25/2/2016 UK v USA English USA Versus UK English A worksheet by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com) In formal written English there are virtually no differences between British and American English and it is often impossible to tell if a document was written in Britain or the United States. However, in spoken English the differences become clear, primarily through accent, and then through the various features listed below: The differences between British and American English can summarized in the following four categories: 1. Grammatical differences 2. Differences in pronunciation 3. Spelling differences 4. Differences in vocabulary 1. Grammatical differences In American English the simple past is often preferred where the present perfect would be used in Britain particularly when giving news of recent events (US) He just went home (UK) He's just gone home Americans use 'have sth' for states and actions, while in British English 'have got sth' is used for states like possession, illness and relationships (US) Do you have a problem? (UK) Have you got a problem? The past participle of 'got' in American English is 'gotten'. In British English, the past participle is the same as the past form (US) She's just gotten a raise . (UK) She's just got a raise burn, dream, lean, learn, smell, spell, spill and spoil are regular in American English, but often spelt ending in a 't' in British English in both the past and past participle forms (US) burned, dreamed, leaned, learned, smelled, spelled, spilled and spoiled (UK) burnt, dreamt, leant, learnt, smelt, spelt, spilt and spoilt fit, quit and wet are regular in British English, but in American English past and past participle forms are the same as the infinitive (US) He fit the new carpet (UK) He fitted the new carpet Other verbs which are different are: Infinitive Past (US) wake Past participle waked http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html waked 1/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English (UK) wake woke (US) dive dove (UK) dive dived woken dived dived 'In informal American English 'already' can be used in questions. British English uses 'yet' (US) Have you done it already? (UK) Have you done it yet? In informal American English, adverbs are sometimes used without the 'ly' ending (US) He looked at me real strange. (UK) He looked at me really strangely 2. Differences in pronunciation The differences in pronunciation between Britain and America can only be generalized as there are many different regional accents in both countries. Nevertheless, here are some of the main differences between standard British and American English Stressed vowel sounds are usually lengthened in American English (US) hello /halaow/ (UK) hello /halow/ Vowels are often nasalized in American English (air comes out through the nose and mouth at the same time) (US) mummy /mmaaimmi/ (UK) mummy /mumi/ The /o/ sound is pronounced more like an /a/ sound in American English, and the /a/ sound is usually pronounced using the back of the mouth in British English and the front of the mouth in American English (US) pot /part/ (UK) pot /pot/ (US) can't /cairnt/, fast /fairst/, glass /glairs/, staff /stairf/, after /airfta/, example /egzairmpl/ (UK) can't /carnt/, fast /farst/, glass /glars/, staff /starf/, after /arfta/, example /egzampl/ In American English 't' in middle position is often pronounced as a 'd' (US) writer /rida/ (UK) writer /raita/ In British English, 'r' is only pronounced before a vowel. In American English it is pronounced in all positions (US) car /kair/, turn /teurn/, offer /arfur/ (UK) car /ku/, turn /tun/, after /arfta/ Before 'u' and 'ew', the British pronounce 'n' as /ñ/, d as /dj/ and 't' as /ch/. Americans pronounce them as they are written (US) new /nuw/, duke /dewk/, tune /toown/ (UK) new /ñuw/, duke /djewk/, tune /tchoon/ Words ending in 'tile' are pronounced /tiyl/ in British English and /til/ in American English (US) fertile /fertil/, reptile /reptil/, futile /fewtil/ (UK) fertile /fertiyl/, reptile /reptiyl/ http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 2/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English 'Borough' and 'thorough' are pronounced differently (US) borough /burow/, thorough /thurow/ (UK) borough /buruh/, thorough /thuruh/ NOTE! THE WORDS BETWEEN SLASHES (IN BOLD) ARE WRITTEN PHONETICALLY AND ARE NOT SPELT CORRECTLY! 