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




Grammar
American English
British English
He just went home. 
(Or: He’s just gone home.)
The use of the simple past is more common in AE.
He’s just gone home.

Did you eat already?
I ate already.
Have you eaten yet?
I’ve already eaten.
Do you have a problem?
(Or: Have you got a problem?)
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)
(Or: He looked at me really strangely.)
He looked at me really strangely.
He probably has arrived by now.
(Or: He has probably arrived by now.)
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: full stops) is more marked in American English.
A.D.
Mrs.
e.g.
AD
Mrs
eg
British English can be more restrained, concise or impersonal.
This problem is an ongoing situation.
This problem continues.
The project team is violating accepted norms.
The project team is breaking the 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.

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