what does essay mean in british english

Definition of 'essay'

essay in British English

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How to write an essay in english, by ielts expert, 29 june 2023 - 16:15.

Many students say writing is the worst part of their English, but it’s often just a case of confidence. With practice, and the tips in this post, you can gain the confidence you need to maximise your English and really show it off. This post will look at the three stages of writing - planning, writing the text and reading it back.

If you are preparing for an exam, please be aware that for the latest information on exam format you should always go straight to the source –  IELTS website . You can practice  free online IELTS Academic Writing tests  or  General Training Writing tests . You can also practice writing your answer by downloading an  IELTS Writing Answer Sheet .

Planning is an integral part of your writing. You might say “I don’t plan”, but somewhere in your subconscious, you do! By raising your awareness of your own planning process you can improve enormously. As a teacher, I see many students who plan and many who don’t. In general, the students that plan produce much better work, so if you are in the “no plan” camp, you should at least experiment with some of the ideas coming up.

Planning 1: Address the question

If you are writing for a class assignment or an exam, it is crucial that you address the question given. Adequate planning (five minutes is better than nothing) will keep you on track. 

Start by breaking the question down into its parts. There will usually be two or three aspects to the question. You want not only to cover all aspects of the question, but also make it obvious to your teacher or the examiner that you have done so, and the best way to demonstrate this is to give each aspect its own paragraph.

Planning 2: Brainstorm vocabulary as well as ideas

Once you have identified your paragraphs, think about what vocabulary you have at your disposal. Perhaps you would like to write one paragraph from a particular angle, but when you start planning you might find there are holes in your vocabulary and you are better able to write from a different angle. Choose ideas which best overlap with what you can clearly state in English.

Planning 3: Write chunks of language

Even with all the vocabulary in the world, some ideas are complex to express in writing. Causality, speculation and hypothetical scenarios are all abstract concepts which make it more challenging to say exactly what you want, but these are also an opportunity to push your English ability to the max and show your grammatical range. 

Sound out in your head how you will make your arguments, and when you get stuck, try writing this part down in your plan. It might be a whole sentence of just a clause. This will help you decide if you have enough English ability to get across a really impressive idea, or if you need to simplify your thoughts in order to remain clear to the reader.

Writing the text 1: Use your plan!

I have seen many students write logical, competent plans that address the question, only to go off on a random tangent when they start writing! 

Of course, you might change some things as you go along, for example if you have a new idea, but keeping an eye on your plan will prevent you from getting distracted and bring you back to the question you must answer. It will also keep you aware of how you are doing for word count and time.

Writing the text 2: Write your introduction last

You should at least consider this idea. The purpose of an introduction is to tell the reader what they are going to read, so how can you write the introduction when you haven’t written the content yet?

Introductions are fiddly to write on a blank canvas, but much easier when we already have the content written in front of us.

If you are writing on paper, it is still possible to write the introduction last - you just need to leave a few lines for it.

Writing the text 3: Make sure your introduction and conclusion match

Your introduction and conclusion should also match the content of your main body paragraphs. This might seem obvious, but I wish I had a euro for every time I have seen an introduction passionately in favour of something followed by body paragraphs and a conclusion that were passionately against.

This problem can be avoided by writing your conclusion last, as suggested above. It will also be avoided by planning, and thinking a little more deeply how you feel about the question before you start. When I say a little more deeply, I’m talking about a minute or so, not hours.

Writing the text 4: Use linkers

Linkers are often misunderstood as simply a way of showing “formal English” but in fact, we use linkers all the time, even when chatting with friends. We use them in speech and in writing to indicate “I’m going to add to what was just said,”  “I’m going to contradict what was just said,” and generally to help the listener or reader understand where we are going next.

After writing the text

This is another area where many students are very reluctant - you need to read what you wrote! 

Check for spelling errors, missing third person s, capital letters, whatever errors you are prone to make… and if you don’t know what errors you are prone to make, it’s because you aren’t checking your writing, so you need to start today! You can be the expert on your own writing strengths and weaknesses, and this will just make you better and better.

