British and American English
These two kinds of English are very similar. There are a few differences of grammar and spelling, and rather more differences of vocabulary.
Pronunciation is sometimes very different, but most British and American speakers can understand each other.
1 Grammar
|
US |
GB |
|
He just went home. |
He’s just gone home. |
|
Do you have a problem? I’ve never really gotten to know him. |
Have you got a problem? |
|
It’s important that he be told. |
I’ve never really got to know him. |
|
(on the telephone) Hello, is this Harold? |
It’s important that he should be told. |
|
It looks like it’s going to rain. |
Hello, is that Harold? |
|
He looked at me real strange. (informal) |
It looks as if it’s going to rain. |
|
|
He looked at me really strangely. |
2 Vocabulary
There are very many differences. Sometimes the same word has different meanings (GB mad = crazy’; US mad = angry’). Often different words are used for the same idea (GB lorry;
|
US |
GB |
US |
GB |
|
apartment |
flat |
second floor |
first floor |
|
cab |
taxi |
trench fries |
chips |
|
can |
tin |
garbage |
rubbish |
|
candy |
sweets |
or trash |
check |
|
bill (in a restaurant) |
gas(oline) |
petrol |
closet |
|
cupboard |
highway |
main road |
or cabinet |
|
intersection |
crossroads |
cookie |
biscuit |
|
mad |
angry |
corn |
maize |
|
mail |
post |
crazy |
mad |
|
motor |
engine |
elevator |
lift |
|
movie |
film |
fall |
autumn |
|
one-way |
single (ticket) |
first floor |
ground floor |
|
pants |
trousers |
|
|
|
pavement |
road surface |
store |
shop |
|
potato chips |
crisps |
subway |
underground |
|
railroad |
railway |
truck |
lorry |
|
round-trip |
return (ticket) |
vacation |
holiday(s) |
|
sidewalk |
pavement |
zipper |
zip |
Expressions with prepositions and particles;
check something out check something
do something over do something again
fill in/out a form fill in a form
meet with somebody meet somebody
visit with somebody visit somebody
Monday through Friday Monday to Friday
home at home
Mondays on Mondays
3 Spelling
|
US |
GB |
US |
GB |
|
aluminum |
aluminium |
jewelry |
jewellery |
|
analyze |
analyse |
labor |
labour |
|
catalog |
catalogue |
pajamas |
pyjamas |
|
center |
centre |
practice |
practise (verb) |
|
check |
cheque (from a bank) |
program |
programme |
|
color |
colour |
theater |
theatre |
|
defense |
defence |
tire |
tyre (on a car) |
|
honor |
honour |
traveler |
traveller |
Many verbs end in -ize in American English, but in -ise or -ize in British English. For example; US realize! GB realise or realize.