Two nations divided by a common language. Explore the fascinating differences in spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
Spot the patterns. Once you know the rule, you can spell hundreds of words correctly on either side of the pond.
Color
Colour
British English keeps the 'u' from Old French. American English drops it.
Center
Centre
Americans put the 'er' at the end. British keep the French 're'.
Realize
Realise
Words from Greek get a 'z' in the US, but an 's' in the UK.
Defense
Defence
Nouns often end in 'se' in the US and 'ce' in the UK.
Traveled
Travelled
UK English doubles the 'L' when adding suffixes.
License
Licence
The verb/noun distinction changes the 'c' to an 's' in America.
From the hood of your car to your pants, things have very different names.
Ordering food can be confusing. Don't ask for "chips" in London if you want potato chips.
French Fries
Chips
Potato Chips
Crisps
Cookie
Biscuit
Ground Beef
Minced Beef
It's not just what you say, but how you structure the sentence.
US: Treats groups as singular.
"The team is winning."
UK: Often treats groups as plural.
"The team are winning."
US: Prefers the standard "-ed".
"I learned something new today."
UK: Often uses the irregular "-t".
"I learnt something new today."
US: Month first, then Day.
"July 4, 2023" (MM/DD/YYYY)
UK: Day first, then Month.
"4 July 2023" (DD/MM/YYYY)
US: Punctuation goes inside quotes.
"Hello," he said.
UK: Punctuation goes outside quotes.
"Hello", he said.
Explore our extensive dictionary using different filters and categories.
Take this 50-question quiz to test your vocabulary knowledge.
1. Fill in the blank (US gov context): 'The National Park Service protects ____ sites.'
2. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
3. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings like 'anemia'?
4. What is the primary difference between 'vapor' and 'vapour'?
5. Which spelling is the standard form in American English for all contexts?
6. Does the noun 'criticism' have a different spelling in the US?
7. Is the pronunciation of 'math' and 'maths' identical in terms of syllable count?
8. In web browsers, what does the 'Favorites' or 'Favourites' feature do?
9. Which word follows the same US vs UK spelling pattern?
10. If an American baker says they are using 'spelt', what are they referring to?
11. How many syllables are in the word 'dreamt'?
12. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings, including dropping the 'a' in archeology?
13. In a US fire investigation report, what would the verb likely be?
14. Which spelling is the standard form in American English?
15. Are 'fetus' and 'foetus' considered two different medical conditions?
16. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings, including dropping the 'u' in odor?
17. How is 'theater' typically pronounced in American English?
18. Which sentence uses the British spelling correctly?
19. Which spelling is the standard adverb form in British English?
20. Which sentence uses the American spelling correctly?
21. How many syllables are in 'catalogue'?
22. Which sentence uses the British spelling correctly?
23. How is 'burnt' typically pronounced in British English?
24. In a psychological context, what does it mean to 'realize' something?
25. In video games, what does 'armor' usually refer to?
26. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings, including dropping the 'u' in favorite?
27. What does the word analog/analogue typically refer to in technology?
28. What condition is related to the word 'fetus/foetus'?
29. Which of the following is a common mistake?
30. What does a UK 'TV Licence' grant?
31. Which organization uses the spelling 'anaemia' in its guidelines?
32. Can 'labeled' and 'labelled' both be used as adjectives?
33. Which spelling aligns with international scientific standards?
34. Which of the following is a common synonym for both 'smolder' and 'smoulder'?
35. Which sentence uses the British spelling correctly?
36. Who strictly enforces the use of 'theatre' in arts sections?
37. Which sentence uses the American spelling correctly?
38. In global tech and business, which form is overwhelmingly preferred for the verb?
39. How is 'counsellor' typically pronounced in British English?
40. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
41. Fill in the blank (UK context): 'The lab will ____ the sample.'
42. How is 'rumor' typically pronounced in American English?
43. Which of the following is an antonym for defense/defence?
44. Who is largely credited with reverting American English back to the Latin 'fetus'?
45. Which sentence uses the American spelling correctly?
46. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings, including standardizing the '-or' suffix?
47. Is it acceptable to mix 'check' and 'cheque' in the same document?
48. How is 'orthopaedic' typically pronounced in British English?
49. Which American organization regulates how phone numbers are dialed?
50. Who is largely credited with standardizing the 's' spelling in America?
The main differences lie in vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and pronunciation. For example, Americans say 'elevator' and 'apartment', while British people say 'lift' and 'flat'. Spelling differences include words like 'color' (US) vs 'colour' (UK).
Neither is better than the other; it depends on your goals and location. If you plan to study or work in the US, American English is more practical. If you are moving to the UK or a Commonwealth country, British English is preferred. However, native speakers of both varieties can understand each other perfectly.
Some common vocabulary differences include 'truck' (US) vs 'lorry' (UK), 'vacation' (US) vs 'holiday' (UK), 'sneakers' (US) vs 'trainers' (UK), and 'French fries' (US) vs 'chips' (UK). You can explore our full A-Z list above to discover hundreds of these differences.
The differences in spelling largely stem from the work of Noah Webster, an American lexicographer who reformed American spelling in the early 19th century to make it more phonetic and distinct from British rule. This is why Americans use '-or' (color) instead of the British '-our' (colour), and '-er' (center) instead of '-re' (centre).
Generally, no. Because of movies, television, and the internet, both groups are highly exposed to the other's dialect. While some slang words or strong regional accents might require a moment to adjust to, British and American English speakers communicate with each other very easily.
