What’s the difference between American English and British English, and which one should you focus on as a student? What about Canadian English and Australian English? The answers depend on your personal situation and your goals. If you plan to immigrate to the United States or to work for an American company, or for a company that deals with American clients, you should of course focus on American English. It is also important to note that English has many regional varieties, and you should make time to study the one that will be most useful for you. In this video, I also mention several countries and whether it is more practical to study British or American English if you plan on living in or working with people from those countries. Of course, it is inevitable that you will see both! The important decision you need to make is which one you are going to focus on. I hope you enjoy this video and that you have a lot of success in your studies!
9/9 :D
thanks a lot, Mr.Alex for your unpricing advices
English has many regional varieties, and I have to make time for studying the one that will be most useful for me.
Jannyl
You got it! :) You’ll hear and see both varieties for sure, but try to focus on the one that will be most useful for you. If you’re just studying for fun, then studying both is just fine, too!
Alex
I once watched a movie set in the hospital. There was a janitor in the movie and he pretended to be a doctor in the emergency room because there wasn’t a doctor. A seriously injured man arrived there and asked the so-called doctor, “What will happen to me?”. “The burr in your eyes worries me a lot,” the janitor said. If knowing English is this hurt man, I think British or American English might just be a burr. I mean the important thing is to be able to communicate with someone and feel good with English. If you ask me which one is your favourite? I would say it’s British English because it sounds fancy and more musical. It attracts me to itself like a bee is drawn to a rose.
Thanks, Alex!
hd
That’s a good way of looking at it. And everyone has their preferences!
Alex
Hello Alex !
The only thing that seems important to me is to be able to exchange as fluently as possible in any country in the world. Of course, it’s not academic English, but if we could understand each other, that would be enough for me and so much the better.
And it will be thanks to you.
beernaard
You’ve got the right idea. At the end of the day, the most important thing is communication, so if you can make yourself understood, you’re already on the right track.
Alex
Sorry, but I think the translator is wrong.
thanks for advance.
Enrique Otero
Thanks for letting me know! I have informed the engVid technical team.
Alex
It was great
Bhavna Der
Thanks Alex for the lesson, but the translation was wrong
Lalananana
Thanks for letting me know. I have informed the engVid technical team. :)
Alex
Hello, Mr. Alex, I am Khaled, a high school graduate, and I did not know how to speak English. I want to know the difference between it and other countries, so that I can be a translator, but rather an Arabic. Will you help me to gain a mother tongue?
Khaled26002
Dear Alex,
As you mentioned there is no so different just a little bit different on pronunciation that is my experience as I am a new comer in the Netherlands most of the Dutch people speak British accent but I practiced American accent in Afghanistan. nowadays in communication I feel the different of accents for example one day I talked about lawyer I pronounced this word in American accent the dutch person did not understand me so explained my point he told me oh lowyer he instead of (A) pronounced (O) he said your mean is lowyer:lawyer.
suddenly I checked on dictionary that I have understood there is some difference on accents and pronunciation.
Yes! The British AW and O sounds can be a bit different from the American pronunciation. I hope you’re feeling more comfortable hearing different accents these days.
Alex
I agree with all about learn is most important, to get a way to comunicate with everyone.
uziel
You got it. The most important thing is to be understood by others.
Alex
Hello, Alex!
How nice is your class about the difference between American English and British English!
I got 8/9, what I think that’s not too bad.
Congratullation for you help to study english day by day!!!
Take care!
God bles you!!!
Miguel Geronimo
Thanks, Miguel! Nice job on the quiz, and I wish you success in your English studies. :)
Alex
Dear boss iam sory
Md Rifat
Iam not English
Md Rifat
Thanks for learning English
Foden
5/9 op´s
Isabela Amaro
I’m new here how can I follow the episodes in the correct order
Mmohamed731
Welcome, Mmohamed731!
You can watch the videos in any order – most videos are not part of any series. If they are, links to the next/previous lessons are in the description above the video. You can also use the menus at the top of the page to find lessons by different teachers and on different topics. (The English Lesson Finder is a little broken right now, but we’re working on fixing it!)
engVid Moderator
I corrected 8/9
abdikarim252
Hello!
I really appreciate about this lesson. It was a great support to me to learn more about English. Have a lovely day! Thanks.
Aye Sandar Kyaw
hello
pleshelp iwent lern inglish
Barzi Abdulxaliq
I got 9 of 9
HILDA56
I am very grateful for your presentation. I like to take British English courses
Eyob Yimenu
Thank you very much, teacher
Mhamed3376
Hi Alex.
I enjoyed watching your video. It was great and helpful.
I got 7 of 9 from the quiz.
Thanks anyway.
Honey.v9977
I got 7 of 9
mateus987
I got 100%
Ramadan1990
I got 78%
brati89
Very good!
leticiassp
I scored 9/9: D
I do really appreciate your presentation. It is enjoyable.
Thanks a lot!
