LIFE030 · World Englishes: Why There Is No Single ‘Correct’ English

🌐 World Englishes: One Language, Many Voices

Level: C1  |  Time: 5 min  |  Focus: Sociolinguistics — global English varieties and what they mean for learners

📖 From Sourov’s world: I learned English in Bangladesh from teachers whose English was learned from teachers who learned British English. Then I moved to Australia. Then to Réunion, where English comes via France. I now teach English informed by all three varieties. There is no “correct” English. There are Englishes — and understanding that is one of the most liberating things a language learner can discover.

🔑 Kachru’s Three Circles

💡 Today, most English communication occurs between non-native speakers. The “native speaker” model is not the only valid target.

📊 Key Differences: British vs American English

British	American	Context
flat	apartment	home
autumn	fall	season
maths	math	subject
have got	have	possession
-ise (realise)	-ize (realize)	spelling

✏️ Quick Activity

Which variety does each sentence come from? (British / American / Both are fine)

1. “I’ve got a really nice flat near the tube.” → _______________
2. “I have a great apartment downtown.” → _______________
3. “The meeting has been cancelled.” → _______________
4. “Fall is my favourite season.” → _______________

👀 Show Answers

1. British (flat, tube)   2. American (apartment, downtown)   3. Both — this form is standard globally   4. American (fall)

⭐ Takeaway: Choose one variety and be consistent within a text. British in one document, American in another — that is fine. Mixed within one document — that is a problem. Consistency, not purity.