Основні відмінності між British English & American English

British English and American English

Do you know any differences between British and American English?

Look at these sentences. Do you know which sentences are more typical of British English or American English?

Shall I open the door for you?
He's taking a shower.
France have won the World Cup.
I'm not hungry. I just ate.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Are the sentences more typical of British English or American English?

Shall we go for a walk?  _______   My computer isn't working. I haven't gotten anything done. ____

Начало формыКонец формыНачало формыКонец формыCan I get you a coffee?  _______    His family live in Helsinki.________

Начало формыКонец формыНачало формыКонец формыWe'll have a break at 11. _______   She's got behind with her work recently. ________

Did you eat yet?             ________  The children are having a bath. __________

Grammar explanation

The main difference between British English and American English is in pronunciation. Some words are also different in each variety of English, and there are also a few differences in the way they use grammar. Here are five of the most common grammatical differences between British and American English.

1. Present perfect and past simple

In British English, people use the present perfect to speak about a past action that they consider relevant to the present. 

The present perfect can be used in the same way in American English, but people often use the past simple when they consider the action finished. This is especially common with the adverbs already, just and yet.

2. got and gotten

In British English, the past participle of the verb get is got. 

In American English, people say gotten.

** Note that have got is commonly used in both British and American English to speak about possession or necessity. have gotten is not correct here.

3. Verb forms with collective nouns

In British English, a singular or plural verb can be used with a noun that refers to a group of people or things (a collective noun). We use a plural verb when we think of the group as individuals or a singular verb when we think of the group as a single unit.

In American English, a singular verb is used with collective nouns.

** Note that police is always followed by a plural verb.

4. have and take

In British English, the verbs have and take are commonly used with nouns like bath, shower, wash to speak about washing and with nouns like break, holiday, rest to speak about resting. 

In American English, only the verb take (and not the verb have) is used this way.

5. shall

In British English, people often use Shall I ...? to offer to do something and/or Shall we ...? to make a suggestion. 

It is very unusual for speakers of American English to use shall. They normally use an alternative like Should/Can I ...? or Do you want/Would you like ...? or How about ...? instead. 

1. They haven't gotten home yet. _________

Начало формыКонец формы2. Shall we get takeaway for lunch today?___________

Начало формыКонец формы3. Shh! The kids are having a nap._____________

Начало формыКонец формы4. Did you have a piece of cake yet?__________

Начало формыКонец формы5. Liverpool have won the match!___________

Начало формыКонец формы6. They're not going to the movies. They already saw the film.__________

Начало формыКонец формы7. Do you want to take a break now?_____________    8. That restaurant's got really expensive.____________Начало формы

Основные различия в орфографии

Основные различия в лексике

Некоторые различия в грамматике

Конец формыНачало формыКонец формыНачало формыКонец формы