The grammatical differences between American English and British English are not great. They rarely lead to misunderstandings. In most examples referred to below the BrE alternative is acceptable in AmE as well.

have / have got

BrE: have got / has got (more usual in BrE than in AmE)

They’ve got an advantage over us.

Have they got a solution?

AmE: have/has (without ‘got’: used more often in AmE)

They have an advantage over us.

Do they have a solution

past simple / ‘resultative’ present perfect (with ‘just’ / ‘ever’ / ‘never’ / ‘yet’ / ‘already’)

BrE: present simple

I have just eaten my lunch.

Have you ever seen anything like that?

She has never seen anything like that before.

Have they finished their task yet?

They have already finished it.

AmE: past simple (present perfect is also possible)

I just ate my lunch.

Did you ever see anything like that ?

She never saw anything like that before.

Did they finish their task yet?

They already finished it.

will/shall (1st person singular/plural)

BrE:

I (we) will/shall go.

Shall I (we) go?

AmE:

I (we) will go.

Will/shall I (we) go?

would/should

BrE: ‘should’/’would’

I should/would not know.

I should/would be happy to help you.

I shouldn’t/wouldn’t do that if I were you.

I’m surprised they should/would do such a thing.

AmE: ‘would’

I would not know.*

I would be happy to help you.*

I wouldn’t do that if I were you.*

I’m surprised they would do such a thing.*

do (‘propredicate do’ / substitute verb)

BrE: ‘do’ as substitute verb

Has he visited our town? Yes, he has (done).

They talk louder than they should (do).

You should go and watch that programme. I may (do), if I have got the time.

AmE:

Has he visited our town. Yes, he has.

They talk louder than they should.

You should go and watch that program. I may if I have the time.

‘rhetorical’ tag question

Americans think of these tag-questions as characteristically British (John Algeo, 2006)

BrE:

punctuational tag question (benadrukt de voorafgaande zin):

That bus is never in time, is it?

peremptory tag question (geeft aan dat er over het voorafgaande geen discussie kan zijn):

She would say that, wouldn’t she?

antagonistic tag question (hiermee geeft de ‘spreker’ aan dat het voorafgaande, alhoewel oncontroleerbaar of voorheen onbekend, algemeen bekend had moeten zijn):

Well, I couldn’t see that, could I?

subjunctive

De subjunctive (= aanvoegende wijs) komt in AmE relatief veel voor om aan te geven dat iemand iets belangrijk of wenselijk vindt.

In BrE is de aanvoegende wijs ook acceptabel, naast twee andere grammaticale constructies die ongeveer even vaak in het Brits Engels voorkomen:

– should + hele werkwoord (ook acceptabel in AmE)

– de gewone persoonsvorm van het werkwoord (tegenwoordige of verleden tijd): zeldzaam in AmE

BrE (geen voorkeur):

It is important that it should be* / is ready in time.

We demanded that he should tell* / tells the truth.

The company requests that he should work* / works longer hours.

It was important that we should not arrive* /didn’t arrive late.

She suggests that I should not write* /don’t write so often.

AmE (voorkeur voor aanvoegende wijs):

It is important that it be* ready in time.

We demanded that he tell* the truth .

The company requests that he work* longer hours .

It was important that we not arrive* late.

She suggests that I not write* so often.

regular/irregular verbs

“A few regular verbs have an alternative past tense and past participle formed by adding t to the simple verb form (dream-dreamed / dream-dreamt. When these alternatives are available, American English tends to prefer the forms in ed (e.g. dreamed, learned, spelled) while British English tends to prefer the forms in t (dreamt, learnt, spelt)”

From: The Chicago Manual of Style, 2003, pp. 173-174)

