“Great Britain” refers to the UK mainland — which is only England, Scotland, and Wales. If you want to include Northern Ireland when speaking of the country as a whole, then refer to it as the United Kingdom or the UK for short. The Republic of Ireland is an independent nation which became independent from the UK in 1922, later becoming a republic on 18 April 1949 and makes up five-sixths of the island; while the remaining sixth is made up of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

Indian curry, especially chicken tikka masala Cornish pasties and meat pies English Tea (both the drink and the meal. ) Regional specialties abound, from Irish soda bread to Devonshire cream If you are not in the UK, visit international food markets to look for imported goods. British cheese, biscuits, and brands of chocolate (eg. Cadburys) are found worldwide.

British television (especially the BBC) is available in many countries, although usually only as a reduced and older selection. Monty Python is fantastic, but try to find shows from this decade as well.

If you’ve never heard of these parties before, just teach yourselves the basics of their positions. Faking an opinion is difficult and somewhat insulting.

When in doubt, shop in Britain itself. Look for stores filled mostly by locals, including some roughly similar to your demographic. Formal wear tends to be modest and custom-tailored, but it’s best to check with the host of the event. Younger adults and teenagers tend to follow faster-changing fashion trends, so you may see young locals that break these “rules. "

Fanny packs/bum bags Cameras and maps Hiker’s clothing in the city (including hiking boots) T-shirts sold to tourists, often with the Union Jack or the Keep Calm and Carry On slogan. Shorts and running shoes are not unheard of, but they will draw more attention than they would in other parts of the world.

Good morning / good afternoon / good evening Hello, how are you? (informal) Morning / afternoon / evening[3] X Research source (very informal) Alright? / Alright, mate?

When invited somewhere, be punctual. If you’ll be more than a couple of minutes late, phone or text and let whoever you’re meeting know. Unless you’re in a pub, queue (wait in line) in single file and wait patiently for your turn. (At a pub, walk up to the bar and wait patiently there!) Be sensitive to signs of discomfort in conversation. Depending on where you’re from, you may need to learn to give other people more space, reduce prolonged eye contact, and minimize physical contact. Most British people will not voice their discomfort aloud. Tipping is only expected in certain situations, such as taxis and beauty salons. Restaurant tipping is optional and usually around 10%. At a pub, offer to buy the bartender a drink instead.

You’ll need lots of practice to become good. Check out some YouTube videos on accents to train yourself.

Almost all US English speakers have an easier time learning southern English accents. Northern English (such as Geordie and Scouser), Scottish, Irish, and Welsh accents have less familiar sounds. If English is not your native language, try to find out whether the UK has an immigrant population of people from your country. London especially has many dialects that borrow heavily from other accents, from Jamaican to Polish.

In response to a question with an auxiliary and main verb, Brits respond with both: “Could you do the washing up for me?” “Could do” or “will do”. “Have you got. . . ?” instead of “Do you have. . . ?” Brits use the past perfect (“I have eaten”) frequently, where others might use the past simple (“I ate”). Brits sometimes drop the definite article — “at/in hospital,” instead of “at the hospital. "

You eat “sweets” and “biscuits”, not candy and cookies. French fries are “chips”, potato chips are “crisps”, and the British love all four of these snacks. Pants are “trousers. " The restroom is the “loo” or “toilet. " Watch out for words such as “fanny” that have different and offensive meanings to US English. The word “Fanny” refers to female genitals, which can be perceived as rude or vulgar by some. The word is commonly used as an insult in Scotland, for example; “he’s a fanny”. However, the same rule applies. “Asian” usually correlates to South (west) Asia: Indian, Pakistani, etc. People from China, Japan, and the rest of Southeast Asia are often called “Oriental” and “Far Eastern. "

Interjections are going to make or break your ability to pull off an English accent.
Without the ability to ponder and react in a natural way, you’re done for.
E.
g.
Hello! Ah, oh, hmm, well, huh, etc. Say “I fancy” instead of “I want,” and “I am shattered” instead of “I am tired. " These are just a few examples of a practically infinite list. Use the expression “Alright?” or “You alright?” which is often used instead of “Hello, how are you?” This isn’t an actual question, really. You’d respond with the same, “Alright?” or “I’m good, thanks,” regardless of how you actually feel.

There are a few punctuation differences as well. “Mr” does not end in a period (called a full stop in the UK) and short quotes tend to end with the final punctuation outside the quotation marks (as in the list of spellings above).