American vs. British English

01/13/2026 Learning & Grammer created by Romina K.

Great Britain and the United States differ not only in size, culture, and food habits. The official language of both nations—English—also differs slightly.

The differences between British English and American English aren't huge, but not knowing their differences can lead to mistakes or misunderstandings.

To make sure this doesn't happen to you, we've created a handy guide to ensure you know the difference between "colours" and "colors." Below, we'll show you some key differences between American English (AE) and British English (BE), which, as you'll see, often differ in vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and sometimes grammar.

The Different Expressions

Some words differ between American and British English. Here are some examples:

AE	BE
vacation	holiday
chips	crisps
fries	chips
soccer	football
elevator	elevator
check	bill
garbage	rubbish
stove	cooker
movie	film
apartment	flat
rent	hire
match	game
mom	mum
bill	note
subway	underground

Spelling

American words end in "-or" vs British words end in "-our"

Examples:
color (AE) | color (BE)
flavor (AE) | flavor (BE)
neighbor (AE) | neighbor (BE)

American words end in "-er" vs British words end in "-re".

Examples:
theater (AE) | theater (BE)
meter (AE) | meter (BE)
center (AE) | center (BE)

American words end in "-ize" vs British words usually end in "-ise".

Examples:
apologize (AE) | apologise (BE)
organize (AE) | organization (BE)
realize (AE) | realize (BE)

In American English, words often have only one consonant, while in British English they have two.

Examples:
traveled (AE) | traveled (BE)
jewelry (AE) | jewelry (BE)
canceled (AE) | canceled (BE)

Other different spellings:
cozy (AE) | cozy (BE)
catalog (AE) | catalog (BE)

United Kingdom

London

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Pronunciation

Americans pronounce all "r" sounds distinctly, while the British often pronounce the "r" only as the first sound in a word. When the "r" is in the middle of a word, it's usually barely audible, and the emphasis is more on the vowel (ver sounds like "fa").
In American English, the letter "t" sounds more like a "d" (better sounds like "bedder"). In British English, you hear the "t" clearly. In some words, like "dance" or "can't," the "a" is pronounced like an "ä" in American English-in British, more like a long "a."
British and American pronunciations differ significantly. To understand them better, it's helpful to listen to them. For example, watch an American film and then a British film, and you'll quickly notice the differences in pronunciation.

Grammar

Some British and American prepositions work differently:

For example, in American, you say "on the weekend," while in British, you almost always use "at" when referring to a specific time, so "at the weekend."
In American, the verb "to write" is usually used alone, while in British, you say "to write to," as in "I promised to write to her."
The past participle of the verb "to get" differs between AE and BE:

- AE: get | got | gotten
- BE: get | got | received

Collective nouns (such as "team") can be plural in British English when referring to individual members. In American English, they are always singular:
- AE: The team is good
- BE: The team are good

Want to master a British or American dialect? Learn to speak like a native on a language trip! Discover PLUS Language Travel's educational trips to Canada or England.

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