Moreover, you should read back your text because it’s enjoyable to see how skillfully you put your ideas down and how convincing your arguments are. You did it! Well done! Enjoy the moment with some positivity!

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What does the verb essay mean?

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb essay , four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the verb essay ?

How is the verb essay pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the verb essay come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the verb essay is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for essay is from 1483, in a translation by William Caxton, printer, merchant, and diplomat.

essay is a variant or alteration of another lexical item; modelled on a French lexical item.

Etymons: assay v.

Nearby entries

• esraj, n. 1921–
• ESRO, n. 1961–
• ess, n. 1540–
• -ess, suffix¹
• -ess, suffix²
• essamplerie, n. 1393
• essart, n. 1656–
• essart, v. 1675–
• essarting, n. a1821–
• essay, n. 1597–
• essay, v. 1483–
• essayal, n. 1837–
• essayer, n. 1611–
• essayette, n. 1877–
• essayfy, v. 1815–
• essay-hatch, n. 1721–
• essayical, adj. 1860–
• essaying, n. 1861–
• essaying, adj. 1641–
• essayish, adj. 1863–
• essayism, n. 1821–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for essay, v..

essay, v. was first published in 1891; not yet revised.

essay, v. was last modified in March 2024.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into essay, v. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1891)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

• View essay, v. in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for essay, v., browse entry.

What Is British English (BrE)?

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

The term British English refers to the varieties of the English language spoken and written in Great Britain (or, more narrowly defined, in England). Also called UK English, English English, and Anglo-English —  though these terms are not applied consistently by linguists (or by anyone else for that matter).

While British English "might serve as a unifying label," says Pam Peters, it "is not universally embraced. For some British citizens, this is because it seems to imply a broader base of usage than it actually includes. The 'standard' forms as written or spoken are mostly those of southern dialects " ( English Historical Linguistics, Vol. 2 , 2012).

British English in Popular Culture

Journalists, humorists, and others have had plenty to say about British English and its role in the world of language, as these quotes show.

Terry Eagleton

• "Most people know that when a British schoolteacher asks his pupils to take out their rubbers, he is inviting them to produce their erasers, not about to give them a lesson in contraception. British people who live in flats do not set up home in burst tires. The word 'bum' in British English means buttocks as well as vagrant.
• "People in Britain do not usually say 'I appreciate it,' have a hard time, zero in, reach out to other people, stay focused, ask to be given a break, refer to the bottom line or get blown away. The word 'scary,' as opposed to 'frightening' or 'alarming, sounds childish to British ears, rather like talking about your buttocks as your bottie. Brits tend not to use the word 'awesome,' a term which, if it were banned in the States, would cause airplanes to fall from the sky and cars to lurch off freeways." ("Sorry, but Do You Speak English?" The Wall Street Journal , June 22-23, 2013)

"England is a very popular foreign country to visit because the people there speak English. Usually, however, when they get to the crucial part of a sentence they'll use words that they made up, such as scone and ironmonger . As a sophisticated traveler, you should learn some British words so you can avoid communications mixups, as is shown by these examples:

Example 1: The Unsophisticated Traveler English Waiter: May I help you? Traveler: I'd like an inedible roll, please. English Waiter ( confused ): Huh? Example 2: The Sophisticated Traveler English Waiter: May I help you? Traveler: I'd like an ironmonger, please. English Waiter: Coming right up!"

( Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need . Ballantine Books, 1991)

British English in Academics

Academicians, linguists, and grammarians have explained British English as well, including its comparison to American English, as these passages demonstrate.

