1. Vowel Sounds

Vowel sounds are one of the biggest differences between British and American English. One key difference to note is that some vowels are longer in General American English compared to Received Pronunciation. You’ll also notice that some vowels change to ‘r-colored sounds’ like /ɚ/ and /ɝ/. This means that a /r/ sound is pronounced at the same time as the vowel. Recognising patterns like these can help you get used to each accent more easily.

Let’s take a look at some more differences between British and American accent vowels:

/ɑː/ vs. /æ/

• British (RP): Words like bath, dance, and class are pronounced with the long /ɑː/ vowel.
• American (GAE): These words are all pronounced with a short and open /æ/ sound.

/ɒ/ vs. /ɑ/

• British (RP): Words like lot, hot, and dog use the short rounded /ɒ/ vowel.
• American (GAE): These words typically use the unrounded vowel /ɑ/, which is a little more open.

/ɔː/ vs. /ɑ/

• British (RP): Words like cot /ɒ/ and caught /ɔː/ are pronounced with two different vowels.
• American (GAE): Many words like these are pronounced with the same /ɑ/ vowel. This is called the ‘cot – caught merger’.

/əʊ/ vs. /oʊ/

• British (RP): Words like go, know, and low are pronounced with /əʊ/. Start by relaxing the mouth and tongue, then slowly round your lips into an /ʊ/ sound.
• American (GAE): These words have a slightly more open /oʊ/ sound. Start with a more rounded mouth placement, like the British ‘o’ sound in ‘hot’. Then slowly round your lips into an /ʊ/ sound.

Since General American English is a rhotic accent, the ‘r’ sound is usually pronounced very clearly, particularly at the end of words. This has an influence on the vowel sounds, making them sound slightly different. Here are some key examples:

/ɜː/ vs. /ɝ/

• British (RP): Words like nurse, bird, and world use the non-rhotic vowel /ɜː/. The ‘r’ is also silent, so the words are pronounced as /nɜːs/, /bɜːd/, and /wɜːld/.
• American (GAE): These words use a rhotic /ɝ/ sound. This is similar to the British /ɜː/ but with the mouth positioned into a /r/ while producing the vowel. This makes the words sound more like /nɝs/, /bɝd/, and /wɝld/.

/eə/ vs. /er/

• British (RP): Words like where, care, and hair use the diphthong /eə/ at the end and the final letter ‘r’ is silent.
• American (GAE): These words are pronounced with a rhotic /er/. The vowel is a shorter /e/ sound and the /r/ is clearly pronounced, making these words sound like /wer/, /ker/, and /her/.

/ə/ vs. /ɚ/

• British (RP): Words ending in er, or, ar, or re are usually pronounced with a schwa. So words like teacher, doctor, calendar, and centre are pronounced as /ˈtiː.tʃə/, /ˈdɒk.tə/, /ˈkæl.ɪn.də/, /ˈsen.tə/. Note that the final ‘r’ is silent.
• American (GAE): Words ending in ‘r’ have a clear ‘r-colored schwa’ at the end (this is a combination of the relaxed schwa sound /ə/ and /r/), like /ˈtiː.tʃɚ/, /ˈdɑːk.tɚ/, /ˈkæl.ən.dɚ/, and /ˈsen.tɚ/.

2. Consonants

When it comes to consonants, the differences between British and American English are quite minimal. However, here are some key differences to help you distinguish between the two accents:

