While there are certainly many more varieties of English, American English and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL/EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is "correct" however, there are certainly preferences in use. The three major differences between American and British English are:
• Pronunciation - differences in both vowel and consonants, as well as stress and intonation
• Vocabulary - differences in nouns and verbs, especially phrasal verb usage
• Spelling - differences are generally found in certain prefix and suffix forms
The most important rule of thumb is to try to be consistent in your usage. If you decide that you want to use American English spellings then be consistent in your spelling (i.e. the color of the orange is also its flavour - color is American spelling and flavour is British), this is of course not always easy - or possible. The following guide is meant to point out the principal differences between these two varieties of English.
Use of the Present Perfect
In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example:
I've lost my key. Can you help me look for it?
In American English the following is also possible:
I lost my key. Can you help me look for it?
In British English the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are generally accepted in standard American English. Other differences involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include 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've already seen that film OR I already saw that film.
Have your finished your homework yet? OR Did you finish your homework yet?
Possession
There are two forms to express possession in English. Have or Have got
o Do you have a car?
o Have you got a car?
o He hasn't got any friends.
o He doesn't have any friends.
o She has a beautiful new home.
o She's got a beautiful new home.
While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasn't got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn't have etc.)
The Verb Get
The past participle of the verb get is gotten in American English. Example He's gotten much better at playing tennis. British English - He's got much better at playing tennis.
Vocabulary
Probably the major differences between British and American English lies in the choice of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties for example:
Mean: (American English - angry, bad humored, British English - not generous, tight fisted)
Rubber: (American English - condom, British English - tool used to erase pencil markings)
• American English – hood
British English – bonnet
• American English – trunk
British English – boot
• American English – truck
British English - lorry
Prepositions
There are also a few differences in preposition use including the following:
• American English - on the weekend
British English - at the weekend
• American English - on a team
British English - in a team
• American English - please write me soon
British English - please write to me soon
Past Simple/Past Participles
The following verbs have two acceptable forms of the past simple/past participle in both American and British English, however, the irregular form is generally more common in British English (the first form of the two) and the regular form is more common to American English.
• Burn
Burnt OR burned
• Dream
Dreamt OR dreamed
• Lean
Leant OR leaned
• Learn
Learnt OR learned
• Smell
Smelt OR smelled
• Spell
Spelt OR spelled
• Spill
Spilt OR spilled
• Spoil
Spoilt OR spoiled
Spelling
Here are some general differences between British and American spellings:
Words ending in -or (American) -our (British) color, colour, humor, humour, flavor, flavour etc.
Words ending in -ize (American) -ise (British) recognize, recognise, patronize, patronise etc.
British English
|
American English
|
accommodation
|
accommodations
|
action replay
|
instant replay
|
aerofoil
|
airfoil
|
aeroplane
|
airplane
|
agony aunt
|
advice columnist
|
Allen key
|
Allen wrench
|
