Why is it important to know British and American English? British or American English

Well, I’ll express my opinion about English languages. At school, and even at the Institute, we were taught the so-called British version of English - which I call for myself the “Russian version of English”. I say this because my school teachers had never been abroad and had never even met a living Englishman - and their pronunciation was appropriate, that is, Russian. At the institute, the teachers already spoke a couple of levels higher - but still - the Russian accent was present, this was felt after we had 3 American teachers in the 4th year - and there was something to compare with. This was felt in all respects - both in the tempo of speech, and in other intonation, and in the very pronunciation (of sounds). Those Americans who taught us were very easy to understand, they said on Standard American, after all, they are teachers, and not heroin dealers from Harlem. It was later in life that I met, for example, guys from Texas who were difficult to understand - they spoke through their noses, swallowed sounds, cut off endings. But nevertheless, I understood them too. that is, there is Standard American, and there is Southern American/Midwestern and a bunch of others. Take, for example, how blacks talk - that’s also a different story (I won’t go into detail about blacks; I judge them only from films).

--- “Are the differences between these variants of English significant?-- Between them is the Atlantic Ocean,” this opinion was expressed above. I won’t argue, I’ll express my opinion. I believe that the differences between Standard American and Standard British are not great - for me they come down to a couple of obvious differences
Br dance-Am dance/ Br girl- Am girl well, plus all these combinations when there is the letter “r” - or/ur/ir/ar. Everything else is trifles. What other differences can you tell me? Do Americans speak through their noses? - well, it happens - but not all. Differences in grammar are minor. According to? May the British understand you perfectly - it doesn’t matter what you say - pavement or sidewalk.
As for films, standard American predominates in our country. Most of the films are American - and there are practically no English ones.
Question - “Will it be normal to study both options mixed?” - Yes, it’s normal - because until you start working with native speakers or live for a long time somewhere in the UK, the accent will be appropriate, namely Standard Russian British :) - and not some kind of British or American
But what, for example, when taking the FCE, is it so important which version you speak?
Now, a few words about Standard British - this is the language of TV, films, radio (like the BBC), all sorts of phonetic courses and textbooks. I can safely say - 50% of the English (if not more) do not speak it. I've been working with them now for a year. I already wrote about my sad experience in another topic.
What can I say if they sometimes don’t understand each other. Those. a person living in London may have some problems understanding a person from Liverpool - the pronunciation varies not only from area to area, but even from city to city. Not to mention all the Scots
a couple of examples of their pronunciation - love, done, come - how will they be read?---correctly--through the usual “o”
money, Monday, one, rough, russian - all through the sound "u". Similar differences - mooore
This created some difficulties in understanding - Come with us, we "ll have some fun - Com visa us, vil "av som fun - at first I was lost, but now it’s normal, I’m used to it :)
As for my own pronunciation, I admit that sometimes I mix American and British into one heap. Having worked with the Americans (just a couple of weeks) - now I can no longer pronounce I can"t in the British manner - probably a psychological barrier :) The Americans laughed and called me you, li"l cunt :)
“Switching from British to American” -hmm- I wouldn’t be able to do that - and why? I'm not translating for Mr. Bush. And everyone understands me without any problems. To the question “how do you like my pronunciation?” They told me “pretty much authentic” - and on this I decided that I would not adapt to their pronunciation.
So which option is better - everyone chooses for himself --- while studying at the institute I really wanted to speak with an American accent - well, I just liked it better and that’s all - but in general there’s not much difference

Are British and American English the same thing? Find out how they differ and how they are similar. For those who want to “feel the difference” - 5 test exercises!

Classmates

Those who complain about the difficulty of learning German don’t even know how lucky they are - because they only have to learn one language. Of course, there are different dialects in German-speaking countries, but someone who has learned standard literary German (Hochdeutsch) will have no problems and will be easily understood by residents of Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

The difficulty for those learning English is that there is no standard in this language. There are two options to learn: British English and American (even if you don’t take into account Australian, Indian, South African dialects, etc.). Despite their mutual cross-cultural influences, it seems that the vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation of British and American English are becoming increasingly different every year.

To stick to one option and, more importantly, to be understood correctly, you need to know which words differ in meaning and pronunciation in America and Great Britain. This is important not only for simple communication, but also in order to avoid awkward situations.

For example, if a woman from London says to a New Yorker: “I have left my child's dummy in the pram and his nappy in the boot,” she will only get a puzzled look in response. If a New Yorker tells her: “ You have nice pants,” she could easily consider this an insult.

