Differences Between American and British English

ZulquernainHaider

Department of Microbiology and Molecular

Genetics

“England and America are two countries divided by a

common language.”~George Bernard Shaw

ContentDifferences in British and American English includeGrammarPossessionConjugationVocabularySpellingPunctuationPronunciationDatesCompound nounsCollective nouns

GrammarBritish English American English

Present perfect tense is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past.

ExampleI have lost my key. Can you help me to look for it ?

Simple past tense is used to express an action that has occurred in recent past.

ExampleI lost my key. Can you help me to look for it.

Present perfect is

also accepted in American English

Difference involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include “ALREADY, JUST and YETBritish Englisho I have just had

luncho I have already

seen that filmoHave you finished

your homework yet ?

American Englisho I just had luncho I already saw that

film

o Did you finished your homework yet

Possessionthere are Two forms to express possession “ Have or Have got”

American EnglishBritish English

I have not got any friends

Have you got a car ?

I do not have any friends

Do you have a car ?

Both forms are correct

But Have got is

preferred in B.EHave is preferred

in A.E

Conjugationdifference is in past and past participle British English American

EnglishPresent Past Participle

Get Got GotBurn Burnt BurntLearn Learnt LearntSmell Smelt SmeltSpell Spelt SpeltSpill Spilt Spilt

Present Past Participle

Get Got GottenBurn Burned BurnedLearn Learned LearnedSmell Smelled SmelledSpell Spelled SpelledSpill Spilled Spilled

VocabularySame word gives different

meanings e.g.

Many vocabulary items are also used in one form and not in the other

British English American English

Tight Fisted Angry , Bad humored

Mean

Vocabulary

Difference in choice of lexical itemsBritish English American

EnglishBonnet Hood

Boot TrunkLorry TruckAngry Mad

Autumn FallChemist`s Drug storeCupboard Closet

Lift ElevatorTrousers Pants / under pants

SpellingWords that end in “-tre” in British English

end in “-ter” in American English. e.g.

Some words that end in “-our” in British English end in “-or” in American English. E.g.

British English American EnglishTheatre TheaterCentre Center

British English American EnglishColour ColorLabour labor

Can you give an other

Example….?

SpellingSome words are shorter in American

English than in British English. E.g.

Some words that end in “ise” in British English end in “ize”in American English. E.g.British English American English

Recognise RecognizePatronise Patronize

British English American EnglishCatalogue CatalogProgramme program

SpellingSome words that end in “-ce” in British

English end in “-se” in American English. E.g.

Some words that end in “-yse” in British English end in “-yze” in American English. E.g.

British English American EnglishDefence Defense

British English American EnglishAnalyse analyze

Punctuation

British EnglishMr, Mrs,

Dr,

American English

Mr., Mrs., Dr.,

Can you explain

the Difference….???

Pronunciationdifferences in both vowel and

consonants, as well as stress and intonation. E.g.

British English American English

/ˈʃed.juːl/ /ˈsked-/

Schedule

British English American English/ˈleʒ.ər/ /ˈliː.ʒɚ/

Leisure

DatesAmerican EnglishThe Americans

Don’t use “article”

ExampleMy birthday is

August 1st

British EnglishThe English use

“Article” as well as “of”

ExampleMy birthday is 1st

of August

Compound nounBritish English[gerund]+

[noun]

Example

Skipping ropeDiving board

American English[verb]+[noun]

Example

Jump ropeDive board

What is gerund….??

:-p :-p

Collective nounBritish English

collective nouns can take either singular or plural verb depending on the context and the metonymic shift that it implies.

Example "the team is in the dressing

room" (formal agreement) 

 "the team are fighting among themselves" (notional agreement)

American EnglishCollective nouns almost invariably take singular verb forms (formal agreement). In cases where a metonymic shift would be otherwise revealed nearby, the whole sentence may be recast to avoid the metonymy.

Example"The team are fighting among themselves“

may become "the team members are fighting among themselves"

or simply "The team is fighting."

Thank You