The United States and

the United Kingdom

TWO COUNTRIES DIVIDED

BY A COMMON LANGUAGE
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
The British Empire

The English language was

introduced to America
through colonization.
The first English
settlement was
established in
x
Jamestown, Virginia in
1607.
The language also spread
to other parts of the
world as a result of
British trade and
colonization. By 1921 the
former British Empire
controlled a population
of 470 to 570 million
people (a of the
worlds population).
The History of English

Over 400 years, the English language has changed into two
versions we refer to as American English and Standard
British English.
Differences include: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary,
spelling, punctuation, idioms, and formatting of dates.
Dates

The way dates are formatted in the UK & USA is different:

05/01/2013: British English DD/MM/YYYY
01/05/2013: American English MM/DD/YYYY

The way UK and USA speakers say dates is also different:

5th of January 2013 British English
January 5th, 2013 American English

It gets a bit confusing!

Spelling

American English does not use the letter U in words ending in or.
Example: Labour/ Labor, Favour/Favor, Savour/Savor, Colour/Color

American English does not always use double consonants.

Example: Traveller/Traveler
American English has changed words ending in re to er.
Example: Fibre / Fiber, Centre / Center, Theatre / Theater
American English has changed C to S in words.
Example: Defence / Defense, Offence / Offense
American English has changed S into Z.
Example: Recognise / Recognize, Hyponotise / Hypnotize, Realise / Realize
Vocabulary

There are many objects that are described by different words

in British and American English.
Examples:
Dustbin and Trash Can
Rubbish and Garbage

Differences most likely to create confusion are those where the

same word or phrase is used for two different objects.
Examples:
French Fries Chips
Chips Crisps
Crisps Chips
Chips French Fries
Pronunciation

The /ae/ sound becomes /a:/ in American English.

Example: Fast / Path / Grass
The /o/ sound is pronounced with lips rounded only in
British English.
Example: Not / Lot / Hot / Top
Unaccented syllables are very slightly pronounced in British
English.
Example: literature.
Ts are less pronounced in American English.
Example: Meter / Twenty
The double T turns into a D sound in American English.
Example: Kettle / Battle / Bottle / Little
Pronunciation

Vitamin
Garage
Controversy
Scone
Schedule
Aluminum / Aluminium
 BRITISH ENGLISH
VS.
AMERICAN ENGLISH
 TROUSERS PANTS

SOFA COUCH

UNDERGROUND SUBWAY

APARTMENT
FLAT

HOOVER VACUUM CLEANER

STORE
SHOP
 DUSTBIN TRASH CAN

LORRY TRUCK

SHOPPING MALL
CENTRE

ANGRY MAD

AUTUMN FALL
CHEMISTS DRUG STORE

LIFT ELEVATOR

NAPPY DIAPER

PAVEMENT SIDEWALK

CUPBOARD CLOSET
PETROL STATION GAS STATION

RUBBISH TRASH

TAP FAUCET

COOKER STOVE

CAR PARK PARKING LOT

CANDIES SWEETS

BISCUITS COOKIES

DINNER TUXEDO
JACKET

LETS GO ON

LETS GO ON
HOLIDAY!
VACATION!
 But even the same words
can mean different things...
JELLY
OVERALLS
 CLOSET
PANTS

WATER CLOSET
 Potentially confusing situations
*If a British person

Asks you about football

they mean soccer
Asks you bring pudding
they mean dessert
Puts on a jumper
they mean a sweater
 Other confusing situations
Ask for chips in England, and youll get
French Fries, not potato crisps
Tell a British friend to pick up some jelly at
the store, and theyll bring home gelatin
(Jell-o) not jam
 LET'S SUM IT UP!

GRAMMAR
1. Americans use the present perfect tense less than speakers of British
English and a British teacher might mark wrong some things that an
American teacher would say are correct.
US Did you do your homework yet?
Brit. Have you done your homework yet?
US I already ate.
Brit. Ive already eaten.

2. In British English, have got is often used for the possessive sense of have
and have got to is informally used for have to. This is much less common in
American English.
Brit. Ive got two sisters.
US I have two sisters.
Brit. Ive got to go now.
US I have to go now.
 VOCABULARY

There are a lot of examples of different words used in British and American English.
angry (Brit.) = mad (US)

autumn = fall
boot (of a car) = trunk
chemists = drug store
cupboard = closet
flat = apartment
lift = elevator
nappy = diaper
pavement = sidewalk
petrol = gas/gasoline
rubbish = trash
tap = faucet
trousers = pants
 SPELLING

There are also a number of different spelling rules between British

English and American English.

1. Some words that end in -tre in British English end in -ter in American
English.
US theater, center
Brit. theatre, centre
2. Some words that end in -our in British English end in -or in American English.
US color, labor
Brit. colour, labour
3. Some words are shorter in American English than in British English.
US catalog, program
Brit. catalogue, programme
 E-MAIL TO MY BRITISH FRIEND
Hi John,
How are you doing? What did you do on the weekend? What movies
did you see recently? Did you buy a new cell phone already?
I have big news! My friend from Poland is coming on a visit this fall! I
didnt see him for 2 years already! I am waiting on him so much!
I had a lots of things to do last week. And not all of them were my
favorites! My mum was mad with me all the time! Well, she asked me to
go to the drug store to buy some diapers for my little brother and when I
was walking down the sidewalk, I hit a trash can and my pants got dirty!
I had to return home without diapers and my pants were covered with
trash all over me! Can you imagine that! People on the street were
laughing at me and I had to walk home as I couldnt go by subway! I was
really mad with myself!
Did I tell you that we are going to buy a new apartment? Its so cool!
The house has a huge elevator! There is a big shopping mall and a gas
station nearby, and its almost in the center of the city, there are many
theaters there as well!
I have to go now. See you soon!
 E-MAIL TO MY BRITISH FRIEND
Hi John,
How are you? What did you do at the weekend? What films have you
seen recently? Have you bought a new cell phone yet?
I have big news! My friend from Poland is coming on a visit this
autumn! I havent seen him for 2 years already! I am waiting for him so
much!
I had a lot of things to do last week. And not all of them were my
favourites! My mum was angry with me all the time! Well, she asked me
to go to the chemists to buy some nappies for my little brother and
when I was walking down the pavement, I hit a dustbin and my trousers
got dirty! I had to return home without nappies and my trousers were
covered with rubbish all over me! Can you imagine that! People in the
street were laughing at me and I had to walk home as I couldnt go by
underground! I was really angry with myself!
Have I told you that we are going to buy a new flat? Its so cool! The
house has a huge lift! There is a big shopping centre and a petrol station
nearby, and its almost in the centre of the city, there are many theatres
there as well!
I have to go now. See you soon!
 YOU ARE WELCOME TO SPEAK
EITHER BRITISH ENGLISH
OR AMERICAN ENGLISH.
CHOOSE WHAT YOU LIKE.
BUT PLEASE,
PRETTY PLEASE,
NEVER MIX THEM IN YOUR SPEECH!!!
>_<
ACCENT VIDEOS

Regional American Accents

The English Accent in 24 Languages (British)