English and North American English:

Grammatical, orthographical and lexical differences

Present Past & Past Participle (EngEng) Past & Past Participle (Am)

Burn Burnt Burned

Learn Learnt Learned

Smell Smelt Smelled

Spoil Spoilt Spoiled

Present Past & Past Participle (EngEng)

Past (Am) Past Participle (Am)

Dive Dived Dove Dived

Fit Fitted Fit Fitted

Sneak Sneaked Snuck Snuck

Get Got Got Gotten

Noun Verb

Author To author

Host To host (he hosted a reunion last week)

Sky-rocket To sky-rocket (prices are sky-rocketing this year)

Pressure To pressure

Room To room (I room at that house)

EngEng NAmEng and EnEng

I shall tell you later I will tell you later/I’ll tell you later

Shall I drink this now? Should I drink this now?

I shan’t be able to come I won’t be able to come

“He used to go there” (EngEng)

Used he to go there? Auxiliary

Did he use to go there? Lexical Verb

He used not to go there Auxiliary

He didn’t use to go there Lexical Verb

Infinitive Ing- Participle

-I like to skate

-I like to photograph animals in the wild

-I like skating

-I like photographing animals in the wild

EngEng USEng/EngEng

It seemed a long time It seemed like a long time

He seems an intelligent man He seems to be an intelligent man

John acted a real fool John acted like a real fool

That house looks a nice one That house looks like a nice one

That sounds a bad idea That sounds like a bad idea

EngEng/AmEng USEng

We’ll come to see you soon We’ll come see you soon

Go and fix it now Go fix it now

Can I come and have a cup of coffee with you?

Can I come have a cup of coffee with you?

EngEng USEng

To battle with/against (the enemy) To battle

To check up on To check out

To fill in (a form) To fill out

To meet (an official = have a meeting) To meet with

To prevent (something becoming…) To prevent from

To protest at/against/over (a decision) To protest

To stop (someone doing…) To stop from

To talk to To talk with/to

To visit To visit with

EngEng USEng

This one is different from the last one This one is different than the last one

This is different from what I had imagined This is different than what I had imagined

EngEng and USEng (present perfect) USEng only (simple past)

I haven’t bought one yet I didn’t buy one yet

Have you read it already? Did you read it already?

EngEng:-our USEng:-or

Colour Color

Favour Favor

Honour Honor

labour Labor

EngEng:-re USEng:-er

Centre Center

Fibre Fiber

Litre Liter

Theatre Theater

EngEng:-ce USEng:-se

Defence Defense

Licence (n.) License (n. and v.)

Offence Offense

Practice (n.) Practise or practice (n.)

EngEng:-ce USEng:-se

Apologise Apologize

Capitalise Capitalize

Dramatise Dramatize

Naturalise Naturalize

EngEng:-ce USEng:-se

Connexion Connection

Deflexion Deflection

Inflexion Inflection

Retroflexion Retroflection

WORD EngEng meaning USEng meaning

Homely Down to earth, “domestic”

Ugly (of people)

Nervy Nervous Bold, full of nerve, cheeky

Pants Underpants Trousers

Pavement Footpath, sidewalk Road surface

WORD Meaning in common Additional meaning in USEng

Bathroom Room with bath or shower and sink

Room with toilet only

Dumb Mute Stupid

Regular Consistent, habitual Average (as in size), normal

To ship To transport by ship To transport by ship, train, plane or truck

WORD Meaning in common Additional meaning in EngEng

Leader One who commands, guides, directs

An editorial

To mind To heed, obey To look after

Smart Intelligent Well-groomed

surgery A medical operation or operating room

An office of any doctor

USEng only EngEng

To call (by telephone) To ring

Can Tin

To check (to make a check mark) To tick

Couch Sofa

Game (sport) Match

Gas Petrol

To make a reservation To book

USEng EngEng

Dessert Pudding

Jello Jelly

Jelly Jam

USEng EngEng

Sweater (pullover) Jumper

Purse Handbag

Diaper Nappy

USEng EngEng

Living room Sitting room

Yard Garden

Garbage can Dustbin

USEng EngEng

Trailer/mobile home Caravan

Truck Lorry

Subway Underground railway

The End