BrE preferred forms:

burn-burnt-burnt

dive-dived-dived

dream-dreamt-dreamt

fit-fitted-fitted

get-got-got

kneel-knelt-knelt

(also:) lean-leant-leant

learn-learnt-learnt

plead-peaded-pleaded

prove-proved-proved(also:)

quit-quitted-quitted

saw-sawed-sawn (voorbeeld: a sawn-off shotgun, zie ook BBI)

shit – shit/shat/shitted – shit/shat/shitted

(also:) smell-smelt-smelt

sneak-sneaked-sneaked

(also:) spill-spilt-spilt

spit-spat-spat

(also:) spoil-spoilt-spoilt

sping-sprang-sprung

strike-struck-struck

thrive-throve-thriven

wed-wedded-wedded

wet-wetted-wetted

AmE preferred forms:

burn-burned-burned

(also:) dive-dove-dived

dreamed-dreamed-dreamed

(usually:) fit-fit-fit

get-got-gotten (= obtained)

(also:) kneel-kneeled-keeled

lean-leaned-leaned

learn-learned-learned

(also:) plead-pled-pled

(often:) prove-proved-proven

quit-quit-quit

(also:) saw-sawed-sawed (bijv. a sawed-off shotgun, zie ook BBI)

shit – shit (shat) – shit (shat)

smell-smelled-smelled

(colloquial AmE:) sneak-snuck-snuck

spill-spilled-spilled

(also:) spit-spit-spit

spoil-spoiled-spoiled

(also:) spring-sprung-sprung

(also:) strike-struck-stricken

thrive-thrived-thrived

wed-wed-wed

wet-wet-wet

“In BE the past and past participle of ‘fit’ are usually ‘fitted’.

AE usually has ‘fit’ when the verb cannot be used in the passive form.

BE: ‘The suit fitted me a year ago.’

AE: ‘tThe suit fit me a year ago.’

BE: ‘She fitted right in with our crowd.’

AE: ‘She fit right in with our crowd.’

The BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English (3e editie, 2009) geeft de volgende Usage Note bij ‘get’:

“In AE, the past participle of ‘to get’ is usually ‘gotten’ : ‘they’d gotten everything ready’. 

In BE, it is ‘got’ – ‘they’d got everything ready’.

(Note that ‘ill-gotten gains’ is CE [= Common English].)

However, CE does use ‘have got’: ‘he’s got work’; ‘I’ve got to go’.

Only BE uses ‘had got ‘to form the past tense of this construction – ‘I’d got to do it yesterday’, ‘I’had to do it yesterday’. 

BE also has ‘he’d got work’, ‘he had work.”

position of ‘mid-sentence’ adverbs

I have never admitted defeat.

It will probably be appreciated.

The news is certainly welcome.

We are now trying to find the right answer.

Personal skills are also taught.

I never have admitted defeat.

It probably will be appreciated.

The news certainly is welcome.

We now are trying to find the right answer.

Personal skills also are taught.

singular / plural verb forms with group nouns (family, management, police, team, etc.)

BrE: plural if the members of the group are meant

The team play well.

The management are discussing the problem.

The police are trying to control the riot

The family are celebrating Christmas at home.

AmE: usually singular

The team plays well.

The management is discussing the problem.

The police is trying to control the riot.

The family is celebrating Christmas at home.

plural: billion(s) / trillion(s)

BrE:

two billions, seven trillions, etc.

Maar:

 four hundred*, two thousand*, three million*, etc.

Note:

one hundred and sixty-two*

two thousand and three*

etc.

AmE:

two billion, four trillion, etc.

Note:

one hundred sixty-two

two thousand three

etc.

informal alternatives in AmE

BrE

It’s really good.

Come and take some food.

Go and see your accountant.

Let’s not do that.(formal) (zie ook BBI)

Don’t let’s do that. (informal).* (IntE)

He gave it to her.(formal) / He gave it her. (informal)

Write to me next week.

AmE (informal alternatives)

It’s real good.

Come take some food

Go see your accountant.

Let’s not do that. (formal).* (IntE) (zie ook BBI)

Let’s don’t do that again.(informal)

He gave it to her. (formal) / He gave her it. (informal)

Write to me next week. / Write me next week.

