by Keisha Centa Putri
In the academic and writing world, the debate between the use of American (US) and British (UK) English often causes confusion. It isn’t uncommon for one style to be considered superior to the other. However, in the academic world, especially in academic writing, the key is not the choice of style, but consistency. If you choose to use “color” (US), make sure that the spelling stays as color and not colour (UK) in the next sentence. Inconsistency is often considered by some people, even experts, as a lack of precision.
Inconsistent writing style can undermine your professional credibility because it gives the impression that you are not attentive to detail. In fact, readers may find it difficult to understand the context and focus more on spelling mistakes, which may cause them to miss the context of your writing. Therefore, maintaining a consistent writing style is very important to ensure that your message is conveyed clearly.
In addition to spelling differences, it is important for people to understand that similar terms can have different meanings. For example, in the United States, the term “first floor” refers to the first floor of a building. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the term refers to the floor above the first floor, where the first floor of a building is called the “ground floor.” By mastering the language nuances of either American (US) or British (UK) English, your argument will avoid ambiguity and become clearer.
Even though many test takers understand the writing context and the meaning of terms, they still worry that their choice of style will lower their speaking score on the TOEFL or IELTS. Fortunately, neither the TOEFL nor the IELTS assesses your accent or style as long as you are consistent in your pronunciation and spelling. As long as you maintain clear pronunciation, accurate intonation, and consistent language style use, choosing between American or British English will not affect your final score.
Ultimately, whatever style you choose, the key to success is consistency. However, you must also remain flexible and respect linguistic differences. Therefore, focus on clarity of message, consistency, and grammatical accuracy rather than the selection of a particular accent.
Source:
- Dictionary. (2022, October 22). The differences between British English and American English. Dictionary. https://www.dictionary.com/articles/british-english-vs-american-english
- Shayna. (n.d.). What’s the difference between the ground floor and the first floor? Espresso English. https://www.espressoenglish.net/whats-the-difference-between-the-ground-floor-and-the-first-floor/
- Examinations Team. (2025, January 23). British vs American English for IELTS: Which one is better? British Council Foundation. https://www.britishcouncilfoundation.id/en/exam/ielts/blog/british-vs-american-english-ielts-which-one-better
- English Proficiency. (n.d.). Should you use American or British English on the TOEFL test? English Proficiency. https://englishproficiency.com/toefl/exam-format/american-or-british-english/
