تgrammatical differences between American and British English

[adam12000]

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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