‘must’: vergelijk ‘have to‘ (meer gebruikelijk in AmE dan in BrE). In BrE is er een verschil in betekenis (‘must‘: mening van de spreker)

‘need‘: (AmE) need to, don’t need to, etc. ook vaak om ‘objectieve noodzaak’ aan te geven. Dus i.p.v. (BrE/AmE) have to / don’t have to, etc.

OALD: (“to speak about what is necessary rather than about what you must do”)

(BrE) need: kan ook als hulpwerkwoord worden gebruikt (bijv.: “You needn’t come”).

‘older’: vergelijk ‘elder’/’eldest’ in BrE i.g.v. familieleden (niet meer in informeel spraakgebruik)

‘one’: vergelijk these ones / those ones (ongebruikelijk in BrE, en niet gebruikt in AmE)

The BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English (3e editie, 2009) geeft de volgende Usage Note bij ‘must’/’can’t’:
“AE has ‘their coats are still here, so they must not have left yet’.

BE prefers ‘their coats are still here, so they can’t have left yet.”

Voorbeelden:

organiseren

specialiseren

analyseren

zich verontschuldigen

etc.

BrE:–ise (-ize is also acceptable)

organise

specialise

analyse

apologise

etc.

AmE:–ize

organize

specialize

analyze

apologize

etc.

Uitzonderingen: -ise in BrE and AmE:

arise (opstaan), advertise (adverteren), comprise (omvatten), advise (adviseren), revise (herzien), exercise / practise (oefenen), enterprise (ondernemen), despise (verachten), supervise (toezicht houden), surprise (verrassen), etc. (totaal circa 40 werkwoorden, zie ook Garner)

N.B: use a dictionary when in doubt.

Opmerking uit Garner’s Dictionary of Legal Usage (3e editie, 2011):

“In AmE, -ize is more usual than in BrE, in which -ise is more common. But even in BrE, -ize is preferred to -ise in which either form of the suffix may appear.”

Voorbeelden:

verdediging

overtreding

vergunning

BrE (-ce)

defence

offence

licence

AmE (-se)

defense

offense

license

3. –our / –or

Voorbeelden:

gedrag

arbeid

kleur

eer

buren

haven

(1) matrijs, mal, (2) schimmel

BrE (-our)

behaviour

labour

colour

honour

neighbours

harbour

mould

AmE (-or)

behavior

labor

color

honor

neighbors

harbor

mold

4. –re / –er

Voorbeelden

centrum

theater

liter

meter

kilometer

Uitzondering:

(electriciteits/parkeeer/etc.)meter

BrE (-re)

centre

theatre

litre

metre

kilometre

meter

AmE (-er)

center

theater

liter

meter

kilometer

meter

5. -l / -ll

Voorbeelden:

vervullen

distilleren

verafschuwen

inschrijven (op school)

inboezemen

boeien

termijn (afbetaling)

bekwaam, vaardig

etc.

BrE (-l)

fulfil

distil

appal

enrol

instil

enthral

instalment

skilful

etc.

AmE (-ll)

fulfill

distill

appall

enroll

instill

enthrall

installment

skillful

etc.

N.B.

Deze spellingsregel kent veel uitzonderingen. Zie Fowlers Modern English Usage (2004):

“The 20c. has witnessed much shuffling and reshuffling of -l and -ll in the simple form of a good many verbs. A fairly safe guide is to use annul, appal, befall, distil, enrol, enthral, extol, fulfil, install, and instil in BrE, and annul, appall, befall, distill, enroll, enthrall, extol, fulfill, install, and instill in AmE. But, truth to tell, no firm rule can be applied. All of these words, except anul and befall may turn up with either -l or -ll in good sources in either country.”

“Before -ment, the usual spellings are anulment, enrolment, enthralment, extolment, fulfilment, instalment, and instilment in BrE; and anulment, enrollment, enthrallment, extolment, fulfillment, installment, and instillment in AmE. But forms with single -l are often found in good AmE sources for the words listed here with -ll.”

In het Amerikaans-Engels (AmE) verdubbel je deze ‘l’ niet. Ook bij andere onbeklemtoonde eindmedeklinkers komt dit verschil tussen BrE en AmE voor.

