It’s really quite simple – RP can have no hint of any regional accent for it to be considered RP. Some changes have crept in over the last couple of decades (listed below in modern features of RP), but they are minor and slow, mainly limited to slight changes in vowel positioning.

The key difference is that GB can incorporate regional elements. These could be very noticeable vowel or consonant substitutions (as listed below in possible features of GB), but the term allows for a much broader inclusion of speakers who have mainly standard accents. In other words, RP is GB, but GB isn’t necessarily RP.

Features that are now accepted as RP (the audio is firstly the modern way, then the old-fashioned way):

old cold role soul

boot shoe foot push

poor sure tour cure

batman “that car”

fear adhere wear mayor

tune intuition duke educate

A GB speaker may produce some or all of these regional variations. This list is not exhaustive, the audio is firstly in GB, then RP:

fall little minimal call

right arrow Rome rocket

glass fast path past

fishing learning watching hanging

– after a nasal at the end:

didn’t couldn’t weren’t

– before /l/

little bottle

Not before a vowel, although in fast connected speech this could go unnoticed:

I’ve got a few things to say.

A rising tone on statements is probably frowned upon in RP, but is so widely used in Britain now by speakers of different ages, regions and class backgrounds, that it would certainly be an acceptable feature of GB.

I would need a /season ticket.

A perfect example of the modern distinction between RP and GB is found in London’s previous and current mayors’ accents. Boris Johnson speaks a crystal clear RP, exuding his Eton and Oxford education. New mayor Sadiq Khan speaks GB – there’s a strong hint of London in there, but the accent is mainly standard.

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