Differences Between American and British English By Kenneth Beare While there are certainly many more varieties of English, American English and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL/EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is "correct" however, there are certainly preferences in use. The three major differences between between American and British English are: Pronunciation - differences in both vowel and consonants, as well as stress and intonation Vocabulary - differences in nouns and verbs, especially phrasal verb usage Spelling - differences are generally found in certain prefix and suffix forms The most important rule of thumb is to try to be consistent in your usage. Use of the Present Perfect continue reading below our video Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. I've lost my key. In British English the above would be considered incorrect. British English:
Differences in American and British English grammar - article By Kerry Maxwell and Lindsay Clandfield An article by Kerry Maxwell and Lindsay Clandfield on recognizing grammatical differences between American and British English. Introduction Speakers of American English generally use the present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) far less than speakers of British English. In spoken American English, it is very common to use the simple past tense as an alternative in situations where the present perfect would usually have been used in British English. The two situations where this is especially likely are: 1. American English (AmE) / British English (BrE) Jenny feels ill. 2. American English / British English A: Are they going to the show tonight? Verb agreement with collective nouns My team is winning. The other team are all sitting down. In American English, collective nouns are always followed by a singular verb, so an American would usually say: Which team is losing? Which team is/are losing? Use of delexical verbs have and take at the weekend
British Slang If you’re planning on visiting London in the future, you might just want to familiarise yourself with some British Slang expressions that are very commonly used by the British. They will be very useful particularly if you’re likely to be socialising with Londoners. 1. This famous expression is always used on trains and the London Underground (Tube). 2. “Mate” is British Slang used to refer to men. 3. If something is “naff”, it is very uncool. 4. This British Slang word is not to be confused with the film of the same title where the main characters removed all their clothes for a striptease act. 5. The literal meaning is larva, but it is also another word for food. 6. “I love Pringle Crisps. 7. When the English don’t like something, but don’t want to be rude they will say: ” I’m afraid that going to nightclubs is not my cup of tea”. 8. This is another British slang word for the UK currency, the pound. 9. 10. This basically means ‘thank you’. If you enjoyed this post, please share it. Shanthi