Don’t worry – British English and American English are very similar. There may be many variations in vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, but there are only a few differences in structure and spelling rules. Being familiar with these differences can keep you from getting tripped up, especially when you take a listening test. In this post, we will take a look at some of main differences between the two.
Present perfect
The British use the present perfect to refer to past actions related to the present. Americans use the past tense. For example, the British will say, “She’s just gone to the store” whereas Americans will say, “She just went to the store.” The British will say, “Have you finished your homework yet,” but Americans will say, “Did you finish your homework yet?”
Got and gotten
For the British, the past participle of “to get” is “got.” For Americans, it’s “gotten.” For instance, the British will say, “He’s got taller,” but Americans will say, “He’s gotten taller.” However, Americans will use “got” instead of “gotten” when they are talking about something needed. They will say, “I’ve got to get some cash,” but the “got to” sounds like “GOT-ta.”
Collective nouns
The British freely treat collective nouns as either singular or plural, but they are commonly treated as plural. For Americans, it depends on the context. For example, the British will say, “The team are in the championship.” Americans will say, “The team is in the championship.” In this context, they would think of “team” as a single unit. In contrast, Americans will say, “The team are having physicals today.” In this context, they would think of “team” as plural because each team member is getting a physical.
Have and take
The British use the word “have” with nouns related to washing and resting. Americans use the word “take.” For example, The British will say, “I’m going to have a shower,” but Americans will say, “I’m going to take a shower.” The British will say, “Let’s have a break,” but Americans will say, “Let’s take a break.”
Shall
The British use the word “shall” to offer to do something. Americans rarely use “shall.” They use a phrase like “Do you want me to ….” For instance, the British will say, “Are you cold? Shall I close the window?” Americans will say, “Are you cold? Do you want me to close the window?” The British also use “shall” to make a suggestion, but Americans will say, “How about … instead?” For example, The British will say, “It’s raining. Shall we have the picnic indoors?” Americans will say, “It’s raining. How about having the picnic indoors instead?”
Spelling
There are a few key differences in spelling. First, words that end in “-or” in American English often end in “-our” in British English (color and colour). Next, words that end in “-er” in American English often end in “-re” in British English (center and centre). Finally, words that end in “-ize” in American English might be spelled the same way in British English or with “-ise” instead (realize or realise).
Vocab and Idiomatic Expressions
Below is a fun video that explores the differences between British English and American English. If you’re planning on working or going to school in the UK, I recommend the book Mighty Fine Words and Smashing Expressions – Making Sense of Transatlantic English.
Acorn Test Prep 