As you already know, there are many differences between American and British English when it comes to vocabulary and pronunciation. Yet, punctuation can also differ considerably!
American punctuation is often used in Canada while the British variant can be seen in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, among other countries. Although it does not directly affect the understanding of written English, it is beneficial to be aware of the differences.
Let’s take a closer look at the differences in punctuation between these two variants.
Table of Contents
Quotation Marks
Have you realized that quotation marks vary depending on the English variant you read? Quotation marks and where to put the punctuation are different in American and British English! Let’s take a look.
“Double” or single quotation marks
American English favors double quotation marks for the beginning of a quote. For example:
“If you focus,” said the teacher, “you will master English in no time!”
British English, on the contrary, favors single quotation marks. For example:
‘If you focus’, said the teacher, ‘you will master English in no time!’
Plus, for quotes within a quote, American English uses single quotes. For example:
“I was walking down the street,” said Johnny, “as I heard a man shout ‘Stop now!’”
British English does the opposite! For quotes within a quote, you use double quotation marks.
‘I was walking down the street’, said Johnny, “as I heard a man shout “Stop now!”’
Whenever you see a quote start with double quotation marks, you are most likely reading American English!
Punctuation in quotes
Did you notice anything else changing in the American and British examples? Yes! The placement of the punctuation also changes!
American English uses punctuation marks inside the quote while British English favors putting them outside.
All commas and periods go inside the quote in American English. For example:
“One day,” said Mary, “I will be president.”
In British English, all commas and periods go outside the quote. For example:
‘One day’, said Mary, ‘I will be president’.
The Oxford Comma
The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, is used to separate the last element of a list with at least three things. It is placed just before “and” in the sentence.
Most American style guides favor using the Oxford comma. For example:
We bought onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
I love movies, music, and sunsets.
British English style guides, however, often omit the use of the Oxford comma. For example:
We bought onions, tomatoes and mushrooms.
I love movies, music and sunsets.
Both American and British English favor using the Oxford comma when it could help clarify the meaning and avoid confusion. For example:
Joanne bought what Jake asked for, wine and cheese
In this case, did Joanne buy everything Jake asked for AND ALSO wine and cheese? Or was wine and cheese what Jake asked for?
The Oxford comma can help clarify the meaning.
Joanne bought what Jake asked for, wine, and cheese.
Here, it is clear that Joanne bought three different items. If you are uncertain about using the Oxford comma or not, look for clarity in your writing.
Date and time
Although this doesn’t directly refer to punctuation, there are differences worth mentioning in this article.
Date
American English expresses dates in the following format:
MM/DD/YYYY
2/20/1999
British English expresses dates in the following format:
DD/MM/YYYY
20/2/1999
To many, the American format can cause confusion! There’s a heated debate on which is the better way to express dates. What do you think?
Time
When expressing time, American English uses a colon to separate hours from minutes. For example:
We leave at 11:15.
On the other hand, British English favors the use of a period. For example:
We leave at 11.15
Periods after titles
American and British English also differ when it comes to punctuation after a title.
American English uses a period after the title. For example:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith met with Dr. Collins to know more about the study.
For the British variant, the period is omitted. For example:
Mr and Mrs Smith met with Dr Collins to know more about the study.
Style Guides in English for consistency
Even within the same variants of English, there can be several differences! Every newspaper, website, or even book you read works with a style guide that helps set consistency.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is to be consistent with your punctuation. If you start using American punctuation for a piece of writing, stick to it till the end!
If you are able to be consistent, your writing will look more professional and will be tidy in the eyes of your reader. If not, it will seem like you were just throwing commas and periods around without consistency.
Wrapping Up
Punctuation is critical when writing because it helps clarify what you mean. Using the correct punctuation can help you come across as someone who masters the language! Not only is your grammar and your vocabulary correct, but also the way you use written English.
Choose whatever variant you prefer and learn all its little details. If you can keep consistency when writing, you will improve your writing. Give it a try!