Variation:

British vs. American

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VOCABULARY

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American vs. British Vocabulary
apartment flat

elevator lift

Mom(my) Mum(my)

hood bonnet

truck lorry

zucchini courgette

eggplant aubergine

attorney barrister

cookie biscuit

(french) fries chips

chips crisps

pharmacy/drugstore chemist’s

gasoline petrol

Television TV telly TV

subway underground/tube

to rent a car to hire a car

go to the movies go to the cinema Amy McIntire

 SPELLING
*Noah Webster, of Webster Dictionary, was an American
lexicographer who attempted to reform English spelling in the
late 1700s.

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American vs. British Spelling Differences (“U”)
Behavior Behaviour

Color Colour

Favorite Favourite

Flavor Flavour

Honor Honour

Humor Humour

Glamor Glamour

Labor Labour

Neighbor Neighbour

Odor Odour

Savior Saviour

Savor Savour

Splendor Splendour

Valor Valour

Vapor Vapour

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American vs. British Spelling Differences 2
“-ER” vs. “-RE”
Caliber Calibre
Center Centre

Kilometer Kilometre

Liter Litre

Maneuver Manoeuvre

Somber Sombre

Theater Theatre

“-OG” vs. “-OGUE”

analog analogue

dialog dialogue

catalog catalogue

epilog epilogue

monolog monologue

prolog prologue

travelog travelogue
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 American vs. British Spelling 3
American vs. British

Canceled Cancelled
British
American Counselor Counsellor
Double “LL”
Single “L” Equaled Equalled
Jeweler(y) Jeweller(y)
Marvelous Marvellous
Modeling Modelling
Quarreling Quarrelling
Traveling Travelling

Appall Appal
American Distill Distil British
Double “LL” Enroll Enrol Single “L”
Fulfill Fulfil
Skillful Skilful
Willful Wilful Amy McIntire
 American vs. British Spelling 4
American “-IZE” vs. British “-ISE”
analyze analyse

appetizer appetiser

authorize authorise

characterize characterise

criticize criticise

dramatize dramatise

emphasize emphasise

mobilize mobilise

organize organise

popularize popularise

realize realise

recognize recognise

satirize satirise

standardize standardise

symbolize symbolise

*Advise, Surprise and Advertise are the same in both

American and British English
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 American vs. British Spelling 5
American “-SE” vs. British “-CE”

Defense Defence
Offense Offence
Pretense Pretence
Practice (Noun and Verb) Practise (Verb) Practice (Noun)

“F” vs. “PH”

“M” vs. “MME”
sulfur sulphur
Program Programme
“F” or “W” vs. “UGH”
“CK” vs. “QUE”
Draft Draught
Check Cheque
Plow Plough
“G” vs. “GE”
“I” vs. “Y”
Acknowledgment Acknowledgement
Tire Tyre
Aging Ageing
Judgment Judgement
“O” vs. “OU”
Mold Mould

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American vs. British Spelling 6
American vs. British

Aluminum Aluminium

Ax Axe

Cozy Cosy

Curb Kerb

Gray Grey

Karat Carat

Licorice Liquorice

Mustache Moustache

Pajamas Pyjamas

Skeptic Sceptic

Whiskey Whisky
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Differences in Grammar

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 Collective Nouns
In American English, collective nouns are singular:

A “BAND” refers to a GROUP of musicians.

A “TEAM” refers to a GROUP of athletes/workmates.

The “STAFF” refers to a GROUP of employees.

Examples:

The band/orchestra plays well!

The team (or Juventus) has just acquired Ronaldo.

The staff enjoys a 35-hour work week.

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In British English, collective nouns can be either singular or plural:

Examples:

The team are/is playing this evening.

The staff are highly-trained.

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 Past Tense Verb Differences
American vs. British:

*Americans use the “-ED” more, while the British use the “-T”
ending.

learnED / learnT

dreamED / dreamT

burnED / burnT

leanED / leanT

*Americans use the “-EN” ending for some irregular verbs.

gottEN / got

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Broadway Theater
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ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP

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Courgette and pesto pasta recipe

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Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

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World Trade Center
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Pyjamas with bears and back appliqué
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 BRITISH vs. AMERICAN HUMOR

BRITISH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpBECAXdsGc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f6-86bM3pk

AMERICAN:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2c2mPpvcpw

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 References

• McCarthy M and O’Dell F. English Vocabulary in Use-Advanced.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

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