3. Spelling differences In American English final 'l' is not usually doubled if it is not stressed (US) traveler, leveling (UK) traveller, levelling Some words end in 'ter' in American English and 'tre' in British English (US) theater, center, meter (UK) theatre, centre, metre Some words end in 'or' in American English and 'our' in British English (US) labor, honor, color (UK) labour, honour, colour Some words end in 'og' in America and 'ogue' in Britain (US) catalog, dialog, analog (UK) catalogue, dialogue, analogue The common suffix for a verb in the USA is ~ize. In Britain, it can be either ~ize or ~ise (US) realize (UK) realize or realise Some individual words are spelt differently USA UK aluminum aluminium analyze analyse check cheque defense defence gray grey jail gaol / jail jewelry jewellery offense offence pajamas pyjamas plow plough practice (V) practise (V) pretense pretence program programme (tv or schedule) specialty speciality http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 3/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English tire tyre (car) 3. Vocabulary differences (Adapted from the internet http://pages.prodigy.com/NY/NYC/britspk/main.html) Words which have two distinct meanings in Britain and America WORD IN THE USA IN BRITAIN Bomb Big Failure Great Success Braces Wire device worn to straighten teeth Straps worn to hold up trousers (US, suspenders) Bum Homeless person Buttocks Chips Thin wafers of potato Fried rectangles of potato Cider Nonalcoholic beverage made from apples Alcoholic beverage made from apples Corn Maize Wheat or oats Cot Small, collapsible bed Small bed for a baby (US, crib) Decorator Person whose job is to plan the decorations for homes and offices Person whose job is to paint homes and offices Fag Rude word for a homosexual man Cigarette Faggot Rude word for a homosexual man 1. Sausage patty, 2. Sticks of wood tied together and used to start a fire Fanny Buttocks Female sex organs First Floor Street level One floor above street level Flat Punctured tyre of a car Apartment Garden Plot of land used to cultivate flowers or vegetables (UK allotment) Plot of grass adjacent to a house (US, yard) Gas Fuel for cars (a liquid) Fuel used in cooking (a gas) Haberdashery Men's clothing Sewing supplies Hamper Large basket for dirty clothing (clothes hamper) Large basket for food (picnic hamper) Homely Ugly Pleasant Hump (Vulgar slang) Have sex with Carry a heavy object Hush Puppy Cornmeal fritter Suede shoe Inside Lane Lane nearest center of road Lane nearest side of road Jelly Preserve made from fruit Gelatin Jumper Sleeveless dress worn over a blouse Knitted pullover (US, sweater) Knickers Short trousers Woman's undergarment Knock up Impregnate 1. Awaken by knocking on door, http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 4/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English 2. In tennis, a warm up session, 3. Prepare hastily Lemonade Non carbonated beverage and sugar Carbonated beverage Mad Angry Crazy Mail Send a letter (UK = post) Letters received Mean (ADJ) Nasty, vicious Opposite of generous Momentarily In a moment For a moment One way Ticket in one direction (UK= single) A street where you can drive in one direction Overalls Loose fitting trousers with a bib front and shoulder straps Outer garment worn to protect clothes Pants Trousers Masculine underwear Paraffin Candle wax Oil distilled from petroleum or shale (US, kerosene) Pavement Paved surface of a road Paved walkway beside a road (US= sidewalk) Pissed Angry Inebriated Poof Exclamation used to express that something has happened suddenly or magically Rude word for a homosexual man Pot plant Marijuana Potted plant Precinct City district, for electoral or police administration purposes Pedestrian shopping area Presently Now Soon Public School State school Private school Punter Person who kicks the ball in American football Customer or gambler Purse Where a woman keeps everything essential (UK=handbag) Where a woman keeps her money Randy Man or woman's name Sexuallly excited Revise Correct or update Review Robin Larger bird; symbol of Spring Smaller bird; symbol of Christmas Rubber Condom Eraser Semi Tractortrailer Semidetached house