The differences between British and American English

The spelling of them In the United States’ development of language, spelling have occurred in a similar movement of our simplified characters (The simplified Spelling Movement), delete the word spelling in some of the letters are not pronounced.

1、英语单词中不发 音的词尾-me, -ue 在美语拼写中被删 除。 British American 公斤 kilogramme kilogram 方案 programme program 目录 catalogue catalog 对话 dialogue dialog 序言 prologue prolog

2、英语中的以-our 结尾的单词，在美语 中删去了不发音的字 母u 。 British America 举止、行为 behaviour behavior 颜色 colour color 特别喜爱 favourite favorite 风味 flavour flavor 荣誉 honour honor 劳动 labour labor

3、英语中以-re结尾， 读音为[2]的单词，在 美语中改为-er结尾， 读音不变。 British American 中心 centre center 纤维 fibre fiber 公尺 metre meter 剧场 theatre theater

4、英语中某些以ence为结尾的单词， 在美语中改为- ense结 尾，读音仍为[ns]。 British American 防御 defence defense 犯法行为 offence offense 执照 licence license

托词 pretence pretense

5、英语中以-ise结尾 的动词，美语中则拼作 -ize。例如： British American 批评 criticise criticize 组织 organise organize 实现 realise realize 辨认 recognise recognize 使标准化 standardise standardize

6、英语中以双写-ll-拼写 的部分词，在美语中只有 一个-l-,例如： British American 地方议员 councillor councilor 顾问 counsellor counselor 珠宝商 jeweller jeweler 奇异的 marvellous marvelous 包裹 parcelled parceled 旅行 travelling traveling

7、英语中以- xion[kJ2n]结尾的词，美语 中拼作-ction,读音不 变。 British American

8、除以上几类词的拼 写不同外，也还有一些 常见的，在英语和美语 中拼写各异的无法归类 的词。例如： British American 支票 cheque check 监狱 gaol jail 路边的镶边石 kerb curb 小胡子 moustache mustache 犁 plough plow 睡衣裤 pyjamas pajamas

联系 connexion connection 弯曲 inflexion inflection 反射 reflexion reflection

The different uses of them 一、Noun. 1、美国英语将其他词类名词化的倾向比英国英语 更为明显，特别是那些带介词的短语动词：to cook out →a cook-out ;to know how →the know-how; to run down →the rundown; to be shut in →a shut-in; to stop over →the stopover等

2、集合名词做主语时，英国英语的 谓语动词可以是单数形式或者复数形 式，美国英语几乎总是用单数形式。 例如：BE :They are a family who has been very influential in the history of this country. AE/BE: The committee h

as decided to look into the matter further.名词作定语 时，美国英语多用单数形式，而英国 英语则常用其复数形式。例如：BE: The worker decided to form a new trades union. AE: The worker decided to form a new trade union.

二、Verb. 动词 have ,get, make 当动词have有致使之意时，美国用have;英国对 上级用get,对下级用make.英语中的to have 是个 词性不明确的动词。英国人既把它用作助动词又 把它用作实义动词；美国人则一律将它当作实义 动词来用。例如： BE: I will get someone come. AE: I will have someone come.

三、Adj. 在美国英语中，形容词的比较可以跟在all the 之 后，表示强调。而英国英语则使用any 加形容词 比较级这一形式来表示强调。例如： BE: Can’t you do any better than that? AE: Is that all the better you can do?

四、Simple Past Tense and Present Perfect Tense 表示距现在不远的过去所发生或完 成的事情，英国英语常用现在完成时 ，则美国英语则倾向于使用一般过去 时。例如： BE:I have studied your report already. AE:I studied your report already. BE:Now I know what it is! I’ve forgotten its name. AE:Now I know what it is! I forgot its name.

另外：美语与英语在习惯用法上也存在着明显的 差异。比如，英国英语在虚拟式中往往要加 should,而美语大都不用。表示"有"或"没有"的 概念，英语用to have/haven’t got,美语则用 to have/don’t have;"不得不"、"必须"做什么 ，英语用to have got to do something,美语 只须说to have to do something;

Past Simple/Past Participles Dream dreamt OR dreamed Lean leant OR leaned Learn learnt OR learned Smell smelt OR smelled Spell spelt OR spelled Spill spilt OR spilled

The following verbs have two acceptable forms of the past simple/past participle in both American and British English, however, the irregular form is generally more common in British English (the first form of the two) and the regular form is more common to American English.

Burn Burnt OR burned

Prepositions American English - on the weekend British English - at the weekend American English - on a team British English - in a team American English - please write me soon British English - please write to me soon

The importance of learning differences I suggest you look them over because you never know when you may run into an American after studying British English, or when you may run into a Brit after having studied American English. I can assure you that the differences between American and British vocabulary are just enough to cause a few laughs. Well, maybe a few... misunderstandings. ;-) What's important to remember? That both British English and American English are accepted on the examinations as long as you consistently use either one or the other. In other words, don't mi

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USA - UK differences BRITISH ENGLISH Buildings in General block of flats first floor flat ground floor lift Household Furniture camp bed chest of drawers cot cupboard curtains dresser (for plates, dishes) AMERICAN ENGLISH Buildings in General apartment building second floor apartment first floor elevator Household Furniture cot dresser crib closet drapes hutch