Read the text and choose the best answer: True or False.
Over 1 billion people speak English around the world. It is used as a first or second language. People use it as the international language of communicatios, business, IT, science, politics, radio and enertainment. So there are lots of variations not only in pronunciation. There are also differences in spelling and vocabulary.
Let's see what happens with British and American English.
People began to travel from Great Britain to North America to live from the 17th century. That fact shows how the first form of American English began. Some English words and pronunciations have stayed the same in the US since their arrival. But in Great Britain they have changed over the years. So there are lots of differences between American and Britsh English.
This explains differences between American and British English in English such as the word for the season 'fall' ( American English) or 'autumn' (British English). The word 'fall' is in fact Old English and not a new 'Americanism'.
The same is the case with the word 'trash' ( American English) or 'rubbish' (British English). The English language of North America has also been influeced by the different European settlers who arrived from the 1600s.
Nowadays you have heard American English everywhere, through music on the radio or TV, films or 'movies' at the cinema, video on you tube online. This means that even if there are differences, most people are familiar with them. If you are not aware of these differences, some misunderstandings canoccur. For example, a car that is driven with gears is called 'manual' (British English) and 'stick' in the US. A British English speaker may find it funny to think of someone 'driving a stick'.
Regarding food there are also several differences. Fried potatoes are 'chips' in British English and 'fries' in America. If you are British and you ask for 'chips' in the US, you will get some 'crisps'.
All these differences may seem serious at first, but in actual fact they are unlikely to cause problems and are more amusing than confusing.