English Grammar
UK - US DIFFERENCES - page 1
Differences in British and American spelling and vocabulary
British and American spelling and vocabulary differ in many areas.
British English tends to keep the spelling of words absorbed from other languages (e.g. French), whereas American English often adapts the spelling of words to sound as they are actually spoken.
There are also many cases where different words are used to refer to the same thing.
Below you find examples of differences in spelling and vocabulary.
British English tends to keep the spelling of words absorbed from other languages (e.g. French), whereas American English often adapts the spelling of words to sound as they are actually spoken.
There are also many cases where different words are used to refer to the same thing.
Below you find examples of differences in spelling and vocabulary.
DIFFERENT SPELLING: words ending in -OUR / -OR and -TRE / -TER
DOUBLING OF LETTERS: examples
DIFFERENT WORDS or DIFFERENT SPELLING:
| BRITAIN (UK) -OUR |
AMERICA (US) -OR |
BRITAIN (UK) -TRE |
AMERICA (US) -TER |
|
- Colour - Favour - Honour - Humour - Labour - Neighbour - Rumour |
- Color - Favor - Honor - Humor - Labor - Neighbor - Rumor |
- Centre - Litre - Metre - Spectre - Theatre |
- Center - Liter - Meter - Specter - Theater |
DOUBLING OF LETTERS: examples
| BRITAIN (UK) | AMERICA (US) |
|
- Cancelled - Marvellous - Modelled - Travelling |
- Canceled - Marvelous - Modeled - Traveling |
DIFFERENT WORDS or DIFFERENT SPELLING:
| BRITAIN (UK) | AMERICA (US) | BRITAIN (UK) | AMERICA (US) |
| Different Words | Different Spelling | ||
|
- Aubergine - Autumn - Braces - Bill - Bin - Biscuit(s) - Bonnet (car) - Boot (car) - Car park - Cash point (to withdraw money) - Cot - Chemist's shop - Chips - Cinema - City centre - Cooker - Courgette - Crisps (potato) - Current account - CV - Dinner jecket - Draughts (game) - Dressing gown - Dustbin - Film - Flat - Football - Fortnight - Full stop (punctuation) - Garden - Grill (verb) - Ground floor - Handbag - Holiday - Indicator - Jumper - Letter box - Lift - Maths - Mobile phone - Motorway - Nappy - Nightdress - Off-licence - Payment - Petrol - Plait (hair) - Pocket money - Post - Postcode - Primary school - Pub - Queue - Return (ticket) - Rubber - Rubbish - Sellotape - Shop - Single ticket - Solicitor - Starter - Surname - Sweets - Tap - Taxi - Term - Timetable - Tin - Tights - Toilet - Torch - Trainers - Trousers - Underground - Vest - Waistcoat - Wardrobe (built-in) - Washbasin - Windscreen - Zebra crossing |
- Eggplant - Fall - Suspenders - Check - Trash can - Cookie(s) - Hood (car) - Trunk (car) - Parking lot - ATM (to withdraw money) - Crib - Drugstore - French fries - Movie theater - Downtown - Stove - Zucchini - Potato chips - Checking account - Resume - Tuxedo - Checkers - Robe - Garbage can - Movie - Apartment - Soccer - Two weeks - Period (punctuation) - Yard - Broil - First floor - Purse - Vacation - Blinker - Sweater - Mail box - Elevator - Math - Cell phone - Freeway/Highway - Diaper - Nightgown - Liquor store - Sidewalk - Gas/Gasoline - Braid - Allowance - Zipcode - Elementary school - Bar - Line - Round trip (ticket) - Eraser - Garbage - Scotch tape - Store - One-way ticket - Lawyer - Appetizer - Last name - Candy - Faucet - Cab - Semester - Schedule - Can - Pantyhose - Bathroom/restroom - Flashlight - Sneakers - Pants - Subway - Undershirt - Vest - Closet - Sink - Windshield - Crosswalk |
- Aeroplane - Aluminium - Analogue - Behaviour - Catalogue - Cheque - Defence - Dialogue - Driving licence - Grey - Jewellery - Kerb - Monologue - Mould - Moustache - Plough - Programme - Pyjamas - Speciality - Tonne - Tyre (wheel) |
- Airplane - Aluminum - Analog - Behavior - Catalog - Check - Defense - Dialog - Driver's license - Gray - Jewelry - Curb - Monolog - Mold - Mustache - Plow - Program - Pajamas - Specialty - Ton - Tire |