Muhidin Jemal
I GOT 9 OF 9
mclorena
I got 7 of 9 thanks Alex for useful advise
islomnumanov.uz
I really like your style of learning. keep it up
Thanks Alex
amr.elfayoumi
thank you teacher for you help
farah hirsi
I need more practice
Xavi Tiburcio
Thanks for the vidéo and for your time. I can understand you clearly Mr Alex. I think because you speak and pronounce the phrases clearly. I can also understand almost teachers in ENGVID. I have a problem with Américan movies… I difficultly catch a few words. So how to get the ear for understanding américan English
rachid045
Thank you very much. I dream of moving to Canada, but my teacher has a British accent. How do you think this is the problem?
julnev
please subtitles
Felipe Hernandez
Igot 8/9
123aiach
I have got 9/9.
Aek63
thanks a lot
IvDzen
Thanks Alex, I decide to focus on American English
Learn English for free with 2127 video lessons by experienced teachers. Classes cover English grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, IELTS, TOEFL, and more. Join millions of English learners worldwide who are improving every day with engVid.
52 COMMENTS
I got 4 correct
I got 7 correct
thank you teatcher I got 100
9/9 :D
thanks a lot, Mr.Alex for your unpricing advices
English has many regional varieties, and I have to make time for studying the one that will be most useful for me.
You got it! :) You’ll hear and see both varieties for sure, but try to focus on the one that will be most useful for you. If you’re just studying for fun, then studying both is just fine, too!
I once watched a movie set in the hospital. There was a janitor in the movie and he pretended to be a doctor in the emergency room because there wasn’t a doctor. A seriously injured man arrived there and asked the so-called doctor, “What will happen to me?”. “The burr in your eyes worries me a lot,” the janitor said. If knowing English is this hurt man, I think British or American English might just be a burr. I mean the important thing is to be able to communicate with someone and feel good with English. If you ask me which one is your favourite? I would say it’s British English because it sounds fancy and more musical. It attracts me to itself like a bee is drawn to a rose.
Thanks, Alex!
That’s a good way of looking at it. And everyone has their preferences!
Hello Alex !
The only thing that seems important to me is to be able to exchange as fluently as possible in any country in the world. Of course, it’s not academic English, but if we could understand each other, that would be enough for me and so much the better.
And it will be thanks to you.
You’ve got the right idea. At the end of the day, the most important thing is communication, so if you can make yourself understood, you’re already on the right track.
Sorry, but I think the translator is wrong.
thanks for advance.
Thanks for letting me know! I have informed the engVid technical team.
It was great
Thanks Alex for the lesson, but the translation was wrong
Thanks for letting me know. I have informed the engVid technical team. :)
Hello, Mr. Alex, I am Khaled, a high school graduate, and I did not know how to speak English. I want to know the difference between it and other countries, so that I can be a translator, but rather an Arabic. Will you help me to gain a mother tongue?
Dear Alex,
As you mentioned there is no so different just a little bit different on pronunciation that is my experience as I am a new comer in the Netherlands most of the Dutch people speak British accent but I practiced American accent in Afghanistan. nowadays in communication I feel the different of accents for example one day I talked about lawyer I pronounced this word in American accent the dutch person did not understand me so explained my point he told me oh lowyer he instead of (A) pronounced (O) he said your mean is lowyer:lawyer.
suddenly I checked on dictionary that I have understood there is some difference on accents and pronunciation.
Yes! The British AW and O sounds can be a bit different from the American pronunciation. I hope you’re feeling more comfortable hearing different accents these days.
I agree with all about learn is most important, to get a way to comunicate with everyone.
You got it. The most important thing is to be understood by others.
Hello, Alex!
How nice is your class about the difference between American English and British English!
I got 8/9, what I think that’s not too bad.
Congratullation for you help to study english day by day!!!
Take care!
God bles you!!!
Thanks, Miguel! Nice job on the quiz, and I wish you success in your English studies. :)
Dear boss iam sory
Iam not English
Thanks for learning English
5/9 op´s
I’m new here how can I follow the episodes in the correct order
Welcome, Mmohamed731!
You can watch the videos in any order – most videos are not part of any series. If they are, links to the next/previous lessons are in the description above the video. You can also use the menus at the top of the page to find lessons by different teachers and on different topics. (The English Lesson Finder is a little broken right now, but we’re working on fixing it!)
I corrected 8/9
Hello!
I really appreciate about this lesson. It was a great support to me to learn more about English. Have a lovely day! Thanks.
hello
pleshelp iwent lern inglish
I got 9 of 9
I am very grateful for your presentation. I like to take British English courses
Thank you very much, teacher
Hi Alex.
I enjoyed watching your video. It was great and helpful.
I got 7 of 9 from the quiz.
Thanks anyway.
I got 7 of 9
I got 100%
I got 78%
Very good!
I scored 9/9: D
I do really appreciate your presentation. It is enjoyable.
Thanks a lot!
I GOT 9 OF 9
I got 7 of 9 thanks Alex for useful advise
I really like your style of learning. keep it up
Thanks Alex
thank you teacher for you help
I need more practice
Thanks for the vidéo and for your time. I can understand you clearly Mr Alex. I think because you speak and pronounce the phrases clearly. I can also understand almost teachers in ENGVID. I have a problem with Américan movies… I difficultly catch a few words. So how to get the ear for understanding américan English
Thank you very much. I dream of moving to Canada, but my teacher has a British accent. How do you think this is the problem?
please subtitles
Igot 8/9
I have got 9/9.
thanks a lot
Thanks Alex, I decide to focus on American English
thank you, my score is 7 out of 9