Differences Between British and American English in TOEFL Listening

In the TOEFL iBT exam, the Listening Segment assesses you based on your comprehension skills in different contexts, such as academic lectures, conversations, and discussions. However, there are many variations between British and American English in TOEFL Listening which creates confusion among test takers. Due to this variation in English, there is a difference in vocabulary, pronunciation, and even idiomatic expressions which can pose a challenge for candidates. This is problematic, especially in a situation when you are listening to speakers with various accents and dialects. 

In order to ace the Listening section, it is crucial to be aware of the language variation to spot the difference in the test. This blog will explore the main differences between British and American English which can impact your listening experience.

What are the differences between British and American

To acquire better comprehension skills to attempt the TOEFL Listening exam, you are required to first familiarise yourself with the key changes in both the dialects. Getting acquainted with these differences will help you in improving your listening skills.

1. Differences in vocabulary

Vocabulary is one of the most noticeable variations between British and American English. In these two dialects, native speakers use different words for many everyday items or concepts. In the listening audio, you might hear speakers using British or American vocabulary words. Therefore, it is vital to get yourself familiarised with these differences in order to attempt and score well. Since the audio is in an academic setting, the choice of words would be different in the audio.

The table below shows examples which would help in understanding the different word choice according to the language as well as the context.

Even though the meaning is the same, the words will vary depending on the language used. In the TOEFL Listening, the knowledge about vocabulary might not be directly assessed but understanding these words will help interpret the overall context of the listening information.

2. Pronunciation

If you are not accustomed to or not familiar with the differences in the accents, it might create confusion while listening to the recordings. Therefore, you must listen with utmost care to be able to comprehend the neutral, clear pronunciations. 

The table below suggests some of the differences and its changes in pronunciation which might lead to misunderstandings.

3. Mistakes in Spelling

Although spelling differences are more relevant to the TOEFL Writing Section, encountering these variations may help you better interpret written instructions or any printed materials used during your preparation. Even though answering in any of the languages will not directly affect your scores in the listening section, you must still be aware of these differences.

4. Phrasal Verbs and Idioms

Using phrasal verbs and idioms are another aspect where there is a difference between American English and British English. Such differences might occur occasionally in the TOEFL Listening Segment. It is advised that you understand these phrases to avoid any misinterpretation during the test while dealing with non-native speakers. Remember to practice by following conversations and lectures to be well prepared on the test day.

The table below depicts some of the examples of the differences in Idiomatic Expressions.

Tips to overcome these differences between British and American English in TOEFL Listening

To improve your listening skills, it is important to get exposure to both British and American English as the listening test features speakers from both dialects. Below are some of the tips to overcome these challenges in the TOEFL Listening Section.

• Practice listening to different accents by watching movies, TV shows, and listening to podcasts. These will help you become familiar with the subtle differences which will help in developing your conversational styles.
• Learn to acquire a very strong vocabulary foundation so that you can comprehend both dialects. It is not always necessary to know the meaning of each and every word but you can infer the meaning by looking at the surrounding words to understand the context.
• Learn to focus on grasping the main idea of the conversation of lecture. You can start practicing by summarising the main points so that you’ll be better equipped to answer factual, main idea, and inference questions.
• Pay attention to stress patterns on certain syllables and also focus on the tones. In American English, it is quite casual while it sounds more formal in British English.
• Acquire the knowledge of common idioms and also engage yourself with the context these words are being used in.

Remember to stay calm and be focused during the actual TOEFL exam so that you can listen for the key details and find the appropriate answer. You can also access a few practice tests to continue with the preparation and get familiar with the required skills.