Differences between American English and British English
Contents
American and British English differences[edit]
American English (AmE) and British English (BrE) are the two most widely spoken forms of the English language.[1] While they are mutually intelligible, several consistent differences in spelling, vocabulary, and grammar have emerged since the United Kingdom first introduced the language to the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries.[2] These variations are present in both spoken and written forms of the language.[1][3]
Comparison table[edit]
| Category | American English | British English |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary (transport) | truck, gas, trunk | lorry, petrol, boot |
| Vocabulary (clothing) | pants, sweater, sneakers | trousers, jumper, trainers |
| Spelling (-or vs. -our) | color, honor, labor | colour, honour, labour |
| Spelling (-er vs. -re) | center, meter, theater | centre, metre, theatre |
| Spelling (-ize vs. -ise) | organize, recognize | organise, recognise[2] |
| Collective nouns | Usually singular: "the band is playing" | Can be singular or plural: "the band are playing"[2][4] |
| Past tense verbs | Regular "-ed" ending: "learned," "dreamed" | Irregular "-t" ending is common: "learnt," "dreamt"[2] |
| Prepositions | on the weekend, Monday through Friday | at the weekend, Monday to Friday[5] |
Spelling[edit]
Many spelling differences can be traced to Noah Webster, an American lexicographer who sought to simplify certain spellings and establish a distinct American cultural identity.[2] In his 1828 *An American Dictionary of the English Language*, he introduced many of the conventions used in American English today. This included changing the "-our" ending to "-or" in words like "colour" and reversing the "-re" to "-er" in words like "centre." While British English primarily uses "-ise" endings for words like "organise," the "-ize" ending is also used and is known as Oxford spelling.
Vocabulary[edit]
While the majority of words are shared, there are numerous instances where different words are used for the same concept. For example, what Americans call an "apartment," "elevator," or "vacation," the British refer to as a "flat," "lift," or "holiday." Sometimes the same word can carry different meanings, which can lead to confusion. In AmE, "pants" are an outer garment for the legs, whereas in BrE this term refers to undergarments; the British use "trousers" for the outer garment. Similarly, in sports, "football" in the U.S. refers to American football, while in the U.K. it refers to the sport known as soccer in America.
Grammar[edit]
Grammatical variations are also present, though they are generally minor.[3] One of the most noted differences is in the treatment of collective nouns. In American English, collective nouns are almost always treated as singular (e.g., "The team is winning").[4] In British English, these nouns can be treated as either singular or plural, depending on whether the group is seen as a single unit or as a collection of individuals (e.g., "The team are winning").[4]
There are also differences in preposition use. For instance, Americans typically say "on the weekend," while the British equivalent is "at the weekend."[5] Past tense forms for some irregular verbs also differ; for example, Americans are more likely to use "learned" and "dreamed," while "learnt" and "dreamt" are common in British English.[2]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "wikipedia.org". Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "britishcouncilfoundation.id". Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "altervista.org". Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "wikipedia.org". Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "writingcooperative.com". Retrieved January 31, 2026.
