Differences between British and American English:
1) Syntactical and morphological differences:
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American English uses past simple often when British English uses present perfect. I just
came back from school (American English) – I’ve just come back from school (British
English).
American English uses the form gotten as past participle for the verb get, while British
English uses got
British English, more likely than American English, uses the plural form of the verb for
collective nouns: The public are
Some differences are observed in the use of prepositions: meet with him (American
English) – meet him (British English); on a team, on the weekend (American English) – in a
team; at the weekend (British English).
American English tends to not to use adverbs in instances where British English uses them:
He looked at me real strange (American English) - … really strangely (British English).
2) Differences in pronunciation:
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Vowels are often nasalized in American English, but not in British English. This makes the
accent very different.
Three vowels are pronounced differently:
a) The diphthong /әʊ/, as in home, is pronounced as /oʊ/ in Am
b) The vowel /D/ as in pot, has lip rounding in American English, sounding like /a:/ as in palm.
c) Many British pronounce /a:/ where Americans pronounce /æ/, as in can’t, castle, fast…
British English pronounces /r/ only before a vowel, but in American English it is pronounced
in all positions in a word.
In American English /t/ and /d/ have a slight “voiced” pronunciation /d/ between vowels. In
British English /t/ remains “unvoiced” between vowels.
3) Differences in spelling:
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-or (American English) for words such as harbor (harbour in BrE) or neighbor (neighbour in
BrE)
-er (AmE) instead of BrE –re in such words as Theater (Theatre)
-se (AmE) instead of –ce (BrE) in words like defense (defence)
Not doubling final –l when adding a suffix, except when accented, as can be seen in ‘grovel
– grovelled (arrastrarse) but pro’pel – propelled
Use of –ize (AmE) instead of –ise (BrE), in words like organize (organise)
Other words:
AMERICAN
Aluminum
Archeology
Draft
Gage
Jewelry
Maneuver
Mold
Program
Sulfur
Catalog
Curb
Dialog
Favorite
Gynecology
Routing
Thru
BRITISH
Aluminium
Archaeology
Draught
Gauge (indicador)
Jewellery
Manoeuvre
Mould
Programme
Sulphur
Catalogue
Kerb
Dialogue
Favourite
Gynaecology
Routeing
through
4) Differences in vocabulary:
AMERICAN
Alumnus
Apartment
Automobile
Bar
Billfold
Cab
Anyplace
Attorney
Baby-carriage
Billboard
Broiler
Collect call
Can
Checkers
Coin-purse
Corn
Crib
Dessert
Diaper
Divided highway
Elevator
Expressway
Fall
Fender
Flashlight
Freeway
Garbage collector
Gear-shift
Highway
Hood
Intersection
Kerosene
Mad
Mailbox
Math
Motor
The movies
Noplace
One-way
Overpass
Pants
Patrolman
Peek
Pocketbook, purse
Private hospital
Raincoat
Realtor
Round trip
Rubbers
Run
Sedan
Shoulder
Sidewalk
Someplace
Spool of thread
Store
Stroller
Suspenders
Candy sweets
Closet
Cookie
Crazy
Cuffs
Detour
Dish-towel
Drug-store
Eraser
Faculty
BRITISH
Graduate
Flat
(motor) car
Pub
Wallet
Taxi
Anywhere
Barrister, solicitor
Pram
Hoarding
Grill
Reverse charges
Tin
Draughts
Purse
Maize
Cot
Sweet
Nappy
Dual carriageway
Lift
Motorway
Autumn
Wing (of a car)
Torch
Motorway
Dustman
Gear-lever
Main road
Bonnet (of a car)
Crossroads
Paraffin
Angry
Postbox
Maths
Engine
The cinema
Nowhere
Single (ticket)
Flyover
Trousers
Constable (policeman)
Peep
Handbag
Nursing home
Mackintosh, raincoat
Estate agent
Return (ticket)
Gumshoes, Wellington boots
Ladder (in tights)
Saloon (car)
Verge (of a road)
Pavement
Somewhere
Reel of cotton
Shop
Push-chair (for a baby)
Braces
Sweets
Cupboard
Biscuit
Mad
Turn-ups (on trousers)
Diversion
Tea-towel
Chemist
Rubber
Staff (of a university)
Faucet
First floor
Flat
Garbage can
Gas, gasoline
Generator
Hobo
Intermission
Janitor
Liquor-store
Mean
Oil-pan
Optometrist
Pacifier
Panty-hose
Pavement
Pitcher
Chips
Rest room
Schedule
Shorts
Sick
Tidbit (pedacito)
Trashcan
Turnpike (autopista de peaje)
Wrench (llave)
Thumbtack (chincheta)
Trash
Trunk
Traffic circle
Wheat
Tap (indoors)
Ground floor
Flat tyre, puncture
Dustbin, rubbish-bin
Petrol
Dynamo
Tramp
Interval
Caretaker
Off-licence
Nasty, vicious
Sump
Oculist, optician
Dummy (for a baby)
Tights
Road surface
Jug
Crisps
Public toilet
Timetable
Underpants
Ill
Titbit
Dust-bin
Toll motorway
Spanner
Drawing-pin
Rubbish
Boot (of a car)
Roundabout
Corn