As a UK-based writer, I’m often asked to write for US readerships, as well as other parts of the world with subtly different language uses, such as New Zealand, Canada and Australia. If you don’t know what a ‘pokie’ is or can’t tell your ‘arvo’ from your ‘elbow’, then you probably haven’t written much for antipodean readers before. That said, most of my commercial writing is for truly international audiences which basically means US English is called for. What are the most important aspects of writing in US English that British writers need to bear in mind? Read on to find out.

Spelling Differences

One of the most noticeable differences lies in spelling. UK English often retains the original spelling of words borrowed from other languages, while US English tends to simplify them. For example, words ending in ‘-our’ in UK English are spelled with ‘-or’ in US English, such as ‘colour’ and ‘color’ or ‘valour’ and ‘valor’, for instance. Similarly, words ending in ‘-ise’ in UK English often change to ‘-ize’ in US English, like ‘realise’ and ‘realize’. Importantly, spelling a word such as ‘organize’ with a ‘z’ rather than an ‘s’ isn’t incorrect in Britain. It’s just that few British people or publications use this convention. Lastly, words ending in ‘-re’ in UK English are spelled with ‘-er’ in US English, for instance, ‘centre’ and ‘center’. Remembering these patterns can help you switch between the two styles more seamlessly.

Vocabulary Variations

Vocabulary can also differ significantly. What Brits call a ‘biscuit’, Americans refer to as a ‘cookie’. Similarly, the ‘boot’ of a car in the UK is known as the ‘trunk’ in the US. Being aware of these variations is crucial, especially when writing texts that are designed to target an international audience. In some cases, it is necessary to use both words to explain what is being written about to every kind of reader. This takes a subtle approach if it isn’t to come across as too clunky.

Grammar Conventions

Grammatical subtleties, like the use of the present perfect tense, can vary between the two. In UK English, it’s common to use the present perfect to speak about a past event with relevance to the present, while US English often uses simple past in the same context. Consider the following example:

• UK English: “I’ve already seen that film.”
• US English: “I already saw that film.”

In this instance, the UK English sentence uses the present perfect tense (“I’ve already seen”), suggesting a past action with present relevance or importance. On the other hand, the US English sentence uses the simple past tense (“I already saw”), which simply refers to the action occurring in the past, without emphasizing its current relevance. This distinction, although not immediately obvious to non-native English speakers, highlights a key grammatical difference.

Date Formats and Measurements

The way dates are written varies significantly. The UK format is almost universally DD/MM/YYYY, whereas the US format is MM/DD/YYYY. Understanding this difference is essential to avoid confusion. Additionally, the UK uses the metric system for many – but by no means all – measurements, whereas the US uses the imperial system.

Cultural Nuances and Idioms

Each form of English has unique idioms and phrases shaped by cultural nuances. For example, ‘to touch wood’ in the UK is equivalent to ‘to knock on wood’ in the US. Awareness of these nuances is key to ensuring that writing resonates correctly with the target audience.

Oxford Commas

Finally, it is worth mentioning Oxford commas in the context of UK and US English writing conventions. In many cases, British writing dispenses with Oxford, or serial, commas for lists of three or more things. However, many people in the UK use the Oxford comma, particularly in the field of law and academia, so it shouldn’t always be dispensed with. On the other hand, the serial comma convention is universally applied in the US. Sometimes, AI-produced texts include serial commas even when they’re specifically told not to. This can be corrected, of course, but only if the person producing the text is aware of the specificities of when and how to use Oxford commas.