aluminium
|
aluminum
|
aniseed
|
anise
|
anticlockwise
|
counterclockwise
|
articulated lorry
|
tractor-trailer
|
asymmetric bars
|
uneven bars
|
aubergine
|
eggplant
|
baking tray
|
cookie sheet
|
bank holiday
|
legal holiday
|
beetroot
|
beet(s)
|
bill
|
check
|
biscuit
|
cookie; cracker
|
black economy
|
underground economy
|
blanket bath
|
sponge bath
|
blind
|
(window) shade
|
block of flats
|
apartment building
|
boiler suit
|
coveralls
|
bonnet (of a car)
|
hood
|
boob tube
|
tube top
|
boot (of a car)
|
trunk
|
bottom drawer
|
hope chest
|
bowls
|
lawn bowling
|
braces
|
suspenders
|
brawn (the food)
|
headcheese
|
breakdown van
|
tow truck
|
breeze block
|
cinder block
|
bridging loan
|
bridge loan
|
bumbag
|
fanny pack
|
candyfloss
|
cotton candy
|
car park
|
parking lot
|
casualty
|
emergency room
|
catapult
|
slingshot
|
central reservation
|
median strip
|
chemist
|
drugstore
|
chips
|
French fries
|
cinema
|
movie theater; the movies
|
cling film
|
plastic wrap
|
common seal
|
harbor seal
|
consumer durables
|
durable goods
|
cornflour
|
cornstarch
|
cos (lettuce)
|
Romaine
|
cot
|
crib
|
cot death
|
crib death
|
cotton bud
|
cotton swab
|
cotton wool
|
absorbent cotton
|
council estate
|
(housing) project
|
courgette
|
zucchini
|
court card
|
face card
|
crash barrier
|
guardrail
|
crisps
|
chips; potato chips
|
crocodile clip
|
alligator clip
|
cross-ply
|
bias-ply
|
crotchet (music)
|
quarter note
|
current account
|
checking account
|
danger money
|
hazard pay
|
demister (in a car)
|
defroster
|
dialling tone
|
dial tone
|
diamante
|
rhinestone
|
double cream
|
heavy cream
|
draughts (game)
|
checkers
|
drawing pin
|
thumbtack
|
dressing gown
|
robe; bathrobe
|
drink-driving
|
drunk driving
|
drinks cupboard
|
liquor cabinet
|
drinks party
|
cocktail party
|
driving licence
|
driver’s license
|
dual carriageway
|
divided highway
|
dummy (for a baby)
|
pacifier
|
dust sheet
|
drop cloth
|
dustbin
|
garbage can
|
earth (electrical)
|
ground
|
engaged (of a phone)
|
busy
|
estate agent
|
real estate agent, realtor (trademark)
|
estate car
|
station wagon
|
ex-directory
|
unlisted
|
faith school
|
parochial school
|
financial year
|
fiscal year
|
fire brigade/service
|
fire company/department
|
first floor
|
second floor
|
fish finger
|
fish stick
|
fitted carpet
|
wall-to-wall carpeting
|
flannel
|
washcloth
|
flat
|
apartment
|
flexitime
|
flextime
|
flick knife
|
switchblade
|
flyover
|
overpass
|
football
|
soccer
|
footway
|
sidewalk
|
fringe (hair)
|
bangs
|
full board (in hotels)
|
American plan
|
full stop (punctuation)
|
period
|
garden
|
yard; lawn
|
gearing (finance)
|
leverage
|
gear lever
|
gearshift
|
goods train
|
freight train
|
greaseproof paper
|
wax paper/waxed paper
|
green fingers
|
green thumb
|
grill (noun)
|
broiler
|
grill (verb)
|
broil
|
ground floor
|
first floor
|
groundsman
|
groundskeeper
|
hairslide
|
barrette
|
hatstand
|
hatrack
|
hen night
|
bachelorette party
|
hire purchase
|
installment plan
|
hoarding
|
billboard
|
hob
|
stovetop
|
holdall
|
carryall
|
holiday
|
vacation
|
holidaymaker
|
vacationer
|
homely
|
homey
|
hosepipe
|
(garden) hose
|
in hospital
|
in the hospital
|
hot flush
|
hot flash
|
housing estate
|
housing development
|
hundreds and thousands
|
sprinkles (for ice cream)
|
ice lolly
|
Popsicle (trademark)
|
icing sugar
|
confectioners’ sugar
|
indicator (on a car)
|
turn signal
|
inside leg
|
inseam
|
jelly babies
|
jelly beans
|
Joe Bloggs
|
Joe Blow
|
Joe Public
|
John Q. Public
|
jumble sale
|
rummage sale
|
jump lead
|
jumper cable
|
jumper
|
sweater
|
junior school
|
elementary school
|
kennel
|
doghouse
|
ladybird
|
ladybug
|
a lettuce
|
a head of lettuce
|
level crossing
|
grade crossing
|
lift
|
elevator
|
lolly
|
Popsicle (trademark)
|
lollipop lady (or man)
|
crossing guard
|
loo (toilet)
|
john
|
loose cover
|
slipcover
|
lorry
|
truck
|
loudhailer
|
bullhorn
|
low loader
|
flatbed truck
|
lucky dip
|
grab bag
|
luggage van
|
baggage car
|
maize
|
corn
|
