PHONETIC LEVEL
PRONUNTIATION
There are many ways in which the pronuntiation of American English is noticeably
different from the pronuntiation of British English.More specifically we can number the
main differences between British and American English by describing the principal
features of American English:
Most speakers of American English pronounce written “r” whenever it appears in a
word, but most speakers of British English only pronounce “r” when it is
immediately followed by a vowel. Here are some examples: mother, car, are.
“t” between vowels sounds like d (and this d often sounds like a kind of r), e.g. in
latter, ladder, tomato.
The vowel of boat, dote, know, no, etc. is a pure long vowel, not a diphthong as in
British English.
The sound of “u” as in up (also spelt o in come, etc.) sounds like the obscure sound
of a as in aloft, china.
“er” is pronounced as in herd in words where it is like ar in hard in British English,
e.g. in clerk, derby.
STRESS
This is one of the areas where American influence on British English has been
particularly strong, and probably most of the words in the first column can be heard in
the UK these days with the American stress pattern, especially spoken by younger
people.
Words
Received Pronunciation
General American
Address
/əˈdres/
/ˈædr es/
Advertisement
/ədˈvɜːtɪsmənt/
/ædvərˈtaɪzmənt/
Translate
/træntsˈleɪt/
/ˈtræntsleɪt/
Princess
/prɪnˈses/
/ˈprɪntsəs/
Weekend
/wiːkˈend/
/ˈwiːkend/
Garage
/ˈɡærɑːʒ/
/ɡəˈrɑːʒ/
Research
/riˈsɜːtʃ/
/ˈriːsɜːtʃ/
MORPHOLOGICAL LEVEL
SPELLING
-or vs. -our
American
British
color
colour
favorite
favourite
honor
honour
-ze vs. -se
American
British
analyze
analyse
criticize
criticise
memorize
memorise
-er vs. -re
American
British
center
centre
meter
metre
theater
theatre
-ck or -k vs. -que
American
British
bank
banque
check
cheque
checker
chequer
PUNTUACTION
AMERICAN ENGLISH
BRITISH ENGLISH
Full stops
Mr., Mrs., St., Dr.
Mr, Mrs, St, Dr,
Quoting
(")
(')
Contents of quotations
Carefree means "free from care
or anxiety."
Carefree means "free
from care or
anxiety".
Letter-writing
("Dear Sir:")
("Dear Sir,")
SYNTAX LEVEL
USE OF PRESENT PERFECT
AMERICAN ENGLISH
BRITISH ENGLISH
I lost my key. Can you help me look
for it?
I´ve lost my key. Can you help me look
for it?
I just had lunch OR I've just had
lunch
I´ve just had lunch
I've already seen that film OR I
already saw that film.
I've already seen that film
Have your finished your homework
yet? OR Did you finish your
homework
Have you finished your homework yet?
POSSESSION
AMERICAN ENGLISH
BRITISH ENGLISH
Have
Have got
Do you have a car?
Have you got a car?
He doesn’t have any friends
He hasn´t got any friends
PREPOSITIONS
AMERICAN ENGLISH
BRITISH ENGLISH
on the weekend
at the weekend
on a team
in a team
please write me soon
please write to me soon
VERBS
Verbs
Irregular forms (common
Regular forms (common in
in British English)
American English)
Burn:
burnt
burned
Dream:
dreamt
dreamed
Lean:
leant
leaned
Learn:
learnt
learned
Smell:
smelt
smelled
Spell:
spelt
spelled
Spill:
spilt
spilled
Spoil:
spoilt
spoiled
PHRASAL VERBS
AMERICAN ENGLISH
BRITISH ENGLISH
Filled out
Filled in
Beat on/ beat up
Beat someone up
Rained out
Rained off
SEMANTIC LEVEL
There are two important types of difference in the meanings of words:
 The same object may have a completely different name. Here are a few of the
more common words which are different in American and British.
 T
h
American English
British English
Apartment
Flat
Cookie
Biscuit
Elevator
Lift
Vacation
Holiday
Can
Tin
Flashlight
Torch
Truck
Lorry
Fall
Autumn
e
s
a
m
e
 word is used in both varieties, but it may have a completely different meaning.
The word “Football” has a different meanings; In American English is a game played
with an egg-shaped ball that the players can throw or kick. In British English is a game
played with a round ball that the players kick. Americans call this game “soccer”.