Tom McCarthur

• "The phrase British English has . . . a monolithic quality, as if it offers a single clear-cut variety as a fact of life (alongside providing a brand name for language-teaching purposes). It shares, however, all the ambiguities and tensions in the word British , and as a result can be used and interpreted in two ways, more broadly and more narrowly, within a range of blurring and ambiguity." ( The Oxford Guide to World English . Oxford University Press, 2002)
• "Before English speakers began to spread around the world, first in large numbers in America, there was no British English . There was only English. Concepts like 'American English' and 'British English' are defined by comparison. They are relative concepts like 'brother' and 'sister.'" (Preface to The Cambridge History of the English Language: English in North America . Cambridge University Press, 2001)

Geoffrey Leech, Marianne Hundt, Christian Mair, and Nicholas Smith

"Whereas in popular perception, particularly in Britain, there is often fear of a blanket 'Americanization' of British English , our analyses will show that documenting the true extent of the grammatical influence of American English on British English is a complex business. . . . There are a few limited instances of presumably direct American influence on British usage , as in the area of the 'mandative' subjunctive (e.g. we request that this be made public ). But the most common constellation by far is that American English reveals itself to be slightly more advanced in shared historical developments, many of which were presumably set in motion in the Early Modern English period, before the streams of British and American English parted." ( Change in Contemporary English: A Grammatical Study . Cambridge University Press, 2012)

Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes

• "Proof that English in America very quickly became distinct from British English is found in the fact that, as early as 1735, British people were complaining about American words and word usages , such as the use of bluff to refer to a bank or cliff. In fact, the term ' Americanism ' was coined in the 1780s to refer to particular terms and phrases that were coming to characterize English in the early US but not British English." ( American English: Dialects and Variation , 2nd ed. Blackwell, 2006)

Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable

• "A writer in the London Daily Mail complained that an English person would find 'positively incomprehensible' the American words commuter, rare (as applied to underdone meat), intern, tuxedo, truck, farming, realtor, mean (nasty), dumb (stupid), enlisted man, seafood, living room, dirt road, and mortician , although some of these have since become normal in British English . It is always unsafe to say what American words a British person will not understand, and there are some pairs [of words] that would be generally 'comprehended' on both sides of the Atlantic. Some words have a deceptive familiarity. Lumber with Americans is timber but in Britain is discarded furniture and the like. Laundry in America is not only the place where clothing and linen are washed but the articles themselves. A lobbyist in England is a parliamentary reporter, not one who attempts to influence the legislative process, and a pressman for Americans is not a reporter but one who works in the pressroom where a newspaper is printed.
• "It is of course on the level of more colloquial or popular speech that the greatest differences are noted." ( A History of the English Language , 5th ed. Routledge, 2002)

British English Accents

Accents—specifically regional accent variations in Britain—are also an important feature of British English, as one British reference explains.

David Crystal

"Sensitivity about accents is everywhere, but the situation in Britain has always attracted special interest. This is chiefly because there is more regional accent variation in Britain, relative to the size and population of the country, than in any other part of the English-speaking world — a natural result of 1,500 years of accent diversification in an environment which was both highly stratified and (through the Celtic languages) indigenously multilingual. George Bernard Shaw was exaggerating when he had phonetician Henry Higgins say (in Pygmalion ) that he could 'place a man within six miles. I can place him within two miles in London. Sometimes within two streets' — but only a little. "Two major changes have affected English accents in Britain over the past few decades. The attitude of people towards accents has altered in ways that were unpredictable thirty years ago; and some accents have changed their phonetic character very significantly over the same period." ("Language Developments in British English." The Cambridge Companion to Modern British Culture , ed. by Michael Higgins et al. Cambridge University Press, 2010)

• American English to British English Vocabulary
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[ noun es -ey es -ey , e- sey verb e- sey ]

• a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

a picture essay.

• an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.
• Philately. a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design of the stamp as issued.
• Obsolete. a tentative effort; trial; assay.

verb (used with object)

• to try; attempt.
• to put to the test; make trial of.
• a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively
• an attempt or endeavour; effort
• a test or trial
• to attempt or endeavour; try
• to test or try out
• A short piece of writing on one subject, usually presenting the author's own views. Michel de Montaigne , Francis Bacon (see also Bacon ), and Ralph Waldo Emerson are celebrated for their essays.

Discover More

Other words from.

• es·sayer noun
• prees·say verb (used without object)
• unes·sayed adjective
• well-es·sayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of essay 1

Example Sentences

As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.

GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.

This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.

