American vs. British Pronunciation
Anyone who has travelled between the USA and the UK can tell you that the first thing most people notice is the difference in accents and pronunciation. We use many of the same terms, but the there are key distinctions in the way that Americans and Brits pronounce certain words.
If you are thinking about learning English abroad in either the USA or the UK, it’s good to study up on the correct pronunciation for your chosen city. That way, you’ll know your ah-luh-min-um from your al-oo-min-i-um.
Food pronunciation
Many of the spices and vegetables used in cooking have different pronunciations (or even different terms entirely), so if you like to cook you will probably be using these terms quite often.
| Food | American pronunciation | British pronunciation |
| Yogurt (Yoghurt) | Yoh-gurt | Yog-urt |
| Pitta | Pee-ta | Pitt-a |
| Basil | Bay-zil | Bah-zil |
| Oregano | Oh-ray-ga-no | Orah-ga-no |
| Herb | Erb | Herb |
| Tomato | To-may-to | To-mah-to |
Listen to the difference:
Yogurt (Yoghurt)
Pitta
Basil
Oregano
Herb
Tomato
Some terms are completely different for the same foods.
|
American |
British |
|
Zucchini |
Courgette |
|
Eggplant |
Aubergine |
|
Cilantro |
Coriander |
Household item pronunciation
Things we use in our day-to-day lives can also have slight pronunciation differences. Whether you are talking about kitchen items or things you encounter throughout your day, you’ll probably come across these as well.
| Item | American pronunciation | British pronunciation |
| Vase | Vayz | Vawz |
| Vitamin | Vai-tuh-min | Vit-uh-min |
| Garage | Guh-rahj | Gare-uh |
| Aluminum | Ah-luh-min-um | Al-oo-min-i-um |
Listen to the difference:
Vase
Vitamin
Garage
Aluminum
Other words you might come across
| Word | American pronunciation | British pronunciation |
| Address | Add-ress | A-dress |
| Van Gogh | Van-Go | Van-goff |
| Advertisement | Ad-ver-tize-ment | Advert-iz-ment |
Listen to the difference:
Address
Van Gogh
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Try practicing the different pronunciations on your own and note how the words sound different. How many of these words have you heard before? Are there any we left out that you think are important? Leave your suggestion on the comment section below.
If you are interested in studying English abroad, take a look at our English schools in the USA and UK.
