There are a few grammatical differences between British English and American English:
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BRITISH:
The present perfect is used for an action in the past with a result now:
• I've lost my key. Have you seen it?
• Sally isn't here. She's gone out.
The present perfect is used with just, already and yet:
• A: What time is he leaving? B: He has already left.
• Have you finished your work yet?
AMERICAN:
The present perfect OR past simple can be used:
• I've lost my key. Have you seen it? or I lost my key. Did you see it?
• Sally isn't here. She's gone out. She went out.
The present perfect OR past simple can be used:
• I'm not hungry. I've just had lunch. I've just had lunch.
• A: What time is he leaving? B: He has already left. He already left.
• Have you finished your work yet? or Did you finish your work yet?
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BRITISH:
have a bath/have a shower
AMERICAN:
take a bath/take a shower
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BRITISH:
Will or shall can be used with I/we:
• I will/shall be late this evening. The questions shall I ...? and shall we ...? are used to ask for advice etc.:
• Which way shall we go?
AMERICAN:
Shall is unusual:
• I will be late this evening. Should I ...? and should we ...? are used to ask for advice etc.:
• Which way should we go?
BRITISH:
You can use needn't (do) or don't need to (do):
• We needn't hurry. or We don't need to hurry.
AMERICAN:
Needn't is unusual. The usual form is don't need to:
• We don't need to hurry.
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BRITISH:
After demand, insist etc. you can use should:
• I demanded that he should apologize.
• We insisted that something should be done about the problem.
AMERICAN:
The subjunctive is normally used. Should is unusual after demand, insist etc.:
• I demanded that he apologize.
• We insisted that something be done about the problem.
Many verbs ending in ~ise in British English (apologise/organise/specialise etc.) are spelt with ~ize (apologize/organize/specialize etc.) in American English.
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BRITISH:
British speakers say 'to/in hospital' (without 'the'):
• Three people were injured and taken to hospital.
AMERICAN:
American speakers say 'to/in the hospital':
• Three people were injured and taken to the hospital.
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BRITISH:
Nouns like government/team/family etc. can have a singular or plural verb:
• The team is/are playing well.
AMERICAN:
These nouns normally take a singular verb in American English:
• The team is playing well.
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BRITISH:
at the weekend/at weekends:
• Will you be here at the weekend?
AMERICAN:
on the weekend/on weekends:
• Will you be here on the weekend?
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BRITISH:
in a street:
• Do you live in this street?
AMERICAN:
on a street:
• Do you live on this street?
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BRITISH:
different from or different to:
• It was different from (or to) what I'd expected.
AMERICAN:
different from or different than:
• It was different from (or than) what I'd expected.
BRITISH:
write to somebody:
• Please write to me soon.
AMERICAN:
write (to) somebody (with or without 'to,):
• Please write (to) me soon.
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BRITISH:
The verbs in this section (burn, spoil etc.) can be regular or irregular (burned or burnt, spoiled or spoilt etc.)
AMERICAN:
The verbs in this section are normally regular (burned, spoiled etc.)
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BRITISH:
The past participle of get is got:
• your English has got much better. (= has become much better) Have got is also an alternative to have:
• I've got two brothers. (= I have two brothers.)
AMERICAN:
The past participle of get is gotten:
• Your English has gotten much better. Have got = have (as in British English):
• I've got two brothers.
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BRITISH:
travel -> travelling/travelled, cancel -> cancelling/cancelled
AMERICAN:
travel -> traveling/traveled, cancel -> canceling/canceled
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