As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay, technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.

He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.

I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.

The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay, “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.

The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.

To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.

Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.

There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay.

Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.

It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.

But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!

It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.

Related Words

• dissertation

Published on March 26, 2022 by English Proficiency Editorial Team

What is British English?

English is a globally spoken language and is spoken by between 1.5 billion and 2 billion people worldwide . Many people consider English to be a world language due to these figures.

It is no wonder that distinct variations of English have emerged as a result of the English language’s general use. One such variation is British English.

But what is British English exactly?

Look no further; this article is written to answer every question you might have about British English . 

History of British English

Characteristics of british english, what are the kinds of british english, differences between british and american english, american or british english: which one should you use, tips for using british english in your writing, what are the countries using british english spelling, why does learning british english matter.

British English (BrE) is a word used to distinguish the British Isles’ version of the English language from other versions.

It encompasses all dialects of English spoken in the British Isles , including those spoken in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

It is also commonly used outside of the British Isles and among linguists and lexicographers. British people generally refer to it as ‘ Standard English ’ or just ‘ English’ . 

The language was brought to the Americas by the British when they arrived by sea between the 16th and 17th centuries.

Spelling had not yet been standardized at the time. The first dictionaries were required to establish the appearance of these words. The dictionary was created by scholars in London, United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Noah Webster acted as a lexicographer in the United States. To distinguish the American version from the British, he allegedly changed the spelling of the phrases to show cultural independence from the mother country .

After the first immigrants came to America, differences in speech evolved between American English and British English . These individuals spoke in a style known as rhotic speech, which emphasizes the ‘r’ consonants in words.

Meanwhile, the upper classes in the United Kingdom softened their pronunciation of the ‘r’ sounds in an attempt to distinguish themselves from the common people.

Because the affluent was considered the standard for being fashionable even back then, others began to copy their speech, which eventually became the norm in the south of England. 

While British English is used in the United Kingdom; it is not generally accepted. This is because it indicates a greater range of usage than it actually does for some British individuals.

Most of the ‘standard’ forms, whether written or spoken, originate from southern dialects. 

British English in History and Pop Culture

As these comments demonstrate, journalists, humorists, and others have had a lot to say about British English and its place in the world of language.

Terry Eagleton (The Wall Street Journal, June 22, 2013)

“British flat dwellers do not make their homes in burst tires; and the word ‘bum’ in British English means both buttocks and vagrant. People in the United Kingdom don’t usually say ‘Thank you’, ‘Zero in’, ‘Reach out to others’, ‘Stay focused’, ‘Ask for a break’, ‘Refer to the bottom line’, or ‘Get blown away’. To British ears, the word ‘scary’, as opposed to ‘frightening’ or ‘alarming’, sounds infantile. The word ‘awesome’, which would cause planes to fall out of the sky and cars to lurch off motorways if it were prohibited in the United States, is rarely used in the United Kingdom.”

Dave Barry (Only Travel Guide You’ll Ever Need, Ballantine Books, 1991)

“Because the inhabitants of England speak English, it is a very popular foreign nation to visit. When they get to the vital part of a phrase, though, they usually use made-up words like ‘scone’ and ‘ironmonger’. As a savvy tourist, you should acquire a few British terms to prevent communication snafus, as demonstrated by the following examples:

Example 1: 

English Waiter: May I assist you?

Traveler: Please give me an inedible roll.

English Waiter: Huh?

Traveler: I’d like an ironmonger.

English Wai ter: Right away, Sir!

British English in Academics and Literature

As these texts illustrate, academics, linguists, and grammarians have also described British English, particularly its contrast to American English.

John Algeo (The Cambridge History of the English Language: English in North America, Cambridge University Press, 2001)

“There was no British English before English speakers began to spread across the globe. Only English was available. Comparisons are used to define terms like ‘American English’ and ‘British English’, when in fact they are related as a brother and a sister can be.”

Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling- Estes (American English: Dialects and Variation, Blackwell, 2006)

“The fact that British citizens were protesting about American vocabulary and word usages, such as the use of the word ‘bluff’ to refer to a ‘bank’ or a ‘cliff’, shows how quickly English in America diverged from British English. In reality, the term ‘Americanism’ was established in the 1780s to describe a set of terminology and phrases that came to characterize early American English but not British English.”

The truth is that, while it is referred to as Standard English, it is anything but standard . British English has a diverse range of accents and dialects, with more than 37 dialects at the latest count.

Dialects can differ locally and socially, depending on where a person is from in the country.

Here is a list of a handful of the dialects and accents you will encounter on any trip to the United Kingdom. 

Received Pronunciation (RP) 

When people think of teaching or studying British English, they generally think of the Queen’s English , which is a standard form of the language, called the Received Pronunciation (RP) . It is also the pronunciation that the British Upper Class uses.

Foreigners are taught using the RP model described in English dictionaries and used at the oldest universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.

It is essentially a ‘flat’ accent with stressed vowels like A (pronounced ah as in bar) and O (pronounced ohw as in blow) but most of the time diverse pronunciation between different terms, which can be confusing if you are learning English for the first time. 

The Scottish dialect varies greatly from city to city, town to town, and in the Western Isles, it becomes increasingly like an Irish accent. In the far north, it becomes increasingly like Nordic languages .

The stronger the accent appears to become, the further away the place is, therefore, persons from the Shetland Islands can be difficult to understand at first. Glaswegian can often be challenging, even for Scots!

Newcastle residents speak the Geordie dialect and are also known as Geordies.

One of the most distinguishing features of this dialect is that the ‘r’ s at the end of words are not pronounced, but are instead pronounced as ‘ah’ .

As a result, a word like ‘ sugar’ becomes sug-ah’ . A phrase like ‘Space Centre’ , for example, becomes ‘Space Cent-ah’ !

Scousers or Liverpudlians are people from Liverpool, and Scouse is their dialect, which, like Geordie, is quite strong and readily distinctive. In words, there is a lot of focus on the characters A and Y .

They roll their R s as well, making it difficult to distinguish whether they are speaking L or R .

The Liverpudlian accent has become one of the most well-known British regional dialects. It is a nasal dialect that can be difficult to imitate at first. 

Yorkshire is a large county in England, and many individuals speak a Yorkshire dialect variation as a result. Yorkshire, sometimes known as ‘God’s Own County’, boasts a delightful dialect.

One of the most obvious modifications between this dialect and RP is that words ending in ‘ee ‘ sound, such as ‘nasty’ , are pronounced as ‘nasteh’ .

Wales , although being a separate country, has its own culture and language, which is spoken by half a million people.

When Welsh people speak English, their accent is easily recognizable; they pronounce terms like ‘ Wales’ as ‘WEE-alss’ , rather than ‘WAY-ells’ as the English do.

This is one of the most well-known dialects in the United Kingdom, and it is synonymous with London. It developed as the working-class vernacular of London, particularly in the city’s poorer East End.

The Cockney accent gave birth to Rhyming Slang, and market sellers in the East End can still be heard shouting in Cockney from their stalls.

There are several ‘glottal stops’ in the Cockney dialect, and the ‘th’ sound commonly converts to an ‘f’ sound.

The term is derived from Brummagem and Bromwichham , two ancient variant names for Birmingham , the metropolitan city where this dialect is spoken. It is pretty soft and springy, and sounds lumpy .

Although there are many variations of the Brummie accent across the city (it’s the third-largest in England), people with a Brummie accent might say ‘hello’ as ‘ heh-LOUW’ instead of ‘HEH-low’ .

West Country

The West Country dialect is closest to the old British language of Anglo-Saxon , which was founded in Germanic languages .

West Country people say ‘I be’ instead of ‘I am’ , and ‘Thou bist’ instead of ‘You are’ , which is extremely similar to ‘Ich bin’ (I am) and ‘Du bist’ (You are) in modern German. 

Northern English

The Northern Irish accent is both lovely and powerful.