Let op: als de laatste lettergreep wél beklemtoond is, verdubbel je een laatste enkele medeklinker altijd, dus ook de ‘ll’ in het Amerikaans-Engels (voorbeelden: compel, compelled, compelling / annul, anulled, annulling).

Voorbeelden:

travel

label

counsel

dial

cruel

Uitzondering:

parallel (= parallel lopen)

Soms ook:

nutmeg (= ‘poorten’)

program

kidnap

BrE (-ll-)

traveller, travelling, travelled

labeller, labelling, labelled

counseller, counselling, counselled

dialler, dialling, dialled

crueller, cruellest

paralleling, paralleled (BrE & AmE)

BrE (-gg-, mm-, -pp-, -ss-, -tt-)

nutmegging, nutmegged

programmer, programming, programmed

kidnapper, kidnapping, kidnapped

AmE (-l-)

traveler, traveling, traveled

labeler, labeling, labeled

counseler, counseling, counseled

dialer, dialing, dialed

crueler, cruelest

AmE (-g-, -m-, -p-, -s-, -t-)

(also:) programer, programing, programed

(also:) kidnaper, kidnaping, kidnaped

Let ook op: -g-/-gg-

Fowler’s Modern English Usage (2004) laat zien dat deze regel m.b.t. “doubling of consonants with suffixes” ook geldt voor -g-/-gg-:

“words [of more than one syllable] not stressed on the last syllable do not double the last consonant on adding -ed, -ing, -er, -est, or -y, unless the consonant is l or g“.

Dus: sandbagged, zigzagged, bootlegging, leapfrogged, humbugged.

Ook voor andere medeklinkers gelden uitzonderingen:

“The words that most frequently break loose and appear with a double consonant are benefitted, -ing (under the influence of fitted, -ing), leafletted, -ing, and focussed, -ing; but it is better to keep to the basic rule in these words too. inputting, outputting, and worshipping, -ing, -er, on the other hand, always show a double consonant in BrE, as do kidnapped, -ing, -ing, -er, but AmE often shows a single p in kidnaped, worshiped, and related forms.”

Let dus ook op:

-m-/-mm-

“Exceptions are words that end in what is perceived as a word (bedimmed, hornrimmed, overcramming) or that end in -gram (diagram: diagramatic, monogram: monogrammed).

-p-/-pp-

“[Words] also double the p if, like handicap, kidnap, and bebop, the final [unstressed] syllable is fully pronounced, as opposed to the obscure vowel (…), or if, like horsewhip and sideslip, they are composed with a monosyllable. The main exceptions are worshipped, worshipper, etc. (but worshiped, etc. in AmE), and (occasionally in AmE) kidnaped, kidnaper, etc. “

-s-/-ss-

Werkwoorden van meer dan één lettergreep met een onbeklemtoonde laatste lettergreep eindigend op -s gedragen zich volgens de algemene regel (dus géén verdubbeling van de slotmedeklinker), behalve in het woord ‘focus‘: “the inflected forms of the verb [focus] are properly focused, focuses, focusing, but forms with -ss- are used by many printers and publishers.” Ook het werkwoord ‘nonplus‘ (= perplex doen staan, in verlegenheid brengen) wordt in het BrE vervoegd als nonplussed / nonplussing, “but the second ‘s’ is often absent in AmE“: nonplused / nonplusing.

Let op: zelfstandige naamwoorden eindigend op een -s krijgen volgens de regel nooit een verdubbeling van de medeklinker voorafgaand aan de meervoudsvorm -es. In dit verband kent het Amerikaans-Engels een uitzondering (een valse analogie met de verdubbeling van een enkele medeklinker na een beklemtoonde lettergreep in werkwoorden) waarbij ook de -s in het meervoud van ‘bus‘ (met één beklemtoonde lettergreep) wordt verdubbeld tot (AmE) ‘busses‘ (vgl. BrE: ‘buses’). Deze onregelmatige Amerikaanse spelling ‘busses‘ lijkt overigens op z’n retour (zie bijv. Time). (AmE) busses is nu een alternatieve spelling van (AmE/BrE) buses.

