Although they are the same language, British and American English have some major differences. Even though both are acceptable on the IELTS test, it can be confusing and overwhelming when learning English. Here are some of the more common differences between British and American English.
Vocabulary
British and American English have evolved quite differently, especially in terms of vocabulary. This is because the vocabulary used in British English is derived from different languages than the vocabulary used in American English. Although there are a large number of words that are exactly the same, many words are completely different.
Clothes
British | American |
trousers | pants |
trainers | sneakers |
jumper | sweater |
dungarees | overalls |
nappy | diaper |
Food
British | American |
chips | french fries |
aubergine | eggplant |
biscuit | cookie |
candy floss | cotton candy |
maize | corn |
School
British | American |
full stop | period |
maths | math |
rubber | eraser |
plaster | band-aid |
loo | bathroom |
Homes
British | American |
flat | apartment |
lift | elevator |
washbasin | sink |
wardrobe | closet |
torch | flashlight |
Cars
British | American |
lorry | truck |
windscreen | windshield |
bonnet | hood |
boot | trunk |
indicator | blinker |
Spelling
The spelling of words can also be different in British and American English. This can also be due to the languages the words were adopted from. Also, words used in American English tend to be spelled the way they sound. It is also said that vocabulary used in American English was spelled differently to gain some independence.
-RE/-ER
British | American |
centre | center |
metre | meter |
litre | liter |
theatre | theater |
fibre | fiber |
-OUR/-OR
British | American |
colour | color |
neighbour | neighbor |
favourite | favorite |
humour | humor |
labour | labor |
-SE/-ZE
British | American |
apologise | apologize |
realise | realize |
memorise | memorize |
organise | organize |
specialise | specialize |
-LL/-L
British | American |
traveller | traveler |
signalling | signaling |
modelling | modeling |
-T/-ED
British | American |
dreamt | dreamed |
learnt | learned |
burnt | burned |
Grammar
There are also some differences in grammar. These differences may not be as noticeable as the vocabulary and may be easier to understand.
Shall
British | American |
Shall we go to the theatre now? | Should we go to the theater now? OR Would you like to go to the theater now? |
Got/Gotten
British | American |
Has he got the papers yet? | Has he gotten the papers yet? |
Collective Nouns + is/are
British | American |
The Team are playing a game tomorrow night. | The team is playing a game tomorrow night. |
Prepositions
British | American |
What do you do at the weekend? I live in that street. | What do you do on the weekend? I live on that street. |
Needn't
British | American |
She needn't come to the party. | She doesn't need to come to the party. |
Though there looks to be many differences between British and American English, there are even more similarities. Both forms of vocabulary, spelling, and grammar are accepted on the IELTS test so there is no need to worry. It may be useful to know some vocabulary from both British and American English because either could be used throughout the test. Whatever you use, make sure you know how to spell the word and use it in a grammatically correct sentence.