{"id":1902,"date":"2015-07-08T14:47:57","date_gmt":"2015-07-08T13:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/humorous-knowledge.flywheelsites.com\/?p=1902"},"modified":"2023-04-18T13:43:56","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T12:43:56","slug":"can-i-use-american-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ieltsadvantage.com\/2015\/07\/08\/can-i-use-american-english\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Use American English?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

I have had lots of emails this month asking if it is OK to use American English in the IELTS test. Whenever this topic comes up in class students get very worried about it and ask lots of questions. My answer is always not to worry about it too much, but this is never a satisfactory answer so here is a more detailed guide on the subject.<\/p>\n

Are American and British English Really Different?<\/h2>\n

To begin with I should say that they are 99% the same. They have 99% percent the same grammar, the same vocabulary and the same spelling. The pronunciation might be a little different, but not so much that you can’t understand what the other person is saying. You could put lots of Americans and lots of British people in a room and everyone would understand what is being said just fine. You should, therefore, stop worrying so much about the differences.<\/p>\n

Additionally, American culture is so prevalent all over the world these days that there are very few words and phrases that Americans use that are not easily understood by other English speakers.<\/p>\n

What Are The Differences?<\/h2>\n

Despite them being overwhelmingly the same, there are some differences that an English learner should be aware of. The main differences are vocabulary<\/strong>, spelling<\/strong> and grammar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Vocabulary<\/h3>\n

Firstly, there is no need for you to get a long list of words that are different and learn them. This really is a waste of time for IELTS students because you are being tested on how wide and accurate your vocabulary is, not the difference between American and British English.<\/p>\n

Below are some common words that are different in America:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Flat<\/td>\nApartment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Car Park<\/td>\nParking Lot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chips<\/td>\nFries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Crossroads<\/td>\nIntersection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bin<\/td>\nTrash Can<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Holiday<\/td>\nVacation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lift<\/td>\nElevator<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Footpath<\/td>\nSidewalk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Petrol<\/td>\nGas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Post<\/td>\nMail<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pub<\/td>\nBar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Return Ticket<\/td>\nRound-Trip<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Roundabout<\/td>\nTraffic Circle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rubber<\/td>\nEraser<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shop<\/td>\nStore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Timetable<\/td>\nSchedule<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Trousers<\/td>\nPants<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tube<\/td>\nSubway<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Spelling<\/h3>\n

Below are some common words that Americans spell differently. Do you notice any patterns?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cheque<\/td>\nCheck<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cosy<\/td>\nCozy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Colour<\/td>\nColor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Centre<\/td>\nCenter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Litre<\/td>\nLiter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Theatre<\/td>\nTheater<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Neighbour<\/td>\nNeighbor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Labour<\/td>\nLabor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apologise<\/td>\nApologize<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Organise<\/td>\nOrganize<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Recognise<\/td>\nRecognize<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Analyse<\/td>\nAnalyze<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Defence<\/td>\nDefense<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Licence<\/td>\nLicense<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Offence<\/td>\nOffense<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Grammar<\/h3>\n

There are many subtle differences in grammar including:<\/p>\n