Opposites!!

American and British English

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