• R Pronunciation: British English often drops the “r” sound at the end of words (car, beer, centre/center, etc.) or before consonants (bird, world, earn, etc.), while American English typically keeps it.
• T Sounds: In American English, the /t/ sound in certain words softens to resemble more of a soft and quick /d/ sound. This is called the ‘flap t’ and is represented using the symbol /ɾ/. You’ll hear it in words like ‘city’ /ˈsɪɾ.i/, better /ˈbeɾ.ɚ/, and ‘water’ /ˈwɑː.ɾɚ/. In contrast, British English tends to keep the /t/ sound. However, in some British accents you may hear speakers using the glottal stop, which we’ll talk about more in the next bullet point.
• Sound Omissions and Glottal Stops: British English, particularly in certain regional accents, often replaces the ‘t’ when it is between two vowel sounds in the middle of a word (e.g. ‘bottle’, ‘better’, and ‘city’) with a glottal stop (this is a brief closure made in the throat – you can make it by saying the phrase “uh oh!”). American accents do not glottalise the ‘t’ between vowels in the middle of words.
• Yod Dropping: In American English, certain words featuring the sound /uː/ (as in you and two) keep the /j/ sound (this symbol is called the ‘yod’), so words like tuna, news, and Tuesday sound like /ˈtuː.nə/, /nuːz/, and /ˈtuːz.deɪ/. On the other hand, British English tends to keep the /j/ sound, so they sound like /ˈtjuː.nə/, /njuːz/, and /ˈtjuːz.deɪ/. However, the majority of British English speakers will take this a step further and join the /t/ and /j/ sounds together, creating a /tʃ/ or /tʃj/ sound. So you’re more likely to hear Brits pronouncing words like tuna and Tuesday as /ˈtʃuː.nə/ (CHUU-na) and /ˈtʃuːz.deɪ/ (CHUUZ-dei).

3. Intonation

Let’s start with some of the key differences in intonation between British and American English:

British English (RP):

• Tends to use more of a falling-rising intonation, especially in polite requests and tentative statements (e.g. “why don’t you speak to her again?⤴” sounds softer and less assertive because of the rising tone at the end).
• Usually has a much wider pitch range, with more variation in ups and downs within a sentence. This can be more extreme in certain accents, especially in the north of England.
• Sounds more melodic and is often described as sounding like ‘singing’ by non-native English speakers.

American English (GAE):

• Generally favours falling intonation in statements. This can result in American English speakers sounding more direct and assertive (e.g. “why don’t you speak to her again? ⤵” sounds much stronger than in British English because of the falling tone – some Brits sometimes interpret this as being a little rude and sounding ‘bossy’).
• Uses a more even and steady pitch in casual speech, making the tone sound a little flatter compared to Received Pronunciation.

4. Word Stress

There are very few significant differences between sentence stress in British and American English, so let’s focus more on some of the key differences in word stress.

A key feature to note is that American English tends to be more ‘right-leaning’ (meaning the stress is placed closer towards the end of the word), while British English tends to be more ‘left-leaning’ (so the stress sits closer towards the start of the word). This is not a consistent rule, but it’s still good to note to help you distinguish between the two accents when you hear them.

Word	British English	American English
Advertisement	/ədˈvɜː.tɪs.mənt/ (ad-VER-tisement)	/ˌæd.vɚˈtaɪz.mənt/ (ad-ver-TISE-ment)
Garage	/ˈɡær.ɑːʒ/ (GAR-aj) or /ˈɡær.ɪdʒ/ (GAR-ij)	/ɡəˈrɑːʒ/ (guh-RAJ)
Adult (noun)	/ˈæd.ʌlt/ (AD-ult)	/əˈdʌlt/ (a-DULT)
Address (noun)	/əˈdres/ (uh-DRESS)	/ˈæd.res/ (AD-dress)
Vaccine	/ˈvæk.siːn/ (VAC-seen)	/vækˈsiːn/ (vac-SEEN)
Cigarette	/ˌsɪɡ.ərˈet/ (si-guh-RET)	/ˈsɪɡ.ə.ret/ (SIG-uh-ret)
Laboratory	/ləˈbɒr.ə.tər.i/(luh-BOR-uh-tuh-ree) or /ləˈbɒr.ə.tri/ (luh-BOR-uh-tree)	/ˈlæb.rə.tɔːr.i/ (LAB-ruh-tor-ee)
Inquiry	/ɪnˈkwaɪə.ri/ (in-KWAIUH-ree)	/ˈɪn.kwɚ.i/ (IN-kwur-ee) or /ɪnˈkwaɪ.ri/ (in-KWAI-ree)
Detail	/ˈdiː.teɪl/ (DEE-teil)	/dɪˈteɪl/ (di-TEIL)or /ˈdiː.teɪl/ (DEE-teil)

5. Linking and Connected Speech

When speaking at a fast pace, native English speakers in both British and American English tend to connect words that start and end with vowel sounds by inserting linking sounds such as /w/ and /j/. For example:

• “How are you?” → /haʊwəjuː/ – We add a /w/ sound is added to connect ‘how’ and ‘are’ together.