In Britain, a baby's pacifier is called a dummy, in America - a pacifier, diapers in the first case - nappies, in the second - diapers. The British call a pram a pram, while the Americans call it a baby carriage. What is boot for the British is trunk for the Americans. In America the word pants means trousers, while in Britain it means underwear (underpants).

Below are examples of the main differences between the two languages, as well as some exercises.

Differences in spelling

With regard to the spelling of British English (BrE) and American (AmE), it can be said that Americans adhere to a more economical and phonetic spelling. Unpronounceable letters are skipped, and words are written closer to their sound. The most obvious example is the absence of the letter u in American words such as color, neighbor, honor, etc.

Compare also the words traveling, jewelry and program with their British equivalents - travelling, jewelery and program. However, this rule does not always apply. You might think that in America it's spelled skilful and in Britain it's spelled skillful, but it's actually the other way around!

Exercise 1

Which of the following words are written in American English and which are written in British English? Can you give a second spelling?

Sample: AmE - mustache:BrE— mustache

• airplane, check, theater, tire, defense, woolen, pajamas, gaol

Differences in pronunciation

Of course, both countries have their own regional pronunciations, but the following words are pronounced differently by most Americans and Britons. The differences are mainly in the sound of vowels or stress.

Exercise 2

Can you indicate how an American would pronounce the following words and how a British person would pronounce them?

• vase, route, ballet, address (noun), ate, buoy, tomato, advertisement, garage, leisure

Differences in vocabulary

The percentage of words that are used in only one country is very small, but the problem for English learners is that these words are among the most commonly used. Many words are used only by Americans but most Britons understand them, but others can be difficult.

For example, the British know that Americans call biscuits cookies, and flat - apartment, but not many people know what alumnus (college or university graduate) or fender (dirt guard over a car wheel) are. In turn, Americans know that a yard in Britain is called a garden, and a truck is called a lorry, but the words plimsolls (sneakers) or off-licence (liquor store) that are familiar to the British will not tell them anything.

Exercise 3

From the list below, select pairs of words that have the same meaning and classify them as American or British English.

Sample: AmE - cookie = BrE - biscuit

Differences in grammar

The grammar of British and American English is almost the same, but there are some interesting variations, for example in some verb forms. In AE, the past tense of the verb fit is fit; in BrE - fitted. Americans say I "ve gotten to know her well; the British - I"ve got to know her well. BrE often uses the Present Perfect where AmE would rather use the Past Simple.

For example, when using the words just or already, the British are most likely to say I "ve just seen him or I"ve already done it, and the Americans - I just saw him or I already did it.

Another example is that Americans are much more likely to agree collective nouns with the verb. In standard AmE it is correct to say The team is playing well this season, while in BrE it is acceptable to say: The team are playing well. The same applies to words such as government, committee, etc. In American - The government is..., in British - The government are...

Exercise 4

The following sentences are typically American. How would a Brit say them?

• Do you have any siblings?
• It is important that she be told.
• The jury has not yet reached its decision.
• Go fetch your book.
• He dove into the water.
• You must come visit me real soon.

Use of words

There are countless interesting nuances between AmE and BrE that relate to the use of words. AmE has a useful preposition through, which means “through, inclusive.” For example, The exhibition is showing March through June. Its equivalent in BrE is from March to June, but this can be understood in two ways.

Will the exhibition last until the beginning of June or until the end? To avoid misunderstandings, it is better to say, for example: The exhibition is showing from March to the end of June.

Another example: for Americans, the number billion contains 9 zeros (billion). For most Brits there are 12 zeros (a trillion). As for zero itself, in AmE the word zero is more common, while in BrE it is nought. Americans are more likely to pronounce the number 453 as four hundred fifty three, while the British almost always pronounce it as four hundred and fifty three. And this is just a small part!

Exercise 5

For whom are the following sentences more typical - an American or a British person?

• I"ll try and visit you on the weekend.
• Please write me when you arrive.
• Call me as soon as you get there.
• Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
• If you make a mistake, you"ll just have to do it over.
• He was born 3/27/1981.
• The soccer team won two to nothing (2-0).
• She arrived at twenty of two.
• The secretary said, "Mr. Clinton will see you soon."