When people speak Northern Irish, the first thing you will notice is how many letters appear to be missing from words. ‘Northern Irish’, for example, would be pronounced more like ‘Nor’n Ir’sh’!  

Estuary English

This is another London-based dialect . The ‘ Estuary ‘ in issue is the Thames Estuary , and those who reside along its length speak this dialect.

This is currently one of the most commonly spoken accents in the South. It is not as posh as RP, but it is not as ‘ordinary’ as Cockney, either.

One of the most common characteristics of this dialect is the use of multiple negations, as in ‘I ain’t never done nothing’ , and the use of the non-standard such as ‘them books’ instead of ‘those books’ . 

The most notable dissimilarity between British and American English is in pronunciation and spelling.

There are very minor differences in vocabulary and grammar.

People who speak both British and American English can communicate comfortably. Below is the comparison between British and American English for your reference. 

Present Perfect and Past Simple Tenses

The present perfect tense is employed in British English to speak about a previous activity that is related to the present. 

In American English, the present perfect is being used in the same way, but people frequently use the past simple when they believe the action to be completed.

The adjectives already, just, and yet are particularly prone to this.

Verb Forms with Collective Nouns

Collective nouns (nouns referring to specific groups of people or objects such as staff, government, class, team) in British English can be preceded by a singular or plural verb as to whether the group is regarded as one idea or as many individuals. 

Collective nouns are always followed by a singular verb in American English.

Note: The noun ‘ police’ is always considered plural (in both).

Use of ‘ Got’ and ‘ Gotten’

The past participle tense of ‘ get’ is ‘ got’ in British English. 

In American English, the word ‘ gotten’ is used.

Note: T he phrase ‘have got’ is frequently used in both British and American English to refer to possession or necessity. Here, ‘have gotten’ is not correct.

Use of ‘ Have’ and ‘ Take ’

The verbs ‘ have’ and ‘ take’ are widely used in British English with nouns such as bath , shower , and wash to talk about washing, and with nouns such as break , holiday , and rest to talk about rest.

Only the verb ‘ take’ (not the verb have) is used in this sense in American English.

Use of ‘ Shall’

‘Shall I…?’ and/or ‘Shall we…?’ are frequently used in British English to volunteer to do something and/or to make a recommendation.

The use of ‘shall’ is uncommon among American English speakers. ‘ Should I/Can I…?’ or ‘Do you want’ and ‘Would you like…?’ are common alternatives. 

While both American and British English are generally accepted worldwide, it is still quite noting that depending on the purpose of why you are using the language; one should be preferred over the other.

You must consider yourself and your situation. If you happen to be in the Americas, you should be using American English.

If not, concentrate on British English because British English grammar and spelling norms are used in most English-speaking countries . 

The same can be said when it comes to academic writing. While both are acceptable, it is only fair and respectful if you use the kind of English they prefer.

You should also ask yourself this question: “Do I have many clients or coworkers from the United States or the United Kingdom?”

This might assist you in determining whether you need to use American or British English.

You may believe that one sort of English is easier than the other, which can help you decide which one to learn.

Any of these factors could be used to help you determine which type of English to use.

So, choose between British and American English, but keep in mind that the other exists.

You do not have to pick one and then never use the other. Be versatile and decide which to use depending on your situation.  

Do you feel ready to take on a writing job anywhere in the world now that we have gone through the maze of distinctions between British and American English?

Here are our five top recommendations for learning to write British English ( or American English ). 

• Read up on the writing style you want to use.

Writers and editors’ strongest tools are frequently their brains, and a lot of repetition.

After all, it was through this method that we all acquired English in the first place. Find respectable organizations’ books, publications, and news media in the version of English you want to write. If you read a lot about a variety of topics, you will start to notice the differences on your own.

• Be consistent. 

When writing, the most important thing is to pick one spelling/usage and stay with it. If you write ‘ theatre’ once, make sure you write ‘ theatre’ every time.

Although reader and editor preferences differ, inconsistency is always unprofessional. Every time you learn a new term, make a style sheet and jot down the mandatory or recommended spelling. Because these can get long, make sure to structure your style sheet, so it does not become unreadable.

