Lesson 6 of 6
American vs British English
Use American words and spellings consistently.
English in Pakistan and India mixes British English (from history and school) with American English (from movies and the internet). If your goal is to sound American, pick the American word and spelling consistently. Mixing "flat" and "apartment" in the same conversation sounds unfocused.
LearnThe key ideas
Everyday vocabulary
| American | British |
|---|---|
| apartment | flat |
| elevator | lift |
| vacation | holiday |
| cell phone | mobile |
| check (restaurant) | bill |
| gas (car fuel) | petrol |
| fall | autumn |
| cookie | biscuit |
| fries | chips |
| line | queue |
| trash / garbage | rubbish |
| sneakers | trainers |
Spelling and dates
American spelling: color, favorite, center, organize, traveled, program. British spelling: colour, favourite, centre, organise, travelled, programme.
Dates: Americans write month/day/year, so 04/07/2025 means April 7th. Say "July fourth" or "July 4th".
ListenListen and repeat
- My apartment's on the fifth floor, so I take the elevator.American words.
- We're going on vacation in the fall.Vacation, fall.
- Can I get some fries with that?Fries, not chips.
- Could we get the check, please?Check, not bill.
AvoidCommon mistakes
SpeakShadowing practice
Press Listen, then repeat straight away, copying the speed, rhythm and tone. Say each sentence three times, then record yourself.
- I left my cell phone in the elevator.
- We stood in line for an hour to buy cookies.
- Let's take a vacation in the fall.
CheckQuick quiz
1. American word for "lift":
2. In the US, 03/05 means:
3. American spelling:
PracticeToday's speaking task
List 10 words you use every day and check whether each one is British or American. Switch to the American version for one week.