7. Collective nouns

7. Collective nouns

In British English, collective nouns like government, staff, committee, company, firm, audience, family, team, etc., can take either a singular or a plural verb. In American English such nouns usually take a singular verb. The same is true of certain proper nouns, for example the names of countries or companies. Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
The government intends to cut taxes.	The government intends (or intend) to cut taxes.
The committee hasn't made a decision yet.	The committee hasn't (or haven't) made a decision yet.
Italy is scheduled to play Brazil in the opening match.	Italy is (or are) scheduled to play Brazil in the opening match.
Air France has announced additional lights.	Air France have (or has) Air France have (or has)

6. Use of 'real' as an intensifier

6. Use of 'real' as an intensifier

In informal American English, real is often used before adjectives and adverbs where British English insists on really. Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
That was a real nice meal.	That was a really nice meal.
He drives real fast.	He drives really fast.

5. Position of adverbs

5. Position of adverbs

Certain adverbs, known as mid-position adverbs (e.g sometimes, always, never, often, definitely, certainly], are usually placed after auxiliary verbs and before other verb s: He has certainly done it. However, when we wish to emphasize the auxiliary verb, we put most mid-position adverbs before it instead of after: He certainly has done it. In British English this second construction is always emphatic. In American English, however, the adverb is frequently placed before the auxiliary, even when there is no intent to emphasize. Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
She probably has arrived by now. (normal)	She has probably arrived by now. (normal) She probably has arrived by now. emphatic)
It probably will lead to a vote, (normal)	It will probably lead to a vote, (normal)

Spelling

Spelling

A complete list of spelling differences between American and British English, assuming such a list could be compiled, would be a daunting and not particularly useful thing. For example, among many other factors, it would have to take account of differences of hyphenation and spacing in compound words (US antiaircraft/GB anti-aircraft, US bookkeeper/GB book-keeper, US ultramodern/GB ultra-modern, and so on). Since American English tends to drop the hyphen much faster than British English, this factor alone would make the list potentially endless. The difficulties arising from hyphenation also illustrate the complexity of the subject in general, for not only do variant spellings exist for many words on both sides of the Atlantic, often the authorities in each country—i.e. the dictionary-makers —are in disagreement as to which spelling of a word is to be preferred over other possibilities. Rather than attempt a complete inventory of spelling differences, then, we have chosen to identify a number of broad categories. The following lists are illustrative rather than exhaustive. One important point should be noted: if two versions of a word are given as accepted US or GB spelling, the first is the preferred spelling and the second a variant. (Our authorities are Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary for American words and the Concise Oxford Dictionary for British.) To see the content, click here.

1. The color / colour group

2. The center / centre group

3. The realize / realise group

4. The edema / oedema group

5. The fulfill / fulfil group (1)

5. The fulfill / fulfil group (2)

6. One letter differences

7. Miscellaneous

4. Expressions with 'have' and 'take'

4. Expressions with 'have' and 'take'

In a small number of expressions, British English prefers have to US take. Click here to see the full text.

AE	BE
All l want is to take (or have) a shower and go to bed.	All l want is to have a shower and go to bed.
Why don't you take a bath now and then?	Why don't you have a bath now and then?