British
|
American
|
British people
usually use ‘shall’ right after I and We
|
American people usually use ‘will’ in future
tense.
|
I shall go there.
|
I will go there.
|
I shan’t go there.
|
I won’t go there.
|
We shall do it.
|
We will do it.
|
We shan’t do it.
|
We won’t do it.
|
I will do it. (
when subject is determined to the work. )
|
|
We will do it (
when subject is determined to the work. )
|
British
|
American
|
British people
don’t usually use already, just, yet, ever, never in past indefinite..
|
American people
usually use already, just, yet, ever, never both in past indefinite and
present perfect tense.
Besides, they like
to refer present perfect tense by past indefinite tense.
|
Rana has given a
pencil to me. Now it’s my pencil.
|
Rana gave a pencil
to me. Now it’s my pencil.
|
I have just come
here.
|
I just came here.
|
He has already
finished his work.
|
He already finished
his work.
|
Has your sister
arrived here yet?
|
Did your sister arrive
here yet?
|
British
|
American
|
Question tag means
making short question according to British English. There are two kinds of
question tag:
|
British question
tag seems to be strange to American people. American people usually use
‘right’ and ‘ok’ to complete tag questions.
That is why there is no negative question tag in American English.
|
Affirmative
sentence + Negative tag:
You are trying to
speak English, aren’t you?
It is interesting,
isn’t it?
|
You are coming tomorrow,
ok?
He doesn’t love us
now, right?
It is interesting,
right?
|
Negative sentence +
positive tag:
I am not disturbing
you, am I ?
He doesn’t love us,
does he?
|
British use
|
American use
|
This one is
different from/to that one.
|
This one is different
than that one.
|
He will stay in
London from July to December.
|
He will stay in
London from July through December.
|
I will meet my friends at the weekend.
|
I will meet my friend on the weekend.
|
I will meet her
shortly.
|
I will meet with her
shortly.
|
He lives in
Bricklane.
|
He lives on
Bicklane.
|
The ship is moving
towards the East.
|
The ship is moving
toward the East.
|
British
|
American
|
I have money.
I have no money.
|
I have money.
I do not have
money.
|
He had money.
He had no money.
|
He had money.
He did not have
money.
|
Has he got money?
|
Does he have money?
|
I need to go there.
I need not go
there.
|
I need to go there.
I don’t need to go
there.
|
British
|
American
|
Get – got – got
|
Get – got – gotten
|
Her position has
got much better.
|
Her position has
gotten much better.
|
I have got much
money.
|
You have gotten
much money.
|
British
|
American
|
One should obey
one’s parents.
|
You should obey
your parents.
|
Now the patient is in hospital.
|
Now the
patient is in the hospital.
|
Is that Wasif?
|
Is this Wasif?
|
Is that
Arif?
|
Is this
Arif?
|
British
|
American
|
You learnt the
lesson.
|
You learned the
lesson.
|
I dreamt a dream
last night.
|
I dreamed a dream
last night.
|
She spelt the word
correct.
|
She spelled the
word correct.
|
She spoilt her
appetite by eating sweets.
|
She spoiled her
appetite by eating sweets.
|
She spilt the milk.
|
She spilled the
milk.
|
She smelt something
unusual.
|
She smelled
something unusual.
|
British
|
American
|
Hollow
|
Hi
|
Pub
|
Bar
|
Film
|
Movie
|
Holiday
|
Vacation
|
Lorry
|
Truck
|
Underpants
|
Shorts
|
Lift
|
Elevator
|
Queue
|
Line
|
Petrol
|
Gasoline
|
Timetable
|
schedule
|
Windscreen
|
Windshield
|
Luggage
|
Baggage
|
Bill
|
Cheque
|
Rubbish
|
Garbage
|
Aerial
|
Antenna
|
Okay, all right
|
Sure
|
Curtains
|
Drapes
|
Biscuit
|
Cookie
|
Under-ground
|
Sub-way
|
Tin
|
can
|
Date and Time : Let us consider some differences in date and time –
1. In the United States, dates are written in the month/date/year
format (12/13/2011). Followers of the British form, though, are more
familiar with the ‘date/month/year’ format (13/12/2011).
2. British English teaches us to write time using a full stop
(6.00). American English uses a colon in place of the period, making it
look like 6:00.
-ise vs –ize
Example
British -se
vs. American -ze difference*
|
|
analyse
|
analyze
|
apologise
|
apologize
|
appetiser
|
appetizer
|
catalyse
|
catalyze
|
civilise, civilisation
|
civilize, civilization
|
colonise, colonisation
|
colonize, colonization
|
criticise
|
criticize
|
emphasise
|
emphasize
|
organise
|
organize
|
popularise, popularisation
|
popularize, popularization
|
prise
|
prize
|
realise
|
realize
|
recognise
|
recognize
|
-ll vs –l
Example
British -l
vs. American -ll difference
|
|
enrolment
|
enrollment
|
fulfil
|
fulfill
|
instalment
|
installment
|
skilful
|
skillful
|
Difference Between British
and American word
-ae/-oe/-oeu - vs -e/-o/-eu
Example
British -ae/-oe/-oeu vs.
