{"id":71672,"date":"2019-08-19T07:31:26","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T07:31:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/?p=71672"},"modified":"2019-08-19T07:31:26","modified_gmt":"2019-08-19T07:31:26","slug":"american-and-british-english-differences-in-usage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/american-and-british-english-differences-in-usage\/","title":{"rendered":"American And British English | Differences In Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
Abbreviations<\/h5>\n

We usually write abbreviations without full stops in modern British English. Full stops (US ‘periods’) are normal in American English.<\/p>\n

Mr (US Mr.) = Mister
\nDr (US Dr.) = Doctor
\nLtd (US Ltd.) = Limited (company)
\nKg (US kg.) = kilogram<\/p>\n

All and all of<\/h5>\n

Before a noun with a determiner (e.g. the, this, my), all <\/b>and all of <\/b>are both possible in British English. American English usually has all of<\/b>.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • She has eaten all (of) the cake. (GB)<\/li>\n
  • She has eaten all of the cake. (US)<\/li>\n
  • All (of) my friends like riding. (GB)<\/li>\n
  • All of my friends like riding. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    Expressions with prepositions and particles<\/h5>\n

    Different from\/than (US)
    \nDifferent from\/to (GB)
    \nCheck something (out) (US)
    \nCheck something (GB)
    \nDo something over\/again (US)
    \nDo something again (GB)
    \nLive on X street (US)
    \nLive in X street (GB)
    \nOn a team (US)
    \nIn a team (GB)
    \nMonday through\/to Friday (US)
    \nMonday to Friday (GB)<\/p>\n

    Informal use of like<\/h5>\n

    In an informal style, like <\/b>is often used instead of as if\/though<\/b>, especially in American English. This is not considered correct in a formal style.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • It seems like <\/b>it is going to rain.<\/li>\n
    • He sat there smiling like<\/b> it was his birthday.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      On<\/h5>\n

      In American English, it is common to leave out on <\/b>before the days of the week.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • I am seeing her Sunday morning. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        British people say at\u00a0the weekend; Americans say on <\/b>the weekend.<\/p>\n

          \n
        • What did you do at the weekend? (GB)<\/li>\n
        • What did you do on the weekend? (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          In and for<\/h5>\n

          In American English, in\u00a0<\/b>can be used, like for, to talk about periods up to the present. (British English only for<\/b>).<\/p>\n

            \n
          • I haven’t seen her in <\/b>years. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n
            \n
            Both and both of<\/h5>\n

            Before a noun with a determiner (e.g. the, this, my), both<\/b> and both of <\/b>are both possible in British English. In American English, both of <\/b>is usual.<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Both (of) my parents like riding. (GB)<\/li>\n
            • Both of my parents like riding. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
              In after negatives and superlatives<\/h5>\n

              After negatives and superlatives, in<\/b> can be used to talk about duration. This is especially common in American English.<\/p>\n

                \n
              • I haven’t seen him for\/in <\/b>months.<\/li>\n
              • It was the worst storm for\/in <\/b>ten years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                In British English, in <\/b>is not normally used with this meaning.<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • I haven’t seen him for <\/b>months. (GB)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  Shan\ufffdt<\/h5>\n

                  In British English, I shan’t <\/b>is sometimes used in refusals. This is very unusual in American English.<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • I don’t care what you say, I won’t\/ shan’t <\/b>do it. (GB)<\/li>\n
                  • I don’t care what you say, I won’t <\/b>do it. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                    Shall<\/h5>\n

                    Questions with shall I\/we <\/b>are used (especially in British English) to ask for instructions or decisions, to offer services and to make suggestions. This is not common in American English.<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Shall<\/b> I open the window?<\/li>\n
                    • Shall<\/b> we go out for a meal?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                      Will<\/h5>\n

                      We often use will<\/b> in threats and promises. Shall<\/b> is also possible in British English, especially after I <\/b>and we<\/b>. In American English, shall <\/b>is not used in threats and promises.<\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • I will\/shall <\/b>give you a teddy bear for your birthday. (GB)<\/li>\n
                      • I will <\/b>give you a teddy bear for your birthday. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                        Have (got) + infinitive<\/h5>\n

                        Have (got) + infinitive <\/b>can be used, like must<\/b>, to express certainty. This is mainly an American English structure, but it is now becoming more common in British English.<\/p>\n

                          \n
                        • I don’t believe you. You have (got) to <\/b>be joking. (= You must be joking.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                          Would and should<\/h5>\n

                          After I <\/b>and we<\/b>, should<\/b> can be used in British English with the same meaning as would<\/b>.<\/p>\n

                            \n
                          • If we had a map we would\/should <\/b>be able to get out of here. (GB)<\/li>\n
                          • If we had a map we would <\/b>we able to get out of here. (US)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            Conditional would <\/b>is sometimes used in both clauses of an if-sentence<\/b>. This is common in spoken American English.<\/p>\n

                              \n
                            • It would <\/b>be better if they would <\/b>tell everybody in advance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                              Abbreviations We usually write abbreviations without full stops in modern British English. Full stops (US ‘periods’) are normal in American English. Mr (US Mr.) = Mister Dr (US Dr.) = Doctor Ltd (US Ltd.)...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[736],"tags":[750,751,752,747],"class_list":["post-71672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-writing","tag-american-and-british-english","tag-american-english","tag-british-english","tag-difference-between-american-and-british-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71672"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71673,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71672\/revisions\/71673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}