• Make full use of your spellchecker.

Spellcheck is your closest friend if you are writing in a foreign language. However, double-check the language it is checking.

If you are trying to write in British English but it is set to American, you are in for a world of trouble. Keep in mind that the default autocorrect settings for your communications platforms and cloud documents are also affected.

• Look it up on the internet.

If you are unsure about a term, search it up instead of guessing. It is not just about knowing what is right when it comes to editing. It is also about anticipating what can go wrong. Learn to recognize signals that a term may have an American or British variant. For example, a -ise or -ize spelling.

Also, check those terms up first rather than depending on recollection. Add a new term to your stylesheet once you have learned it. Because there is some variation between dictionaries, pick one and stick with it as your reference.

• Ask a native speaker. 

Many of us know someone who grew up or currently resides in another country or continent.

If you have a friend who is a native speaker of British English, ask them to read over your work for anything that appears to be ‘odd’.  There is no better resource than someone who has grown up speaking a dialect.

The past strength of the British Empire is largely responsible for the extensive use of British English around the world, which is mirrored in the adoption of British writing forms in various regions of the world.

Below is a list of the different countries that use the British English spelling: 

The United Kingdom 

British English (of course) is used in the United Kingdom . 

• (Northern) Ireland

Countries Under the British Commonwealth 

There is no doubt that these countries, being under the Commonwealth , are using British English as well. 

• New Zealand
• Antigua and Barbuda
• The Bahamas
• Papua New Guinea
• St Christopher and Nevis

The European Union

The European Union also follows British English, especially in translation. 

• Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Netherlands
• 10+ European Countries That Speak English

Countries in Africa that Used to be British Colonies

Being former colonies of the British Empire, the following countries also use British English. 

• South Africa
• 10+ African Countries that Speak English

(Some) Asian Countries

While these Asian countries have an official language of their own, they use British English in official and academic settings. 

• Bangladesh (with variations) 
• China (mainland) 
• India (with variations) 
• 10+ Asian Countries that Speak English

Learning British English is just like learning another language, but way easier. If you are already familiar with the English language, regardless of which variety.

While there are some differences between British and American English, the main point to remember is that they are more similar.

Using one instead of the other by accident will not always result in miscommunication. 

What matters most to you is that you continue to improve your English abilities and practice speaking clearly and confidently.

Accept that multiple forms of English exist and that this is not a reason to be concerned or anxious. It is just the way things are.

Concentrate on clearly articulating your thoughts and feelings in English.

Exert extra effort to understand the distinctions between British and American English to recognize them, and it will surely help you wherever you may be. 

Additional Reading — ENGLISH GRAMMAR

• What is American English?
• What is Canadian English?
• What is Australian English?
• 30+ Tips to Speak English Without Grammar Mistakes
• What Are Idioms?
• What Are Verbs?
• What Are Nouns?
• What Are Adjectives?
• What Are Pronouns?
• What Are Adverbs?
• What Are Tenses?
• What Are Punctuation Marks?
• What Are Prepositions?
• What Are Loanwords?
• What are Phrasal Verbs?
• What Are Collocations?
• What Are Conjunctions?
• What are Modals?
• What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
• What Are Sentence Structures?
• What Are Sentence Parts?
• What are Sentence Functions?
• What Are Clauses?
• What are the Common Slang Words in the English Language?
• What are the Commonly Misspelled Words in English?

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How to write an essay in English

By ielts expert, 29 june 2023 - 16:00.

Many students say writing is the worst part of their English, but it’s often just a case of confidence. With practice, and the tips in this post, you can gain the confidence you need to maximise your English and really show it off. This post will look at the three stages of writing - planning, writing the text and reading it back.

If you are preparing for an exam, please be aware that for the latest information on exam format you should always go straight to the source – IELTS website . You can practice free online IELTS Academic Writing tests or General Training Writing tests . You can also practice writing your answer by downloading an IELTS Writing Answer Sheet .