mangetout
|
snow pea
|
market garden
|
truck farm
|
marshalling yard
|
railroad yard
|
maths
|
math
|
metalled road
|
paved road
|
milometer
|
odometer
|
minim (music)
|
half note
|
mobile phone
|
cell phone
|
monkey tricks
|
monkeyshines
|
motorway
|
expressway; highway
|
mum/mummy
|
mom/mommy
|
nappy
|
diaper
|
needlecord
|
pinwale
|
newsreader
|
newscaster
|
noughts and crosses
|
tic-tac-toe
|
number plate
|
license plate
|
off-licence
|
liquor store; package store
|
opencast mining
|
open-pit mining
|
ordinary share
|
common stock
|
oven glove
|
oven mitt
|
paddling pool
|
wading pool
|
paracetamol
|
acetaminophen
|
parting (in hair)
|
part
|
patience
|
solitaire
|
pavement
|
sidewalk
|
pay packet
|
pay envelope
|
pedestrian crossing
|
crosswalk
|
peg
|
clothespin
|
pelmet
|
valance
|
petrol
|
gas; gasoline
|
physiotherapy
|
physical therapy
|
pinafore dress
|
jumper
|
plain chocolate
|
dark chocolate
|
plain flour
|
all-purpose flour
|
polo neck
|
turtleneck
|
positive discrimination
|
reverse discrimination
|
postal vote
|
absentee ballot
|
postbox
|
mailbox
|
postcode
|
zip code
|
potato crisp
|
potato chip
|
power point
|
electrical outlet
|
pram
|
baby carriage; stroller
|
press stud
|
snap
|
press-up
|
pushup
|
private soldier
|
GI
|
public school
|
private school
|
public transport
|
public transportation
|
punchbag
|
punching bag
|
pushchair
|
stroller
|
pylon
|
utility pole
|
quantity surveyor
|
estimator
|
quaver (music)
|
eighth note
|
queue
|
line
|
racing car
|
race car
|
railway
|
railroad
|
real tennis
|
court tennis
|
recorded delivery
|
certified mail
|
registration plate
|
license plate
|
remould (tyre)
|
retread
|
reverse the charges
|
call collect
|
reversing lights
|
back-up lights
|
right-angled triangle
|
right triangle
|
ring road
|
beltway
|
room only
|
European plan
|
roundabout (at a fair)
|
carousel
|
roundabout (in road)
|
traffic circle
|
rowing boat
|
rowboat
|
sailing boat
|
sailboat
|
saloon (car)
|
sedan
|
sandpit
|
sandbox
|
sandwich cake
|
layer cake
|
sanitary towel
|
sanitary napkin
|
self-raising flour
|
self-rising flour
|
semibreve (music)
|
whole note
|
semitone (music)
|
half step
|
share option
|
stock option
|
shopping trolley
|
shopping cart
|
show house/home
|
model home
|
silencer (on a car)
|
muffler
|
silverside
|
rump roast
|
skeleton in the cupboard
|
skeleton in the closet
|
skimmed milk
|
skim milk
|
skipping rope
|
jump rope
|
skirting board
|
baseboard
|
sledge
|
sled
|
sleeper
|
railroad tie
|
sleeping partner
|
silent partner
|
slowcoach
|
slowpoke
|
snakes and ladders
|
chutes and ladders
|
solicitor
|
lawyer
|
soya/soya bean
|
soy/soybean
|
splashback
|
backsplash
|
spring onion
|
green onion
|
stag night
|
bachelor party
|
Stanley knife
|
utility knife
|
starter
|
appetizer
|
state school
|
public school
|
storm in a teacup
|
tempest in a teapot
|
surtitle
|
supertitle
|
swede
|
rutabaga
|
sweet(s)
|
candy
|
takeaway (food)
|
takeout; to go
|
taxi rank
|
taxi stand
|
tea towel
|
dish towel
|
terrace house
|
row house
|
tick
|
check mark
|
ticket tout
|
scalper
|
tights
|
pantyhose
|
timber
|
lumber
|
titbit
|
tidbit
|
toffee apple
|
candy apple
|
touch wood
|
knock on wood
|
trade union
|
labor union
|
trading estate
|
industrial park
|
trainers
|
sneakers
|
tram
|
streetcar; cable car
|
transport cafe
|
truck stop
|
trolley
|
shopping cart
|
twelve-bore
|
twelve-gauge
|
unalike
|
unlike
|
underground
|
subway
|
vacuum flask
|
thermos bottle
|
verge (of a road)
|
shoulder
|
vest
|
undershirt
|
veterinary surgeon
|
veterinarian
|
wagon (on a train)
|
car
|
waistcoat
|
vest
|
walking frame
|
walker
|
wardrobe
|
closet
|
water ice
|
Italian ice
|
weatherboard
|
clapboard
|
white coffee
|
coffee with cream
|
white spirit
|
mineral spirits
|
wholemeal bread
|
wholewheat bread
|
windcheater
|
windbreaker
|
windscreen
|
windshield
|
wing (of a car)
|
fender
|
worktop
|
countertop
|
Yale lock
|
cylinder lock
|
zebra crossing
|
crosswalk
|
zed (letter Z)
|
zee
|
zip
|
zipper
|