• “I saw them the other day.” → /aɪ sɔː ðəm ðiːjʌðə deɪ/ (RP) and /aɪ sɑː ðəm ðiːjʌðɚ deɪ/ (GAE) – a /j/ sound is added between ‘the other’ to help transition between the two vowel sounds more smoothly.

However, one key difference between the two accents is that British English uses the ‘intrusive r’ and ‘linking r’.

Linking R: In British English, if a word ends with the letter ‘r’ (or ‘re’ like in ‘centre’) and the next word begins with a vowel sound, the /r/ is pronounced to create a smoother transition between the words.

Example:

• “Here it is!” → /hɪərɪtɪz/ (said separately, these would be /hɪə/ and /ɪt/)
• “Where are you?” → /weərəju/ (separately these would be /weə/ and /ə/).

American English, on the other hand, always pronounces the final ‘r’, so there’s no change between the word said in isolation and the word said in a sentence.

Intrusive R: Even if a word doesn’t end in the letter ‘r’, British English speakers may insert a /r/ sound between two vowel sounds to help connect the words and transition more smoothly. This commonly occurs after words ending in vowels such as /ɑː/, /ɔː/, and /ə/.

Example:

• “I saw it.” → /aɪ sɔːrɪt/
• “The idea is good.” → /ðijaɪˈdɪərɪz gʊd/

In contrast, American English does not use the Intrusive R, and in many cases, words that contain an ‘r’ are pronounced rhotically in all positions. Therefore, phrases like “I saw it” in American English are said without adding any extra linking sounds.

When it comes to British and American accents, there are plenty of stereotypes and assumptions that just don’t hold up. You might think all Brits sound like they stepped out of Downton Abbey or that Americans talk like they’re in a Hollywood blockbuster. But spoiler alert: reality is a bit more nuanced! 

So here are my best tips on how to improve your English accent (if this is your goal, of course), no matter which one you choose:

Watch British TV shows and films like The Crown and Harry Potter, or tune into American classics like Friends. Listening to native speakers will help you grasp the rhythm and flow of each accent.

Pro Tip: Try shadowing your favourite characters! Repeat lines right after they say them to mimic their pronunciation and intonation.

My interactive phonemic chart is perfect for learning and practising the British Received Pronunciation accent. Click on a sound, watch and listen to how it’s pronounced, and then try it yourself.

Start with everyday words like “water” (here’s a quick video to help you with that!), “schedule”, or “tomato”. These highlight the most noticeable differences between British and American accents. Practise saying them in both styles to build confidence.

Bonus Tip: Record yourself and compare it to native speakers whose accents you like. Hearing yourself can help you identify areas to improve and change.

The more you practise, the more natural your chosen accent will feel. Dedicate 5 to 10 minutes daily to listening, repeating, and shadowing. Small, consistent efforts add up!

Remember – Keep It Simple

Mastering British or American pronunciation isn’t just about sounding good – it’s about connecting with people and expressing yourself confidently. Whether you want to impress in job interviews, fit in while traveling, or just enjoy sounding like your favourite actors, these skills are invaluable.

The most important thing is to pick the accent that works best for you. Whether it’s British, American, Irish, Scottish, or Australian! There are HUNDREDS of English accents for you to choose from. Remember, there is no such thing as a ‘more correct accent’. Just focus on being clear and understood. There is absolutely no need to stress yourself about sounding exactly like a native English speaker – unless you’re a spy, of course!

If you’d like more help, I’ve got lots of videos on my YouTube channel and tools like the phonemic chart on my website to guide you. Let’s practise together – you’ve got this!If you’d like expert feedback on your English pronunciation and a clear roadmap to success, check out Emma’s Pronunciation Hub. With structured weekly feedback and a step-by-step 6-month plan, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to speak English more naturally and effectively. Join today and start your journey to better English pronunciation!