Conclusion

It is quite obvious that for non-native speakers it will be very difficult to separate these two dialects. The best thing to do in this case is to purchase a good reference book. We can recommend two books on this topic:

• Practical English Usage, M. Swan (1995), Oxford University Press
• The Right Word at the Right Time (A guide to the English language and how to use it) (1985) Readers Digest

Answers

Exercise 1 - Writing

• airplane - aeroplane
• check - check
• theater - theater
• defense - defense
• woollen - woollen
• tire - tire
• pajamas - pajamas
• jail-gaol*

* Now in Britain the word jail is also more common, but gaol is also quite acceptable (they are pronounced the same).

Exercise 2 - Pronunciation

In most cases, Americans and British accents are the same. For example, everyone says pencil and relax, cinema and consider, but the following words are stressed differently:

• ballet - BrE - ballet - AmE
• address - BrE - address * - AmE
• garage – BrE – garage – AmE
• advertisement – ​​BrE – advertisement – ​​AmE

There are words that differ in the sound of the stressed vowel. They are difficult to illustrate without resorting to phonetic symbols, which not everyone is familiar with. Therefore, they are presented in comparison with common words containing the same sound.

• vase: as in cars (BrE) - as in face (AmE)
• route: like shoot (BrE) - like shout * (AmE)
• buoy: like toy (BrE) - like the French name Louis (AmE)
• ate: like let (BrE) — like late (AmE)
• tomato: like tomarto (BrE) - tomayto * (AmE)
• leisure: as in pleasure (BrE) - first vowel as in she (AmE)

* Some Americans pronounce these words the same way as the British.

Exercise 3 - Vocabulary

• closet - cupboard
• vacation - holiday
• fall - autumn
• thumb tack - drawing pin
• flashlight - torch
• subway - underground
• baggage - luggage
• movie-film
• drapes - curtains
• elevator - lift
• hood - bonnet
• mailman-postman
• check - bill *
• line - queue
• candy - sweets
• gas - petrol
• trailer - caravan

* In England, bill is the bill you ask the waiter in a restaurant. In America it is called a check, while a bill is a banknote.

Exercise 4 - Grammar

• AmE - Do you have any siblings?
• BrE — Have you got any brothers or sisters?
• AmE — It is important that she be told. *
• BrE — It is important that she is told.
• AmE — The jury has not yet reached its decision.
• BrE - The jury have not yet reached their decision.
• AmE - Go get your book.
• BrE - Go and fetch your book.
• AmE - He dove into the water.
• BrE - He dived into the water.
• AmE — You must come visit me real soon.
• BrE — You must come and visit me really soon.

* AmE uses the subjunctive form much more often than BrE.

Exercise 5 - Using words

This was a tricky task because in reality all of these sentences are more likely to be said by an American than by a British person! Here are their UK equivalents:

• AmE — I"ll try and visit you on the weekend.
• BrE — I"ll try to visit you at the weekend.
• AmE — Please write me when you arrive.
• BrE — Please write to me when you arrive.
• AmE - Call me as soon as you get there.
• BrE — Ring me (phone me) as soon as you get there.
• AmE — Most everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.
• BrE — Almost everyone has a telephone and a refrigerator these days.

English is considered one of the most popular languages ​​in the world. It is native to more than 400 million people on our planet, and at least 1 billion people can speak English fluently. Of course, due to cultural characteristics and as a result of various historical events, dialects appeared. Surely you have repeatedly heard about the most popular language variant - American. How does it differ from the “original” British one?

Brief historical background

If you want to get a complete answer to this question, you should pay attention to studying the history of American English. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the United States had a huge number of immigrants who came from England, Spain, Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden. People who set out to explore uncharted territories needed to engage in production, establish trade, and create optimal socio-economic conditions.

To achieve common goals, people vitally needed one language. It is not surprising that it was not the pretentious and refined English that the aristocrats used that migrated to America. People needed a practical, accessible and understandable language of the people. Changes in priorities, exchange of experience between representatives of different nations, features of the local climate and nature led to a gradual modification of familiar English and the emergence of unique slang.

Phonetics

American English is sharper and faster due to specific features in pronunciation. Let's consider the main characteristics of phonetics:

• the sound [e] is practically no different from [ɛ];
• in the sound [ju:] after consonants [j] almost disappears. US residents often pronounce words duty And student like [ `du:ti ], ;
• the sound [r] is pronounced regardless of its location in words;
• Americans often do not pay much attention to diphthongs, for example, the word fate may sound like .

How can such differences be explained? As already indicated above, American English was formed under the influence of the dialect of visitors from different countries of the world. People often neglected traditional phonetic rules. British English follows a single pronunciation standard, Received Pronunciation. There are different regional standards in the United States of America.