Shorts Worn under trousers Worn during sport or at the beach Sick Unwell Nauseated Slate List of candidates Criticize or type of stone Sod Turf Unpleasant person (deriv. sodomite) Stove The whole cooker Part of a cooker for heating water or frying things http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 5/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English Stuffed Full from overeating Part of a rude expression: "Get stuffed!" Subway Underground railway Underground walkway Suspenders Straps worn to hold up trousers (UK= braces) Straps worn to hold up a woman's stockings Table (V) Set aside Bring to a vote Tick Off Make angry Reprimand Vest Garment worn over a shirt (UK= waistcoat) Garment worn under a shirt Wash up Wash hands and face Wash dishes after a meal Words which mean different things in the USA and the UK USA UK Alumnus graduate Antsy Fidgety Anyplace Anywhere Apartment Flat Attorney Barister, Solicitor Automobile (Motor) Car Baby carriage Pram Bar Pub Barf Vomit Billboard Hoarding Billfold Wallet Broiler Grill Cab Taxi Cabana Beach hut Call collect Reverse charges Can Tin Candy Sweets Checkers Draughts Cheesecloth Muslin Closet Cupboard Coin purse Purse Cookie Biscuit Corn Maize http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 6/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English Cotton candy Candy floss Crib Cot Crosswalk Pedestrian crossing Cuffs Turn ups (on trousers) Dessert Sweet Detour Diversion Diaper Nappy Dish towel Tea towel Divided highway Dual carriageway Downspout Drainpipe Drug store Chemist('s) Duplex Semi detached house Elevator Lift Eraser Rubber Faculty Staff (of a university) Fall Autumn Faucet Tap (indoors) Fender Wing or Bumper (car) Flashlight Torch Freeway / Expressway Motorway Garbage can Dustbin, rubbish bin Garbage collector Dustman Gear shift Gear lever (car) Generator Dynamo (car) Goldbricker Skiver Ground round Best mince Highway Main road Hobo Tramp Hood Bonnet (car) Intermission Interval (entertainment) Intersection Crossroads Janitor Caretaker Kerosene Parafin Lightening bug Glow worm Liquor store Off licence Mail (V) Post http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 7/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English Mailbox Postbox Mailman, mail carrier Postman Math Maths Motor Engine Movie Film Muffler Silencer (car) Noplace Nowhere Oil pan Sump (car) One way Single (ticket) Optometrist Optician Overpass Flyover Pacifier Baby’s dummy Pants Trousers Panty hose Tights Patrolman Constable (policeman) Pavement Surface (road) Peek Peep Pitcher Jug Pocket book Handbag Potato chips Crisps Private hospital Nursing home Railroad (car) Railway (carriage) Raise Rise (salary) Realtor Estate Agent Rest room (Public) Toilet Round trip Return (ticket) Rubbers Wellington boots Run Ladder (in tights) Schedule Timetable Sedan Saloon (car) Shoulder Verge (road) Sidewalk Pavement Sneakers Tennis or training shoes Someplace Somewhere Spigot Tap (outdoors) Spool of thread Reel of cotton http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 8/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English Station wagon Estate car Store Shop Stroller Push chair Subway Tube or underground Sweater Jumper, jersey, pullover Teeter totter See saw Thread Cotton The movies The cinema Thumbtack Drawing pin Tidbit Titbit Traffic circle Roundabout Trailer Caravan Trash Rubbish Trashcan Dust bin, rubbish bin Truck Lorry Trunk Boot (car) Turnpike Toll motorway Undershirt Vest Vacation Holiday Wheat Corn Windshield Windscreen (car) Wreck Crash (vehicle) Wrench Spanner Yard Garden Zipper Zip Zucchini Corgette Some phrasal verbs and prepositions are different in British an American English (US) Check sth out (UK) Check sth (US) Do sth over (UK) Do sth again (US) Fill out a form (UK) Fill in a form (US) In back of swh (UK) At the back of swh (US) Meet with sb (UK) Meet sb (US) Monday through Friday (UK) Monday to Friday (US) Protest sth (UK) Protest against sth (US) Stay home (UK) Stay at home http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 9/10 25/2/2016 UK v USA English (US) Visit with sb (UK) Visit sb (US) Write sb (UK) Write to sb Back to vocabulary worksheets USA v UK English practice exercise Home http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/usavuk.html 10/10