Different spelling

analogue analog

catalogue catalog

cheque check

dialogue dialog

defence defense

jewellery jewelry

kerb curb

plough plow

programme program

pyjamas pajamas

speciality specialty

tyre (for a wheel) tire

Different words

aubergine eggplant

autumn fall

bill check

bin trash can

biscuit(s) cookie(s)
bonnet (of a car) hood

boot (of a car) trunk

car park parking lot

cot crib

chemist's drugstore

chips French fries

city centre downtown

crisps (potato crisps) chips (potato chips)

cinema movie theater

courgette zucchini

CV resume

draughts (board game) checkers

dustbin garbage can

film movie

flat apartment

football soccer

full stop (punctuation) period

garden yard

grill (verb) broil

handbag purse/pocketbook
holiday vacation

letter box mail box

lift elevator

lorry truck

luggage baggage

maths math

mobile phone cell phone

motorway freeway/highway

off-licence liquor store

nappy diaper

pavement sidewalk

petrol gas/gasoline

pocket money allowance

post mail

postcode zip code

primary school elementary school

queue line

queue line

return (ticket) round trip (ticket)

rubber eraser
rubbish garbage

secondary school high school

single (ticket) one-way (ticket)

solicitor lawyer

starter (meal) appetizer

sweets candy

tap faucet

timetable schedule

tin can

torch flashlight

tram streetcar/cable car

trainers sneakers

trousers pants

tyre tire

queue line

underground subway

vest undershirt

waistcoat vest

wardrobe closet
 Verbs

In Britain some verbs end in either -ize or -ise. Both are used.
In America, they always end in -ize. Here are some examples :

US : analyze, apologize, organize,

UK : analyse, apologise, organise, realise
realize

Regular - Irregular forms of verbs

Some verbs have alternative regular and irregular past tense and past participle
forms,
for example : dream - dreamed or dreamt.
In Britain, the irregular form is more often used, whereas in American English,
there is
a preference for the regular form. Here are some of those verbs :

burn burned / burnt

dream dreamed / dreamt
learn learned / learnt
spell spelled / spelt
spoil spoiled / spoilt

The pronoun 'one'

Americans do not often use 'one' to mean 'people in general', nor do they use
'one's' or 'oneself'.

GB : One should look after one's health.

US : You should look after your health./People should look after their health.
 Dates

There are differences in the way dates are said and written.

GB : 4th July - the fourth of July

US : July 4 - July four - July fourth

Numbers

The British use 'and' between hundred and the rest of the number. The
Americans do not.

GB : Two hundred and twenty.

US : Two hundred twenty.

English Grammar and Exercises for ESL learners.

UK - US DIFFERENCES
(differences in British and American spelling and vocabulary)

British and American spelling and vocabulary differ in many areas.

British English tends to keep the spelling of words absorbed from other
languages (e.g. French), whereas American English often adapts the spelling of
words to sound as they are actually spoken. There are also many cases where
different words or terms are used to refer to the same thing. Below you find
examples of differences in spelling and vocabulary.

Britain America
 -our / -or

Many words end in -our in Britain, and in -or in America.

colour color

favour favor

honour honor

neighbour neighbor

-tre / ter

Words ending in -tre in Britain end in -ter in America, for example :

centre center

litre liter

metre meter

theatre theater

Doubling of letters

In Britain, the 'l' is doubled in an unstressed syllable :

travelling traveling

marvellous marvelous