People who study classical British English are aware of the meaning of intonation in phrases. It can be descending, ascending, sliding, stepped, etc. Americans do not attach much importance to the manner of pronunciation. Typically, a flat intonation scale and a falling tone are used.

By the way, when studying phonetic differences, do not forget that not only the general rules differ. Some identical words are pronounced completely differently in the British and American versions. For example, the word schedule US residents speak with sound sk(at the beginning), and the English pronounce the sound w.

Grammar

British English is famous for its rather complex grammar. The huge number of tenses, which can easily confuse not only a beginner, is far from the only feature of the language. In the USA, everything is much clearer and more concise. American English requires the use of simple tenses: Present, Future, Past Indefinite. Even the tense Present Perfect, used to denote a completed action that has a visible result, is successfully replaced by Past Indefinite.

For example:

I have cooked dinner. Let's eat together!(British)
I cooked dinner = I have cooked dinner.(American)
I prepared lunch. Let's eat together.

It's interesting that even adverbs just, already And yet in American English can be used with Past Indefinite, contrary to the rules that we are used to learning.

Mary has just received your letter.(British)
Mary just received your letter. = Mary has just received your letter.(American)
Mary has just received your letter.

Let's look at other grammatical differences between American and British English:

1. Ownership designation. British English requires the use of a verb have got, Americans can easily replace it with the form have. For example, in the USA you can say: Have you got a laptop?, so Do you have a laptop?(Do you have a laptop?).

2. Use will And shall . British English with first person subjects still uses the form shall. Most often used in American English will. (I shall call him later = I will call him later ).

3. Features of the subjunctive mood. American English requires the use of the subjunctive mood after many words: important, demand, advice, essential etc. In British English, the subjunctive mood is preferred exclusively in polite communication and correspondence.

4. Features of collective nouns. In British English they are used with singular verbs. and many more numbers. And American English words require a singular form. For example: The family is going/are going to emigrate (British). The family is going to emigrate (American) (The family is going to emigrate).

5. Usage as if And like(as if, as if). In American English the more common word is like, in the British version its use may be considered an error. Americans can say how She smiled as if she knew something , so She smiled like she knew something (She smiled as if she knew something.)

6. Using adverbs. People who study American English are aware that adverbs can be placed before auxiliary and regular verbs in a sentence. In British, on the contrary, they are placed after verbs. If a British person tells you I am always busy on Monday, then the American will say I'm always busy on Monday. (I'm always busy on Mondays).

Spelling and word formation

The American spelling can be called more simplified than the classic British one. For example, US residents quite often omit the letter u from the end -our :

Сolour - color (color)
labor - labor (work)
humor - humor (humor)

Some words that end in British -re, in the American "version" end with -er. For example, the word "theater":

Theater (British)
theater (American)

Words that end with in Great Britain -ise, in the USA end with -ize. For example, the word "realize":

Realize (British)
realize (American)

In the English language, new words regularly appear that are formed by compounding words (verbs and nouns). The difference is that the British use a gerund for this purpose, while Americans prefer not to bother and simply connect two words. For example, a sailboat in the USA is called sailboat, in Great Britain - sailing boat.

Word usage

First of all, the difference concerns abbreviations. In England they are often used without dots, in the USA - exactly the opposite.

People who study a foreign language will also probably be interested in the difference in the use of prepositions. In American English you can safely omit on before the days of the week.

There are inconsistencies in the use of prepositions for And in. In the United States, they are considered interchangeable when talking about a period of time up to the present moment. In the UK, in such situations it is used exclusively for. Let's look at a simple example:

I haven't seen my ex-girlfriend in years(American)
I haven't seen my ex-girlfriend in years (and still haven't met her).

Vocabulary composition

Perhaps the differences in the lexical composition of American and British English can confuse a person even with an excellent level of knowledge. The catch is that some words and phrases exist in both “versions” of the language, but they do not express the same meaning. For example, in America the word pants denotes trousers, in the UK a piece of underwear. Not knowing the differences can get you into a very awkward situation.

In addition, different words are used to translate the same Russian words in British and American English. For example, in the USA sweets are called candy, in Great Britain - sweets.

When learning a language, you should pay attention to some subtleties. In British English the word holidays most often used to refer to a long vacation or vacation. In the USA this word is in most cases replaced by the word vacation.

Which version of English is worth learning?

