You may have heard people describe certain words or spellings as ‘American English’. But how does American English differ from the English we speak in the UK? And what do you need to know to avoid errors in your writing?
American English is the English (or set of dialects) used in the United States. It differs from other forms of English in various ways, especially in terms of pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary. It is also known as US English, or abbreviated to AmE, AmEng, or en-US.
This dialect is specific to the US, not North America in general. Canadian English, for instance, is nearer to British English in some ways. However, American English is often used internationally due to the influence of the US. As such, Americanisms are common in other English dialects.
So, then, how are British and US English different? As we’re all about writing at Proofed, we’ll ignore pronunciation for now. That leaves us with spelling, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation:
Keep an eye out for these kinds of differences if you’re using American English in your writing.
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Good question! Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer. Some of the differences between British and American English are quite strict (e.g. the spelling of colour/color). But others may be more a matter of preference (e.g. the use of ‘single’ or “double” quotation marks).
However, we do have some general tips for dealing with dialect differences:
Ultimately, the best way to avoid mistakes when using US English is to learn more about the dialect. So check out our other blog posts for more information on American English.
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