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. Which spelling is the standard form for the bank document in American English?
2. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
3. Which spelling is the standard form in American English?
4. Which of the following is a common mistake?
5. How many syllables does 'program/programme' have?
6. Which spelling is the standard form in American English?
7. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings, including dropping the second 'l' in traveling?
8. Which spelling is universally preferred in the US for both retail and tech?
9. Which of the following is a correct derivative spelling in American English?
10. What does the prefix 'oestro-' originally mean in Greek?
11. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
12. Which sentence uses the British spelling correctly?
13. Which of the following is an antonym for defense/defence?
14. In Canada, which spelling is generally preferred, though both are understood?
15. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
16. Which sentence uses the American spelling correctly?
17. What suffix does the American spelling use?
18. Complete the common English phrase: 'Flavor of the ____.'
19. Is 'learned' considered incorrect in British English?
20. Which sentence uses the American spelling correctly?
21. Which sentence uses the British spelling correctly?
22. In Canada, which spelling is generally preferred, though both are understood?
23. What is the primary reason for the spelling difference between the US and the UK?
24. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
25. Which sentence contains a spelling inconsistency?
26. Why does America use 'burned' instead of 'burnt'?
27. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
28. Which of the following is an antonym for 'monolog/monologue'?
29. Which spelling is the standard form in British English for a TV broadcast?
30. How many syllables are in the word 'orthopaedic'?
31. How is 'odour' typically pronounced in British English?
32. What does the word 'leaped/leapt' mean?
33. How is 'modeling' typically pronounced in American English?
34. In British English, which part of speech uses the spelling 'backward' (no 's')?
35. Which of the following is a common consumer product phrase in the US?
36. What is a common alternative phrase to avoid the spelling trap?
37. How is 'realize' typically pronounced in American English?
38. Fill in the blank (US context): 'The medspa offers advanced ____ procedures.'
39. Which medical organization in the US uses the spelling 'fetus'?
40. Which spelling is the standard form in British English?
41. What letter does the US use that the UK replaces with an 's'?
42. Which American spelling reformer also changed 'colour' to 'color'?
43. In American English, 'license' can be used as which parts of speech?
44. Who is largely credited with simplifying American spellings, including dropping the 'u' in color?
45. Which of these words follows the SAME 'oe' vs 'e' spelling pattern as oestrogen/estrogen?
46. In Canada, which spelling is generally preferred for both adjective and adverb?
47. In the US, which term is used for an everyday transactional bank account?
48. Why is the 's' in 'criticise' pronounced like a 'z'?
49. If a journalist says a rumor 'fuelled' a panic, what do they mean?
50. What is the primary reason for the spelling difference between the US and the UK?
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.
