The differences between American and British English stem from a mix of history, geography, and evolving cultures. When British colonists settled in North America in the 1600s, they brought the English language with them. However, over time, American English began to develop its own identity—partly because of isolation from Britain and partly due to the influence of other immigrant languages.
One major difference is spelling. Noah Webster, an American lexicographer, actively simplified and standardized American English spelling in the early 1800s. He dropped the “u” from words like colour and honour, changed re to er in words like centre, and promoted spellings like defense instead of defence. His aim? To create a distinctly American form of English and encourage national pride.
Vocabulary also diverged. Americans coined new terms for the new world around them (like raccoon, skunk, and corn), while some British terms fell out of use in the U.S. and vice versa. For example, Americans say truck, while Brits say lorry; apartment versus flat; and elevator instead of lift.
Even grammar and usage can differ. Brits might say, “The team are winning,” treating team as plural, while Americans would say, “The team is winning,” treating it as singular.
These differences aren’t “right” or “wrong”—they’re just natural results of language evolution. Like accents or dialects, they reflect the identities and histories of their speakers. And despite their quirks, American and British English remain mutually intelligible, offering a fascinating look at how language adapts and changes over time.
The most significant differences between British and American English are their pronunciation, vocabulary, and spelling.
Pronunciation differences
One major distinction is rhoticity: American English is rhotic, meaning the “r” is pronounced in words like car and hard. British English (especially Received Pronunciation**) is often non-rhotic, dropping the “r” sound unless followed by a vowel.
Vowel pronunciation also varies. Americans say tomato as /təˈmeɪtoʊ/, while Brits say /təˈmɑːtəʊ/. Words like schedule are pronounced /ˈskedʒuːl/ in the U.S. but /ˈʃedjuːl/ in the UK.
The flapping of “t” in American English turns butter into something like budder, whereas British English maintains a clearer t sound.
Stress patterns can differ, too. Americans stress the second syllable in ballet, while Brits stress the first. These differences add to the rich variety of English across the world.
Vocabulary differences
There are many differences between American and British English vocabulary. Here are 30 common words in American English followed by their British English equivalents:
Everyday items
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| flashlight | torch |
| sweater | jumper |
| diaper | nappy |
| faucet | tap |
| trash can | bin |
| elevator | lift |
| apartment | flat |
| cookie | biscuit |
| French fries | chips |
| potato chips | crisps |
Transport
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| truck | lorry |
| gasoline (gas) | petrol |
| trunk (of a car) | boot |
| hood (of a car) | bonnet |
| subway | underground / tube |
| freeway / highway | motorway |
| intersection | junction |
| parking lot | car park |
School and work
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| grade (in school) | year |
| principal | headteacher |
| vacation | holiday |
| resume | CV (Curriculum Vitae) |
| schedule | timetable |
| faculty | staff |
Other notable differences
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| soccer | football |
| fall (season) | autumn |
| drugstore | chemist |
| check (bank) | cheque |
| zucchini | courgette |
| eggplant | aubergine |
These are just a few examples—there are many more! Despite the differences, speakers of each variety usually understand each other just fine, though sometimes with a laugh or two over misunderstandings.
Spelling differences
Finally, there are spelling differences. Below are three rules you can follow
-or, -our
These words are differentiated using OR or OUR at the end of a word. American English uses -or, and British English uses -our.
| American English | British English |
| . color | colour |
| honor | honour |
| favor | favour |
| humor | humour |
| neighbor | neighbour |
-yze, -yse
These words are differentiated using YZE or YSE at the end of a word. American English uses -yze, and British English uses -yse.
| American English | British English |
| paralyze | paralyse |
| dialyze | dialyse |
| analyze | analyse |
-ize, -ise
These words are differentiated using IZE or ISE at the end of a word. American English uses -ize, and British English mostly uses -ise, though -ize is sometimes used.
| American English | British English |
| finalize | finalise |
| optimize | optimise |
| visualize | visualise |
| stigmatize | stigmatise |
| recognize | recognise |
-er, -re
These words are differentiated using ER or RE at the end of a word. American English uses -er, and British English uses -re.
| American English | British English |
| theater | theatre |
| meter | metre |
| liter | litre |
| fiber | fibre |
| somber | sombre |
-og, -ogue
Some nouns end with OG in American English and with OGUE in British English.
| American English | British English |
| catalog | catalogue |
| dialog | dialogue |
| analog | analogue |
oe/ae and e
These words are differentiated using OE/AE or E. American English uses e, and British English uses oe or ae:
| American English | British English |
| maneuver | manoeuvre |
| diarrhea | diarrhoea |
| anemia | anaemia |
| feces | faeces |
| encyclopedia | encyclopaedia |
-ed, -t
These words are differentiated using ED or T for past tense verbs. American English uses -ed, and British English prefers -t.
| American English | British English |
| spelled | spelt |
| leaped | leapt |
| dreamed | dreamt |
| smelled | smelt |
| burned | burnt |
-ense, -ence
These words are differentiated using ENSE or ENCE at the end of a word. American English uses -ense and British English uses -ence.
| American English | British English |
| . pretense | pretence |
| . defense | defence |
| . offense | offence |
| . license (verb and noun) | licence (noun only; verb is license) |
-el, -ell
These words are differentiated using ELL or EL. American English uses –el and British English uses –ell.
| American English | British English |
| traveled | travelled |
| labeled | labelled |
| jeweler | jeweller |
| canceled | cancelled |
| marvelous | marvellous |
Grammar differences
Here are some of the key grammar differences between American and British English:
1. Past simple vs. present perfect
- British English often uses the present perfect to describe recent actions with present relevance.
- I’ve just eaten.
- American English is more likely to use the past simple in the same situation.
- I just ate.
2. Collective nouns
- British English may treat collective nouns as plural:
- The team are winning.
- American English usually treats them as singular:
- The team is winning.
3. Got vs. gotten
- British English: He’s got better at it.
- American English: He’s gotten better at it. (uses “gotten” as the past participle)
4. Prepositions
- British English: At the weekend, in a team
- American English: On the weekend, on a team
5. Use of “have”
- British English: Have you got a pen?
- American English: Do you have a pen?
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** Received Pronunciation (RP) is a standard accent of British English, often considered the “prestige” accent in the UK. It’s sometimes called BBC English or Queen’s English, though both terms are a bit outdated today. RP is not tied to any specific region, which makes it different from accents like Cockney (London) or Scouse (Liverpool). Instead, it’s traditionally associated with educated, upper-class speakers, especially those from southern England or who attended elite schools.
