The differences between British and American
english run much deeper than the accent of their speakers. Although these differences do not usually pose a significant problem for native speakers of either dialect, they are numerous and confusing enough to present a challenge to both students and
teachers in
esl/
efl settings.
Potentially the most problematic difference between British
english and American
english lies in the use of different vocabulary. Many such differences are widely known to speakers of both varieties of
english, such as “flat” vs. “apartment”, “biscuits” vs. “cookies”, and “truck” vs. “lorry”, but there are other distinctions that are not common knowledge. Some British terms may be unfamiliar to speakers of American
english and vice versa, and these differences can even create misunderstandings between native speakers, especially in cases where the same word exists in both dialects but with different meanings. This is particularly true of slang words, which can often mean something innocuous in one variety of
english but something offensive in the other!
The other significant difference between British
english and American
english is variation in grammar, which can lead to confusion on the part of students and to students being corrected by
teachers unaware of the rules of one or the other dialect. One example is that in British
english it is generally considered incorrect to substitute the past simple for the present perfect in cases such as the sentence “I've already eaten,” whereas in American
english this usage is acceptable (“I already ate.”). British
english also uses irregular past tense forms of many verbs that are usually regular in American
english (e.g., “dreamt” vs. “dreamed”). Another example, more about usage than grammatical rules, is that the “have got” construction for possession is much more common in British
english than in American
english, as are certain modal verbs such as “shall,” which is sometimes considered outdated by speakers of American
english.
Some other differences in usage include the use of different prepositions, as in “at the weekend” (British) vs. “on the weekend” (American) or “quarter of three” (American) vs. “quarter to three” (British), the practice of using plural verbs with collective nouns in British
english but not in American
english, and different ways of expressing dates and numbers. In American
english the day comes before the month, while in British
english dates are written the opposite way; also, it is common in American
english to drop the “and” in large numbers (“four hundred and two” becomes “four hundred two”, for example). Such differences are fairly subtle, but can obviously complicate an already complicated language for
esl/
efl students and their
teachers.
Other notable differences between British
english and American
english lie mainly in spelling and pronunciation. Many words are pronounced the same but spelled differently (such as words that end in “-ize” or in “-or” in American
english but in “-ise” or in “-our” in British
english), some are spelled the same but pronounced differently (such as “advertisement”), and there are even some words that are similar but both spelled and pronounced differently (such as “aluminum” in American
english vs. “aluminium” in British
english).
Clearly, there is plenty of opportunity for learners of
english to become confused. However, the variety of differences between British and American
english can also raise problems for
teachers.
teachers may have to work with
course materials that do not use the variety of
english they speak, or may even be expected to teach a dialect other than their own. Where
teachers have the choice of what and how to teach, they often face the question of whether to teach
english only as they speak it or to try to include both British and American
english, which is more complicated for students but also potentially beneficial, as they are likely to encounter both at some point. In any case, it is important for
teachers to recognize that both varieties of
english are equally valid, and to stress the importance of being consistent, particularly with spelling, within whichever
english is being used.
Sources:
Beare, Kenneth. “Differences Between American and British
english.” About.com:
english as 2nd Language. http://
esl.about.com/od/to
eflieltscambridge/a/dif_ambrit.htm
janiston. “American and British
english: Differences in Grammar.” Teaching
english. British Council. 27 July 2009. http://www.teaching
english.org.uk/blogs/janiston/american-british-
english-differences-grammar
Maxwell, Kerry, and Lindsay Clandfield. “Differences in American and British
english grammar.” One Stop
english. http://www.onestop
english.com/grammar/grammar-reference/american-
english-vs-british-
english/differences-in-american-and-british-
english-grammar-article/152820.article
Smith, Zoe. “British and American
english: How to teach
english you don't speak.” Matador Abroad. 30 September 2009. http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/british-and-american-
english-how-to-teach-
english-you-dont-speak/