American
-e/-o/-eu difference |
|
archaeology
|
archeology
|
gynaecology
|
gynecology
|
leukaemia
|
leukemia
|
manoeuvre
|
maneuver
|
mediaeval
|
medieval
|
mementoes
|
mementos
|
oestrogen
|
estrogen
|
orthopaedic
|
orthopedic
|
paediatric
|
pediatric
|
palaeontology
|
paleontology
|
toxaemia
|
toxemia
|
-our vs -or
Example
British -our
vs. American -or difference
|
|
armour
|
armor
|
behaviour
|
behavior
|
colour
|
color
|
favourite
|
favorite
|
flavour
|
flavor
|
harbour
|
harbor
|
honour
|
honor
|
humour
|
humor
|
labour
|
labor
|
neighbour
|
neighbor
|
rumour
|
rumor
|
saviour
|
savior
|
-ogue vs -og
Example
British -ogue
vs. American
-og difference |
|
analogue
|
analog
|
catalogue
|
catalog
|
dialogue
|
dialog
|
monologue
|
monolog
|
-re vs -er
Example
British -re
vs. American -er
difference |
|
amphitheatre
|
amphitheater
|
centimetre
|
centimeter
|
centre
|
center
|
fibre
|
fiber
|
kilometre
|
kilometer
|
litre
|
liter
|
lustre
|
luster
|
louvre
|
louver
|
manoeuvre
|
maneuver
|
metre
|
meter
|
spectre
|
specter
|
theatre
|
theater
|
-gramme vs -gram
Example
British -gramme
vs. American -gram difference
|
|
programme (noun)
(TV/radio programme or programme of events - plans, conferences, a theatre programme etc.) |
program
|
programme (verb)
(to instruct)
|
program (-mm-)
|
program (programme)
(computer program) |
program
|
gram (gramme)
|
gram
|
kilogram (kilogramme)
|
kilogram
|
-ence vs -ense
Example
British –ence
vs. American
-ense difference |
|
defence*
|
defense
|
licence (noun)
license (verb) |
license (both
noun and verb) |
offence*
|
offense
|
pretence
|
pretense
|
Miscellaneous spelling differences
|
|||
British
|
American
|
British
|
American
|
ageing
|
aging
|
mould
|
mold
|
aluminium
|
aluminum
|
mum, mummy (mom, mam)
|
mom, mommy
|
encyclopaedia
|
encyclopedia
|
omelette
|
omelet
|
kerb (edge of
roadway or pavement)
curb (verb means "restrain") |
curb (both
noun and verb) |
practise (verb),
practising, practice (noun)
|
practice (both
noun and verb), practicing |
draught (current of
air)
|
draft
|
pyjamas
|
pajamas
|
grey
|
gray
|
plough
|
plow
|
sulphur or sulfur
|
sulfur
|
tyre
|
tire
|
jewellery
|
jewelery
|
sceptic
|
skeptic
|
marvellous
|
marvelous
|
woollen
|
woolen
|
-th
Example
Word
|
British Pronunciation
|
American Pronunciation
|
Three
|
থ্রী
|
ত্রী
|
Thing
|
থিং
|
তিঙ
|
Thunder
|
থানডা(র)
|
তানড(র)
|
Thousand
|
থাউজন্ড্
|
তাউজনড্
|
Forth
|
ফোরথ
|
ফোরত
|
Theory
|
থিআরি
|
তিআরি
|
Thank
|
থ্যাঙক
|
ত্যাঙক
|
British and American pronunciation
difference…..
-ty
Example
Word
|
British Pronunciation
|
American Pronunciation
|
Dirty
|
ডারঠি
|
ডারডি
|
Thirty
|
থারঠি
|
তারডি
|
Opportunity
|
অপাটুনাঠি
|
অপাটুনাডি
|
Unity
|
ইউনাঠি
|
ইউনাডি
|
Pretty
|
প্রিঠি
|
প্রিডি
|
British and American pronunciation
difference…..
Vowel + t/tt + vowel = (d
in America )
Example
Word
|
British Pronunciation
|
American Pronunciation
|
Better
|
বেঠা(র)
|
বেডা(র)
|
Matter
|
ম্যাঠা(র)
|
ম্যাডা(র)
|
Water
|
ওয়াঠা(র)
|
ওয়াডা(র)
|
Little
|
লিঠল
|
লিডল
|
Letter
|
লেঠা(র)
|
লেডা(র)
|
Pronunciation of “r”:
In Britain, r is not
pronounced clearly. It is pronounced when it comes between vowels.
In America, r is pronounced
almost everywhere but lightly.
Example:
Word
|
British Pronunciation
|
American Pronunciation
|
Car
|
খা:
|
খার
|
Father
|
ফা:দা
|
ফাদার
|
Orator
|
অরাঠা
|
অরাঠর
|
Parents
|
প্যারানটস্
|
প্যারানটস্
|
Heritage
|
হেরিটিজ
|
হেরিটিজ
|
Miscarriage
|
মিসখ্যারিজ
|
মিসখ্যারিজ
|
The '..in'
American do not pronounce the
"g" in many words ending "ing". Examples"
|
|
Running
|
Runnin'
|
Walking
|
Walkin'
|
Riding
|
Ridin'
|
Driving
|
Drivin'
|
The U
U's in America are pronounced like
a double o, while in the Commonwealth they are pronounced like a
"ew". Here are some examples:
|
||||
Word
|
USA
|
Commonwealth
|
||
Stupid
|
Stoopid
|
Stewpid
|
||
Student
|
Stoodent
|
Stewdent
|
||
The Others
Then there are words that are
pronounced differently for no real discernable reason!
|
||||
Word
|
USA
|
Commonwealth
|
Schedule
|
Sked-jule
|
Shed-jill
|
Lever
|
leh-ver
|
lee-ver
|
Pedophile
|
peh-dofile
|
pee-diofile
|
Route
|
R-ow-t
|
Root
|
Aluminum
|
A-loo-minum
|
Alu-mee-nium
|
Mazda
|
M-ahz-da
|
M-ehz-da
|
Nissan
|
Neeson
|
Niss-eh-n
|
Leisure
|
Lee-sure
|
Leh-sure
|
Should vs. Would
Commonwealthers use the word "should" where American's
use the word "would". E.G. "I should think that he will like
that." vs. in America: "I would think that he would like that".