Of course, it all depends on the circumstances, but if you are not going to live in the USA, it is definitely recommended to study British English. Let's list a few reasons in favor of this decision:

• British English is universally recognized. This is what you need to study to pass most standardized international tests. You can rest assured that with your knowledge of British English you will be understood anywhere in the world.
• British English allows you to develop a complete understanding of grammar. By learning complex rules, you can easily use various designs in any situation.
• British English is more varied than American English. You have an excellent opportunity to significantly expand your vocabulary and make your speech much richer. In addition, you will discover the opportunity to freely read your favorite English works in the original.

Many modern centers and tutors offer various programs for learning British and American English. If you want to become more familiar with the two varieties of the language, start your studies with the classics, and then gradually expand your knowledge.

Which version of English is better: British or American?

Of course, there is no clear answer to this question, but today we will look at 5 points that need to be taken into account when choosing one of them.

What is British or American English?

In its most general sense, English is the term used to designate the form of English used in the United States, including all dialects used there. A English is the form of English used in the United Kingdom and all its varieties.

What are the differences between British and American English?

In general, both of these varieties of English are very similar. There are some subtle differences, but they usually do not interfere with communication or understanding. Some of these differences exist...

• in vocabulary: most words are the same, but there are some exceptions. For example, the English say biscuit and the Americans say cookie. However, people from both countries understand each other very well.
• in grammar: most verbs and structures are the same, but there are some differences in usage. For example, a British person might say: "Have you had dinner?", and an American would say: "Did you have dinner?"
• in slang: there are several differences here. For example: a Briton might say: "Alright, mate?", and an American would say: "OK, buddy?" And, of course, there are a great many varieties of slang in both the US and the UK.
• in spelling: most words are spelled the same, but some words in the American version are simplified in terms of spelling. For example, the British write color And gynecology, while in the American version it is written color And gynecology.
• in pronunciation: the British prefer to pronounce the sound [ə] in words ending with -er (water, later, never). While the Americans make a sound [r] more pronounced.

Which option is easier to learn?

It is impossible to say definitively which version of English is the simplest. Much depends on which version you prefer. Any British or American who speaks clearly enough will be equally easy to understand. For example, if you're listening to a BBC or CNN presenter, you probably won't notice much of a difference in accent. Of course, in both countries you may meet people who are difficult to understand.

Which version is recognized as official English?

There is no official version of the English language. There is Standard English (the type of English you find in newspapers, official letters and legal documents), but it is not official English. And linguists classify Standard English as a dialect, just like all other varieties, such as Canadian English, New Zealand English, South African English, Australian English, British English, American English, Scottish English, Irish English.... So no the English version is not superior to another - they are all used equally.

So which version of English should you choose?

In the end, it is up to you to decide which version of English you choose to study. Since the differences between varieties of English are minimal and there is no "official" version of English, it really doesn't matter. Of course, if you are planning to emigrate to the USA, it is better to pay more attention to the American version of English; and if you're planning to travel to Australia, you should probably focus on Australian English. However, if these things are not a problem, then the best thing would be to listen to different versions of English, including non-local ones, to get a feel for this international language.

The difficulty of learning English is that you have to learn two versions: British and American. When using written English, it is important to stick to one spelling throughout the entire document. But even in oral speech, you can get into trouble, not distinguishing in meaning and pronunciation between words and phrases used in America and Great Britain. In order not to confuse the American language with the British language, you need to know the main differences.

So let's start with the spelling of some English words. First of all, it should be noted that in British English most words retain the features of the languages ​​from which they came into English, while in American English their spelling is influenced by pronunciation.

So, for example, words ending with ‘-tre" in British English end with '-ter" in American English: theater, center - theater, center.

Words that end in '- our' in British English end in '- or' in American English: colour, labor - color, labor.

In British English, some words are longer than in American English, due to the fact that US residents adapt borrowed words: catalogue, program - catalog, program.

In the British version, verbs can end in ‘-ize’ or ‘-ise’; in America they only write ‘-ize’: apologize or apologise, organize or organize, recognize or recognize - apologize, organize, recognize.

Words that end in '-yse' in British have the ending '-yze' in American: analyze, paralyse - analyze, paralyze.

According to the rules of spelling in the British version, verbs ending in a vowel +l double the final consonant when adding the endings -ing or -ed; in the American version this rule is not present: travel - travelled - travelling - traveler; fuel - fuelled - fueling; travel - traveled - traveling - traveler - fuel - fueled - fueling

Some words from the field of medicine in British English are distinguished by the fact that they are written with 'ae" and 'oe", and in American English only with 'e': leukaemia, manoeuvre, oestrogen, paediatric - leukemia, maneuver, estrogen, pediatric.

