AMERICAN ENGLISH

The aim of this study is to find out which variety of English pupils in secondary school use,  British or American English, if they are aware of their usage, and if there are differences  between girls and boys. British English is normally the variety taught in school, but influences  of American English due to exposure of different media are strong and have consequently agreat impact on Swedish pupils. This study took place in a secondary school, and 33 pupils in  grade 9 participated in the investigation. They filled in a questionnaire which investigated  vocabulary, attitudes and awareness, and read a list of words out loud. The study showed that  the pupils tend to use American English more than British English, in both vocabulary and pronunciation, and that all of the pupils mixed American and British features. A majority of  the pupils had a higher preference for American English, particularly the boys, who also  seemed to be more aware of which variety they use, and in general more aware of the  differences between British and American English.