How to pronounce “schedule”: British vs American (and 14 other words that differ)
“Schedule” is pronounced SHED-yool in British English and SKED-jool in American English. Both are correct, so use the one that matches the accent you are learning. Here is why they differ, 14 other words with different British and American pronunciations, and 14 words learners often mispronounce, with the fix for each.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 7 min read
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Schedule: UK and US, side by side
| Accent | Sounds like | First sound | Second part |
|---|---|---|---|
| British English | SHED-yool | “sh” (as in shed) | “yool” (as in “you’ll”) |
| American English | SKED-jool | “sk” (as in sked) | “jool” (as in “jewel”) |
Pronunciations from the Cambridge and Collins dictionaries. Regional and personal variation exists in both countries.
The stress is on the first syllable in both. The difference is the first sound and the “d” + “u”, which becomes “j” in American English (as in “graduate”).
It also affects related words: scheduled (SHED-yoold / SKED-joold) and scheduling (SHED-yoo-ling / SKED-joo-ling).
Why are there two pronunciations?
The word reached English through Latin and Old French, and its “sch” spelling comes from Greek. Many dictionaries explain the American “sk” as following that spelling, like “school” and “scheme”, and the British “sh” as following the French form of the word. Neither is wrong: they are two accents.
14 more words that differ in British and American English
| Word | British | American |
|---|---|---|
| schedule | SHED-yool | SKED-jool |
| tomato | tuh-MAH-toh | tuh-MAY-toh |
| vitamin | VIT-uh-min | VY-tuh-min |
| advertisement | ad-VER-tis-ment | AD-ver-tyz-ment |
| garage | GAR-ahzh or GAR-ij | guh-RAHZH |
| herb | herb (with the H) | erb (no H) |
| mobile | MOH-byle | MOH-bul |
| privacy | PRIV-uh-see | PRY-vuh-see |
| leisure | LEZH-uh | LEE-zhur |
| route | root | root or rowt |
| controversy | kon-TROV-uh-see or KON-truh-ver-see | KON-truh-ver-see |
| aluminium / aluminum | al-yuh-MIN-ee-um | uh-LOO-muh-num |
| laboratory | luh-BOR-uh-tree | LAB-ruh-tor-ee |
| been | been or bin | bin |
Respellings are approximate. Capitals show the stressed syllable.
Don’t try to mix them. If you choose an American accent, learn the American forms, and if you choose British, the British forms. People understand both.
14 words learners often mispronounce
| Word | Say it like | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| February | FEB-roo-air-ee (many say FEB-yoo-air-ee) | The first “r” is often dropped, but the standard form has it. |
| Wednesday | WENZ-day | The “d” is silent. |
| comfortable | KUMF-tuh-bul | Usually three syllables, not four. |
| vegetable | VEJ-tuh-bul | Usually three syllables. |
| library | LY-brer-ee | Don’t drop the first “r”: not “lie-berry”. |
| pronunciation | pruh-NUN-see-AY-shun | No “ou” as in “pronounce”. |
| subtle | SUT-ul | The “b” is silent. |
| colonel | KER-nul | Sounds like “kernel”. |
| choir | KWY-er | Starts with “kw”. |
| sword | sord | The “w” is silent. |
| often | OFF-en (also OFF-ten) | Both are accepted. |
| clothes | kloze (or klothz) | Many speakers do not say the “th”. |
| island | EYE-lund | The “s” is silent. |
| honest | ON-ist | The “h” is silent. |
For more on silent letters, see our guide to silent letters and 40 difficult words to pronounce, and for stress in longer words, word stress.
How to practise
- Choose one accent and stay with it for a few weeks.
- Listen to a dictionary recording (Cambridge and Collins have both UK and US audio for each word), then say it three times.
- Put the word in a sentence: “What’s the schedule for tomorrow?” Words are easier to remember in a phrase.
- Record yourself and compare. An AI tutor can show which words sound unclear: see how an AI tutor call works.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce “schedule”?
In British English it is SHED-yool, and in American English it is SKED-jool. Both are correct. The stress is on the first syllable in both.
Which pronunciation of “schedule” is correct?
Both. British English uses “sh”, and American English uses “sk”. Choose the one that matches the accent you are learning, and use it consistently.
Why do Americans say “sked-jool”?
American English says the “sch” as “sk”, as in “school” and “scheme”, and says “du” as “j” (as in “graduate”). British English uses a “sh” sound, from French influence.
How do you pronounce “tomato”?
British English says tuh-MAH-toh, and American English says tuh-MAY-toh. Both are correct.
What are some commonly mispronounced English words?
Often mispronounced words include February, Wednesday, comfortable, vegetable, library, pronunciation, subtle, colonel and choir. The table on this page gives the usual pronunciation and the common mistake for each.
Is “often” pronounced with a T?
Both OFF-en and OFF-ten are used and accepted. Say whichever feels natural to you.
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- Schedule: pronunciation (British and American), Cambridge Dictionary
- Schedule: English pronunciations, Collins Dictionary