-t-/-tt-

“It is inconsistent to double the -t- in the past tenses of two- or three-syllabled words, though such forms as benefitted, cosetted, plumetted, and targetted are not infrequently found in standard sources.

The recommended forms for three special cases (esp. in the language of computers) are formatting (…), formatted (…); inputting (…), inputted or input (…); outputting (…), outputted or output (…).”

7. De Amerikaanse vereenvoudiging van de Britse spellingen met –gue, -ough, etc.

Voorbeelden:

catalogus

dialoog

analoog

pedagoog

betaalcheque

ploeg(landbouwwerktuig)

schets,tocht

ijkstok,peilstok,(druk)meter

specialiteit

juwelen

zwavel

sulfaat

aluminium

sceptisch

schijf

programma

(lucht)band

overhevelen,aftappen

pyjama

oordeel

verdieping

gezellig

grijs

nabestaande,afhankelijke

snor

herkomst (van manuscript, object, e.d.)

liefhebberen, knutselen, dhz-en, aanrommelen

stalknecht (in herberg)

kieskeurig, muggezifterig, etc.

BrE

catalogue

dialogue

analogue

pedagogue*

cheque

plough

draught

gauge

speciality

jewellery

sulphor

sulphate

aluminium

sceptic

disc

program(me)

tyre

syphon

pyjamas

judgement, judgment (juridisch)

story

cosy

grey

dependant

moustache

provenance

potter

ostler

pernickety*

AmE

catalog

dialog

analog

(also:) pedagog

check

plow

draft

gage

specialty

jewelry

sulfor

sulfate

aluminum

skeptic

disk

program (BrE ook: computer …)

tire

siphon

pajamas

judgment

storey

cozy

gray

dependent

mustache

provenience

putter

hostler

(also:) persnickety

8. en- / in-

BrE

endorse (= onderschrijven, steunen)

enquire (= informeren, inlichtingen inwinnen)

enquiry (= verzoek om informatie)

inquire = onderzoeken

inquiry = onderzoek

AmE

indorse (= onderschrijven, steunen)

inquire (= informeren, onderzoeken)

inquiry (= verzoek om informatie, onderzoek)

Historische voetnoot:

De voorvoegsels (prefixes) “en-/in-” aan het begin van werkwoorden in het Brits-Engels zijn in de loop van de tijd vrschillend gebruikt. In vroeger tijden (bijv. in de 19e eeuw) werd de voorvoegsels “en- / in- ” of “em- / im-” bijvoorbeeld gebruikt in de volgende gevallen:
–  “a small enclosed garden” (Cruchley’s Guide, 1831); maar in dezelfde publicatie ook: “[ Apsley House is] inclosed by a rich Bronzed palisade”(p. 124), en “[Devonshire House has] a brick wall in front, inclosing the court yard” (p. 125); “[The London Stone is] now imbedded in St. Swithin’s Church”

– “a donation of ten guineas at once (…) intitles the subscriber to two copies of each publication”( Picture of London for 1806, p. 213)

– “the necessity (…) will insure it that favourable reception (…)” (Picture for London)

– “how much is this feeling encreased when (…) it is discovered that (…) “(Picture of London for 1806, p. 301), “an inclosure“(p. 309)

– “To insure complete success ….”(Richard Phillips on the Office of Sheriff, 1812, p. 171)

Voorbeelden:

(BrE) anaesthaesia – (AmE) anesthesia

(BrE) ceasarian – (AmE) cesarian

(BrE) diarrhoea – (AmE) diarrhea

(BrE) encyclopaedia – (AmE) encyclopedia

(BrE) foetus – (AmE) fetus

(BrE) manoeuvre – (AmE) maneuvre

(BrE) orthopaedics – (AmE) orthopedics

Ook:

(BrE soms:) mediaeval – (AmE) medieval*

(BrE) aesthetics* – (AmE soms:) esthetics

(BrE) archaeology* – (AmE soms) archeology

(BrE) caesura* – (AmE soms:) cesura

Let op:

aeroplane (AmE: airplane)

comma before the last item in an enumeration (= opsomming)

BrE: no comma before last item

We close on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

AmE: comma before last item

We close on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays.

dots in abbreviations:

“A rule fairly consistently observed in British English is that an abbreviation composed of the first and last letters of a word does not require aperiod; others may or may not use one.”

