Have you ever ordered chips in London and got crisps? Or seen “colour” spelled with a “u” and wondered why? British and American English share the same base, but everyday words, spelling, and even some grammar can differ. In this lesson, you’ll learn the most useful differences—so you can understand both varieties and choose the right words for your context. Practice as you go with quick exercises!

Everyday words you’ll hear

Here are some common pairs you’ll meet in real life. Use whichever matches your audience (UK or US), or just be ready to understand both:

• flat (BrE) vs apartment (AmE)
• trousers (BrE) vs pants (AmE) — careful: “pants” in the UK often means underwear!
• lift (BrE) vs elevator (AmE)
• car park (BrE) vs parking lot (AmE)
• lorry (BrE) vs truck (AmE)
• queue (BrE) vs line (AmE)
• chips (BrE, hot fries) vs fries (AmE); crisps (BrE) vs chips (AmE)
• rubbish (BrE) vs garbage/trash (AmE)
• biscuit (BrE) vs cookie (AmE)
• petrol (BrE) vs gas/gasoline (AmE)
• holiday (BrE) vs vacation (AmE)
• timetable (BrE) vs schedule (AmE)
• boot (BrE) vs trunk (AmE) — the back of a car
• postbox (BrE) vs mailbox (AmE)
• autumn (BrE) vs fall (AmE)

If you’re not sure what your listener uses, choose the word you know—and stay consistent.

In the UK, you stand in a to buy tickets.

Food traps you’ll love (and laugh at)

• If you order “chips” in the UK, you get hot fries. If you want potato chips, ask for “crisps.”
• In the US, a “biscuit” is a type of soft bread. In the UK, a “biscuit” is a cookie.
• Aubergine (BrE) = eggplant (AmE); courgette (BrE) = zucchini (AmE).

Small word changes can make a big difference at a café or supermarket.

Spelling differences: colour or color?

British English often keeps older, French-influenced spellings. American English prefers simpler forms. Here are the big patterns:

• -our (BrE) vs -or (AmE): colour/color, neighbour/neighbor, labour/labor
• -re (BrE) vs -er (AmE): centre/center, theatre/theater
• double “l” before endings in BrE: travelling (BrE) vs traveling (AmE); jewellery (BrE) vs jewelry (AmE)
• -ise (BrE) vs -ize (AmE): organise/organize. Note: -ize is also accepted in the UK in many contexts.
• programme (BrE) vs program (AmE) — but in computing, the UK also uses “program.”

Grammar: small shifts that change the feel

There are no huge grammar gaps, but a few habits are useful to know.

• Have got vs have

  • BrE: I’ve got a meeting at 10. (common in speech)
  • AmE: I have a meeting at 10. (more common)

• Present perfect vs past simple with “just/already/yet”

  • BrE prefers present perfect: I’ve just eaten. Have you finished yet?
  • AmE often uses past simple: I just ate. Did you finish yet? (informal)

• Prepositions and time

  • BrE: at the weekend, in hospital, different to
  • AmE: on the weekend, in the hospital, different from

• Got vs gotten

  • BrE: He’s got much better. (become)
  • AmE: He’s gotten much better. (become) — “gotten” is normal in AmE but not in BrE.

We usually see friends the weekend in London.

Polite habits and culture notes

• Please and sorry: In the UK, people often say “please,” “sorry,” and “cheers” (thanks) more frequently in small interactions. In the US, “thanks” and “excuse me” are very common.
• Queue vs line: Queuing (BrE) is a cultural norm—keep your place! In the US, people “wait in line.”
• Dates: 12/07/2026 is 12 July 2026 in the UK, but December 7, 2026, in the US.
• Toilets and restrooms: In the UK, “toilet” is normal. In the US, “restroom” or “bathroom” sounds more polite in public places.
• Pronunciation fun: tomato is /tə-MAH-toh/ (BrE) vs /tə-MAY-toh/ (AmE); schedule is often /SHED-jool/ (BrE) vs /SKED-jool/ (AmE). You don’t need to copy the accent—just understand it.

Quick reference: be consistent

• Writing for a UK reader? Choose BrE words and spellings: flat, colour, car park, at the weekend, I’ve just finished.
• Writing for a US reader? Choose AmE: apartment, color, parking lot, on the weekend, I just finished.
• Mixed audience? Use the variant you’re most comfortable with, but keep the same style throughout your email, CV/resume, or report.

We put our suitcases in the before we drove to Heathrow.

More examples you can reuse

• BrE: I’ve got two weeks’ holiday in August. AmE: I have a two-week vacation in August.
• BrE: The team are playing well today. AmE: The team is playing well today. (collective nouns)
• BrE: The programme starts at 8 pm. AmE: The program starts at 8 pm.

Try to notice these when you read articles or watch shows from different countries.

Final practice and wrap-up

You now know the most useful differences: everyday words (flat/apartment), spelling patterns (colour/color), and small grammar habits (I’ve just finished vs I just finished). When you speak or write, think about your reader or listener and choose one variety. And when you listen, be flexible—both are correct in their own context.

Keep a small note on your phone with tricky pairs you meet this week. The more you notice, the more natural you’ll sound—on either side of the Atlantic.

You’ve got this. Or… you’ve gotten this—if you’re American!