Bob's
Home Page

 

  British X American English

 
 

While there are certainly many more varieties of English, American 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 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 too express possession in English. Have or Have got

Do you have a car?

Have you got a car?

He hasn't got any friends.

He doesn't have any friends.

She has a beautiful new home.

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.)

Prepositions

There are also a few differences in preposition use including the following:

American English – on the weekend       

American English – on a team

American English – on the street

American English – please write me soon           

British English – at the weekend

British English – in a team 

British English – please write to me soon

British English – in the street

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.

Words ending in –ter (American) –tre (British) center, centre, theater, theatre.

Vocabulary

subway

gasoline

vacation

sidewalk

line

parking lot

bathroom

faucet

apartment

closet

to call (by telephone)

crosswalk

apartment building

cookie

garbage

candy

diaper

flashlight

truck

baby carriage

shopping bag

eraser

elevator

antenna

Scotch/adhesive tape

freeway/highway

national holiday

trunk (of a car)

hood (of a car)

round trip

one-way

 underground

 petrol

 holiday

 pavement

 queue

 car park

 toilet, WC

 tap

 flat

 wardrobe

 to ring

 zebra crossing

 block of flats

 biscuit

 rubbish

 sweets

 nappy

 torch

 lorry

 pram

 carrier bag

 rubber

 lift

 aerial

 Sellotape

 motorway

 bank holiday

 boot

 bonnet

 return

 single

 Back to the main menu