One word - two pronunciations

There are words that are spelled the same in both British and American, but the British and Americans pronounce them differently. The transcription and pronunciation of such words must be remembered so as not to mix American and British English during communication. For example, the verb "Ask" is pronounced [æsk] in American and [ɑːsk] in British. Other most famous differences are presented in the table below.




American	British	Russian
Schedule [ˈskedʒuːl]	Schedule [ˈʃedjuːl]	schedule, schedule
Route [raʊt]	Route [ru:t]	route
Aluminum [əˈluː.mɪ.nəm]	Aluminum [ˌæl.jəˈmɪn.i.əm]	aluminum
Answer [ˈænsər]	Answer [ˈɑːnsə®]	reply
Fast [fæst]	Fast [fɑːst]	fast
Can't [kænt]	Can't [kɑːnt]	not be able to
Tomato [təˈmeɪtoʊ]	Tomato [təˈmɑːtəʊ]	tomato
Butter [ˈbʌtər]	Butter [ˈbʌtə®]	oil
Advertisement [ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt ]	Advertisement [ədˈvɜːtɪsmənt ]	advertising
Organization [ˌɔːɡənaɪˈzeɪʃn]	Organization [ˌɔːrɡənəˈzeɪʃn]	organization
A lot [lɑːt]	A lot [lɒt]	many
Address [ˈˌædres]	Address [əˈdres]	address

Differences in grammar

It should be noted that Americans do not respect grammatical rules too much. So, when talking about an action that ended not long ago, they do not bother to use the Present Perfect, replacing it with a tense like the Past Simple. The British use Perfect everywhere.

Did you do your homework yet? I already did it - that's what the Americans say.

Slight differences between British and American English are observed in the formation of the II and III forms of some irregular verbs.

BrE: learnt, dreamt, burnt, leant.

AmE: learned, dreamed, burned, leaned

The expression have got meaning to have is more often used by the British, while Americans simply use the verb have. Also, residents of Foggy Albion more often use dividing questions in their speech, while Americans do this very rarely.

The options for using prepositions are also different: the British say in a team, Americans - on a team, at the weekend (BrE) - on the weekend (AmE), write TO smb (BrE) - write smb (AmE).




Vocabulary

Sometimes the same single word or construction in British English can be translated differently into American English. In the table below you can see the most striking examples.

American English	Britain English	Russian
Zucchini	Courgette	Zucchini
Hood	Bonnet	Hood
Eggplant	Aubergine	Eggplant
Baked potato	Jacket potato	Jacket potatoes
Schedule	Timetable	Schedule, schedule
Trunk	Boot	Trunk
eraser	Rubber	Eraser, eraser
Takeout	Takeaway	Takeaway
Mail	Post	Mail
The Big Dipper	The Plow	Big Dipper
Fall	Autumn	Autumn
Drugstore	pharmacy Chemist's	Pharmacy
Vacation	Holiday	Vacations, vacation
Subway	Underground	Metro
Phone booth	Phone box	telephone booth
Main street	High street	Main street
Cotton candy	Candy floss	Cotton candy
Candy	Sweets	Candies, sweets
Popsicle	Ice lolly	Ice lolly
Line	Queue	Queue
Molasses	Treacle	Syrup
Pacifier	Dummy	Pacifier
Diaper	Nappy	Diaper
TV	Telly	TV
Restroom, bathroom	Loo	Lavatory, toilet
Flashlight	Torch	Flashlight
Cell phone	Mobile phone	Mobile phone
Truck	Lorry	Truck
Elevator	Lift	Elevator
Trashcan	Bin	Trash can, basket
Apartment	Flat	Apartment
Cup of tea	Cuppa	Cup of tea
Garbage, trash	Rubbish	Garbage
Sandwich	Butty	Sandwich
Commercial	Advertisement	Advertising
Chips	Crisps	Chips
Money	Dosh	Money
Sidewalk	Pavement	Sidewalk
Cab	Taxi	Taxi
beet(s)	beetroot	Beet
cookie sheet	baking tray	Baking tray
heavy cream	double cream	Heavy cream
jelly beans	jelly babies	Marmalade
ladybug	ladybird	Ladybug
corn	size	Corn
gas; gasoline	petrol	Petrol
appetizer	starter	Snack
sneakers	trainers	Sneakers
crosswalk	zebra crossing	Zebra
zipper	zip	Lightning

Conclusion

We found out how British English differs from American English. Now the question arises: which option should be preferred? You need to know both options. Knowing American English will help you understand everyone, and knowing British English will help everyone understand you correctly.