(From: Mighty Fine Words, 2003, Orin Hargraves)

Use a dictionary or stylebook to make sure what the preferred abbreviation is.

AmE generally uses dots, even when the last letter of an abbreviation is the last letter of the full word (Mr. Johnson / Dr. Johnson) or when the abbreviation does not exist as a full word at all (Mrs. Johnson / Ms. Johnson).

Examples:

BrE: no dot

Mr /Mrs / Ms / Dr Johnson

NB

PS

Jr

Sr

Inc

AmE: dot

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Johnson

N.B.

P.S.

Jr.

Sr.

Inc.

dots or colons (in expressions of time)

Note the use of commas or colons in the (BrE) salutation (AmE) greeting of BrE and AmE letter-writing.

BrE: dot

BrE uses dots (punten), and also tends to leave out spaces and dots when am (ante meridiem) or pm (post meridiem) are added.

24.00 hours

13.45 hours

1.45pm

9.30am

AmE: colon

AmE uses colons (dubbele punten). Dots are generally added in a.m. and p.m. preceded by a space.

Note: the alternative notations am/pm and AM/PM, or even A.M./P.M. are frequently used as well.

24:00 hours

13:15 hours

!:45 p.m.

9:30 a.m.

quotation marks (= quotes)

BrE prefers ‘single quotes’ (‘single inverted commas’)

BrE use ‘double quotes’ for quotes witin quotes.

BrE typically puts commas and full stops outside a closing quotation mark.

Example:

‘Let’s not use the word “cool” too often’, he said.

AmE prefers ‘double quotes’

AmE use ‘single quotes’ for quotes witin quotes.

AmE typically puts commas and periods inside a closing quotation mark.

Example:

“Let’s not use the word ‘cool’ too often,” he said.

hyphen (verbindingsstreepje):

“American English is generally far quicker and more ready to adopt solid compounds, and to eliminate hyphens, than is British English (…).”

“A general pattern prevails in which American English is more ready to go from open to closed once usage has been established, foregoing the hyphen stage altogether; and for British English to go immediately to a hyphenated form and never depart from it. But this is not afast rule, and dictionary consultation is the only remedy for doubters (…).”

From: Mighty Fine Words, Hargraves, 2003, pp.30, 31)

BrE uses hyphens more frequently than AmE to indicate that two nouns form a fixed combination.

But, there are no hard and fast rules, so you may want to use a dictionary when in doubt (e.g. for BrE: Oxford or Collins; for AmE Webster’s Dictionary). Note: BrE ‘in so far’, ‘per cent’, but AmE ‘insofar’, ‘percent’!

BrE examples (hyphenated):

running-mate

oil-tanker

BrE examples (hyphenated):

co-operation

co-ordination

south-west

film-maker

night-time

AmE examples (open):

running mate

oil tanker

AmE examples (closed):

cooperation

coordination

southwest

filmmaker

nighttime

BrE: woordafbrekingen vinden bij voorkeur plaats op basis van de betekenis en etymologische oorsprong van woordbestandsdelen.

AmE: woordafbrekingen vinden voornamelijk plaats op basis van bij elkaar horende klanken in de uitspraak. Als gevolg van de invloed van Amerikaanse computersoftware neemt deze Amerikaanse praktijk ook in het Brits-Engels toe.

Zie Fowler’s Modern English Usage (2004):

“British practice has tended to emphasize morphological structure and word origin (as in triumph/ant), and American practice has tended to give greater weight to pronunciation (compare trium-/phant). … (…) American practice is likely to become more influential in British English as more and more software for word-processing programs is imported across the Atlantic”.