( )" marks are referred to as parentheses (singular parenthesis), whereas "[ ]" are called brackets.
In British English, it is fairly common to use shall with the first person to talk about the future. Americans rarely use shall.
I will never forget this favour. (American English) I shall/will never forget this favour. (British English)
Collective nouns like "jury," "team," "family," and "government" can take both singular and plural verbs in British English. In American English, they normally take a singular verb.
The committee meets tomorrow. (American English) The committee meets/meet tomorrow. (British English)
The greatest difference between the two forms may be in vocabulary. Some differences in usage and/or meaning can cause confusion or embarrassment:
Apartment vs. Flat Area code vs. Dialing code ATM vs. Cashpoint Baby carriage vs. Pram Bathroom vs. Loo/water closet Cookie vs. Biscuit Elevator vs. Life Period vs. Full stop
There are also a few differences in preposition use, including the following:
American English "on the weekend" vs. British English "at the weekend" American English "on a team" vs. British English "in a team"
There are a number of English idioms that have essentially the same meaning but show lexical differences between the American and British version, for instance:
Knock on wood vs. Touch wood A drop in the bucket vs. A drop in the ocean Beating a dead horse vs. Flogging a dead horse Lay of the land vs. Lie of the land
In American English, the date is expressed as "April 17, 1978." Conversely, in British English, the date is expressed as "17 April 1978."
The time may also be expressed differently in British English since the 24-hour clock (18:00 or 1800) is routinely used in the UK and Europe in applications including air, rail, and bus timetables; however, it is largely unused in the US outside of military, police, and medical applications.
Finally, in most cases, British English and American English can be used interchangeably. However, in formal writing, it is important to know the distinctions and apply them appropriately.
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Esl british vs. american english games - vocabulary: categorising, matching - pair work - pre-intermediate (a2) - 25 minutes.
Esl british vs. american english worksheet - vocabulary exercises: gap-fill, word search, matching, binary choice - pre-intermediate (a2) - 25 minutes.
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Oxford/serial commas. The Oxford comma, or serial comma, comes after the final item in a list, before the word "and." It's easy to remember which version of English uses the Oxford comma as long as you reverse what you'd expect: the English of Britain, home to Oxford University Press, tends not to use the Oxford comma.
UK vs. US English | Difference, Spelling & Examples. When writing your dissertation, research paper or essay, you will have to consistently follow the conventions of a specific style of English. The most commonly used forms are: American English; British English; Australian English
To What Extent Is There A Difference Among English Spoken By British People And Americans? English is a language that has a variety of dialects; particularly, there are three different major English segments.
A majority of the spelling differences between American and British English fall into the following categories: Latin-derived spellings-our (British) and -or (American). e.g. colour vs color -re (British) and -er (American). e.g. centre vs center -ce (British) and -se (American). e.g. defence vs defense Greek-derived spellings
What's the deal with the difference between British and American English? Learn what's different with grammar, spelling and punctuation.
The English language was introduced to the Americas by the arrival of the British, beginning in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.The language also spread to numerous other parts of the world as a result of British trade and settlement and the spread of the former British Empire, which, by 1921, included 470-570 million people, about a quarter of the world's population.
In a simpler world, English would be written the same way everywhere. However, when Noah Webster set out to create an American English dictionary in the early 1800s, he did more than just add new words to British English: he also revised the spelling of many common words to eliminate what he saw as unnecessary letters.
British English vs American English | Differences Explained. Although British English (also called UK English) and American English (also called US English) are largely very similar in their written form, there are several important differences that distinguish the two variants from each other:. Spelling differences (e.g., use of "-er" vs. "-re" endings)
American and British English share many similarities because they both evolved from the same language and have a common linguistic heritage. However, there are also some important differences that can affect communication, especially in terms of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and spelling.
British English started with the invasion of England in the 5th century. The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes brought their languages across the sea from other parts of Europe and into England.
The English language includes several varieties, including British, American, Canadian, Australian, etc. However, the most commonly taught in ESL/EFL programs are American and British English.
The British cringed over new American accents, coinages and vulgarisms. Prophets of doom flourished; the English language in America was going to disappear.
British Punctuation and Grammar No Oxford commas. You might think that the country where Oxford commas came from would use them, but no. The truth is that the only place in Britain that uses the serial comma is, well, the Oxford University Press.
The English language spoken in the United States of America is what is referred to us as American English. The Americans born in this environment are considered the native speakers of this language.
British vs. American pronunciation. Before we dive into pronunciation differences, we need to address the elephant in the room. Yes, we know both the United States and the United Kingdom have many, many different accents and dialects that are spoken in their respective country.
British English. Old English, the language formed from this conquest, remained in use in Great Britain for the next six hundred years. Scholars today estimate that only about 15% of Modern English ...
British English vs. American English - In a Nutshell. You will find many similarities when comparing British English vs. American English. However, the two have a wide array of differences.
Lexical Differences between American and British English: a Survey Study ! 63 English authorities culminated in his 'Compendious Dictionary of English Language' in which he proposed the creation of an independent dialect to accommodate the written language to the spoken language.
Playwright George Bernard Shaw once claimed, England and America are two countries divided by a common language. Since the Americas were colonized over 400 years ago, the form of English used in the United States has deviated from that used in the United Kingdom. Therefore, the form of English used in the United Kingdom is called British English, and the form of English used in the United ...
Here are two engaging British English vs. American English games to help students distinguish between British and American vocabulary. First, in pairs, students sort British English words and American English words into their respective groups by taking turns turning over one vocabulary card and placing it under the correct heading.