Planning is an integral part of your writing. You might say “I don’t plan”, but somewhere in your subconscious, you do! By raising your awareness of your own planning process you can improve enormously. As a teacher, I see many students who plan and many who don’t. In general, the students that plan produce much better work, so if you are in the “no plan” camp, you should at least experiment with some of the ideas coming up.

Planning 1: Address the question

If you are writing for a class assignment or an exam, it is crucial that you address the question given. Adequate planning (five minutes is better than nothing) will keep you on track. 

Start by breaking the question down into its parts. There will usually be two or three aspects to the question. You want not only to cover all aspects of the question, but also make it obvious to your teacher or the examiner that you have done so, and the best way to demonstrate this is to give each aspect its own paragraph.

Planning 2: Brainstorm vocabulary as well as ideas

Once you have identified your paragraphs, think about what vocabulary you have at your disposal. Perhaps you would like to write one paragraph from a particular angle, but when you start planning you might find there are holes in your vocabulary and you are better able to write from a different angle. Choose ideas which best overlap with what you can clearly state in English.

Planning 3: Write chunks of language

Even with all the vocabulary in the world, some ideas are complex to express in writing. Causality, speculation and hypothetical scenarios are all abstract concepts which make it more challenging to say exactly what you want, but these are also an opportunity to push your English ability to the max and show your grammatical range. 

Sound out in your head how you will make your arguments, and when you get stuck, try writing this part down in your plan. It might be a whole sentence of just a clause. This will help you decide if you have enough English ability to get across a really impressive idea, or if you need to simplify your thoughts in order to remain clear to the reader.

Writing the text 1: Use your plan!

I have seen many students write logical, competent plans that address the question, only to go off on a random tangent when they start writing! 

Of course, you might change some things as you go along, for example if you have a new idea, but keeping an eye on your plan will prevent you from getting distracted and bring you back to the question you must answer. It will also keep you aware of how you are doing for word count and time.

Writing the text 2: Write your introduction last

You should at least consider this idea. The purpose of an introduction is to tell the reader what they are going to read, so how can you write the introduction when you haven’t written the content yet?

Introductions are fiddly to write on a blank canvas, but much easier when we already have the content written in front of us.

If you are writing on paper, it is still possible to write the introduction last - you just need to leave a few lines for it.

Writing the text 3: Make sure your introduction and conclusion match

Your introduction and conclusion should also match the content of your main body paragraphs. This might seem obvious, but I wish I had a euro for every time I have seen an introduction passionately in favour of something followed by body paragraphs and a conclusion that were passionately against.

This problem can be avoided by writing your conclusion last, as suggested above. It will also be avoided by planning, and thinking a little more deeply how you feel about the question before you start. When I say a little more deeply, I’m talking about a minute or so, not hours.

Writing the text 4: Use linkers

Linkers are often misunderstood as simply a way of showing “formal English” but in fact, we use linkers all the time, even when chatting with friends. We use them in speech and in writing to indicate “I’m going to add to what was just said,”  “I’m going to contradict what was just said,” and generally to help the listener or reader understand where we are going next.

After writing the text

This is another area where many students are very reluctant - you need to read what you wrote! 

Check for spelling errors, missing third person s, capital letters, whatever errors you are prone to make… and if you don’t know what errors you are prone to make, it’s because you aren’t checking your writing, so you need to start today! You can be the expert on your own writing strengths and weaknesses, and this will just make you better and better.

Moreover, you should read back your text because it’s enjoyable to see how skillfully you put your ideas down and how convincing your arguments are. You did it! Well done! Enjoy the moment with some positivity!

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Translation of essay – English-Spanish dictionary

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• I want to finish off this essay before I go to bed .
• His essay was full of spelling errors .
• Have you given that essay in yet ?
• Have you handed in your history essay yet ?
• I'd like to discuss the first point in your essay.

(Translation of essay from the Cambridge English-Spanish Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translation of essay | GLOBAL English–Spanish Dictionary

(Translation of essay from the GLOBAL English-Spanish Dictionary © 2020 K Dictionaries Ltd)

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Word of the Day

hit the road

to leave a place or begin a journey

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

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