英式英语和美式英语的区别(英文版)

Differences between American and British English

Differences in vocabulary

When it comes to vocabulary, American English differ significantly from British

English. Sometimes the same word has different meaning. There are also different

words with the same meaning. A few examples are given below.

American English

Airplane

Apartment

Area code

Attorney, lawyer

Busy

Cab/taxi

Can

Candy

Check/bill

Cookie, cracker

Corn

Crib

Crazy

Diaper

Dumb, stupid

Elevator

Eraser

Fall, autumn

Faucet, tap

First floor

, second floor

Flashlight

French fries

Garbage, trash

Garbage can, trashcan

Gas, gasoline

Highway, freeway

Hood

Intersection

Mad

Mail

Mean

Movie, film

Pants, trousers

Pavement

Pitcher

British English

Aeroplane

Flat/ apartment

Dialling code

Barrister

, solicitor

Engaged (phone)

T

axi

Tin

Sweets

Bill

Biscuit

Maize

Cot

Mad

Nappy

Stupid

Lift

Rubber

, eraser

Autumn

T

ap

Ground floor

, first floor

Torch

Chips

Rubbish

Dustbin, rubbish bin

Petrol

Main road, motorway

Bonnet

Crossroads

Angry

Post

Nasty

Film

Trousers

Road surface

Jug

Potato chips

Purse

Raise

Railroad

Rest room

Schedule, timetable

Sneakers

Stand in line

Stingy

Store, shop

Subway

Truck

Trunk

Stand in line

Two weeks

Vacation

Windshield

Zee

Stand in line

Zipper

Crisps

Handbag

Rise (salary)

Railway

Public toilet

Timetable

Trainers (sports shoes)

Queue

Mean

Shop

Underground

Van, lorry

Boot (of a car)

Queue

Fortnight, two weeks

Holiday(s)

Windscreen

Zed

Queue

Zip

Difference between American and British English

Differences in usage

Abbreviations

We usually write abbreviations without full stops in modern British English. Full

stops (US

憄

eriods

?

) are normal in American English.

Mr (US Mr

.) = Mister

Dr (US Dr

.) = Doctor

Ltd (US Ltd.) = Limited (company)

Kg (US kg.) = kilogram

All and all of

Before a noun with a determiner (e.g. the, this, my),

all

and

all of

are both possible

in British English. American English usually has

all of

.

?

?

?

She has eaten all (of) the cake. (GB)

She has eaten all of the cake. (US)

All (of) my friends like riding. (GB)

?

All of my friends like riding. (US)

Expressions with prepositions and particles

Different from/than (US)

Different from/to (GB)

Check something (out) (US)

Check something (GB)

Do something over/again (US)

Do something again (GB)

Live on X street (US)

Live in X street (GB)

On a team (US)

In a team (GB)

Monday through/to Friday (US)

Monday to Friday (GB)

Informal use of like

In an informal style,

like

is often used instead of

as if/though

, especially in

American English. This is not considered correct in a formal style.

?

?

On

In American English, it is common to leave out

on

before the days of the week.

?

?

?

I am seeing her Sunday morning. (US)

What did you do at the weekend? (GB)

What did you do on the weekend? (US)

British people say

at

the weekend; Americans say

on

the weekend.

It seems

like

it is going to rain.

He sat there smiling

like

it was his birthday.

In and for

In American English,

in

can be used, like

for

, to talk about periods up to the present.

(British English only

for

).

?

Both and both of

Before a noun with a determiner (e.g. the,

I haven't seen her

in

years. (US)

this, my),

both

and

both of

are both

possible in British English. In American

English,

both of

is usual.

?

?

Both (of) my parents like riding. (GB)

Both of my parents like riding. (US)

In after negatives and superlatives

After negatives and superlatives,

in

can be

used to talk about duration. This is especially

common in American English.

?

?

I haven't seen him

for/in

months.

It was the worst storm

for/in

ten

years.

In British English,

in

is not normally used

with this meaning.

?

Shan't

In British English,

I shan't

is sometimes

used in refusals. This is very unusual in

American English.

?

?

I don't care what you say, I

won't/

I don

抰

care what you say, I

won't

shan't

do it. (GB)

do it. (US)

Shall

Questions with

shall I/we

are used

(especially in British English) to ask for

instructions or decisions, to offer services

and to make suggestions. This is not

common in American English.

?

?

Will

We often use

will

in threats and promises.

Shall

is also possible in British English,

especially after

I

and

we

. In American

Shall

I open the window?

Shall

we go out for a meal?

I haven't seen him

for

months. (GB)