British and American English

เรียนรู้ British and American English ไวยกรณ์อังฤษและอเมริกา

1.      Present perfect/Simple past

In American English the simple past can be used with already, just and yet. In British English the present perfect is used:

·        I have already given her the present. (BrE)

·        I already gave her the present. (AmE)

·        I have just seen her. (BrE)

·        I just saw her.(AmE)

·        Have you heard the news yet? (BrE)

·        Did you hear the news yet? (AmE)

2.      Have/have got

In British English it is possible to use have got or have to express the idea of possession. In American English only have can be used in questions and negative sentences:

      *They have/have got two computers. (BrE and AmE)

      * Have you got a computer? Yes, I have. (BrE)

      * Do you have a computer? Yes, I do. (BrE and AmE)

      3. Get/gotten

In American English the past participle of get is gotten:

·        Your English has got better. (BrE)

·        Your English has gotten better. (AmE)

4. Prepositions and adverbs

Some prepositions and adverbs are used differently in British and American English, for example stay at home (BrE); stay home (AmE)

      5. Form of the adverb

In informal American English the adverb form ending in-ly is often not used:

·        He looked at me really strangely. (BrE)

·        He looked at me really strange. (AmE)

6. Shall

Shall is not used instead of will in American English for the first person singular of the future:

·        I shall/will be here tomorrow. (BrE)

·        I will be here tomorrow. (AmE)

Nor is it used in polite offers:

·        Shall I open the window? (BrE)

·        Should I open the window? (AmE)

7. Irregular verbs

In British English the past simple and past participle of many verbs can be formed with –ed or -t, for example burned/burnt. In American English the forms ending in –ed are used:

·        They burned/burnt the documents. (BrE)

·        They burned the documents. (AmE)

When the past participle is used as an adjective, British English prefers the –t form, whereas in American English the –ed form is preferred, with the exception of burnt:

·        A spoilt child (BrE)

·        A spoiled child (AmE)

·        A burnt toast (BrE and AmE)

8. Go/Come and….

In these expressions and is often omitted:

·        Go and take a look outside. (BrE)

·        Go take a look outside. (AmE)

9. on the telephone

* Hello, is that David? (BrE)

* Hello, is this David? (AmE)

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