| Unit | BRITISH | AMERICAN |
7A-B
and 13A | The present perfect or past simple can be used for new or recent happenings. The present perfect is more common:
- 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.
The present perfect or past simple can be used with just, already and yet.
The present perfect is more common:
- I'm not hungry. I've just had lunch.
(or I just had lunch.) - A: What time is Mark leaving?
B: He's already left. - Have you finished your work yet?
| The present perfect or past simple can be used for new or recent happenings. The past simple is more common:
- I lost my key. Did you see it?
(or I've lost my key. Have you seen it?) - Sally isn't here. She went out.
The present perfect or past simple can be used with just, already and yet.
The past simple is more common:
- I'm not hungry. I just had lunch.
(or I've just had lunch.) - A: What time is Mark leaving?
B: He already left. - Did you finish your work yet?
|
| 17C | British speakers usually say:
have a bath have a shower have a break have a holiday | American speakers say:
take a bath take a shower take a break take a vacation |
21D
and 22D | Will or shall can be used with I/we:
- I will/shall be late this evening.
Shall I ... ? and shall we ... ? are used to ask for advice etc. :
| Shall is unusual:
- I will be late this evening.
Should I ... ? and should we ... ? are more usual to ask for advice etc. :
|
| 28 | British speakers use can't to say they believe something is not probable:
- Sarah hasn't contacted me. She can't have got my message.
| American speakers use must not in this situation:
- Sarah hasn't contacted me. She must not have gotten my message.
|
| 32 | You can use needn't or don't need to:
- We needn't hurry.
or We don't need to hurry.
| Needn't is unusual. The usual form is don't need to:
|
| 34A-B | After insist, demand etc. you can use should:
- I insisted that he should apologise.
- Many people are demanding that something should be done about the problem.
| The subjunctive is normally used. Should is unusual after insist, demand etc. :
- I insisted that he apologize.*
- Many people are demanding that something be done about the problem.
|
| 51B | British speakers generally use Have you? / Isn't she? etc. :
- A: Lisa isn't very well today.
B: Isn't she? What's wrong with her?
| American speakers generally use You have? / She isn't? etc. :
- A: Lisa isn't very well today.
B: She isn't? What's wrong with her?
|
| 70B | Accommodation is usually uncountable:
- There isn't enough accommodation.
| Accommodation can be countable:
- There aren't enough accommodations.
|
| 74B | to/in hospital (without the):
- Three people were injured and taken to hospital.
| to/in the hospital:
- Three people were injured and taken to the hospital.
|
| 79C | Nouns like government/team/family etc. can have a singular or plural verb:
- The team is/are playing well.
| These nouns normally take a singular verb in American English:
- The team is playing well.
|
| 121B | at the weekend / at weekends:
- Will you be here at the weekend?
| on the weekend / on weekends:
- Will you be here on the weekend?
|
| 124D | at the front / at the back (of a group etc.):
- Let's sit at the front (of the cinema).
| in the front / in the back (of a group etc.):
- Let's sit in the front (of the movie theater).
|
| 113C | different from or different to:
- It was different from/to what I'd expected.
| different from or different than:
- It was different from/than what I'd expected.
|
| 137A | British speakers use both round and around:
- He turned round. or He turned around.
| American speakers use around (not usually 'round'):
|
| 137C | British speakers use both fill in and fill out:
- Can you fill in this form? or Can you fill out this form?
| American speakers use fill out:
- Can you fill out this form?
|
| 141B | get on = progress:
- How are you getting on in your new job?
get on (with somebody):
- Richard gets on well with his new neighbours.
| American speakers do not use get on in this way.
American speakers use get along (with somebody):
- Richard gets along well with his new neighbors.
|
| 144D | do up a house etc. :
- That old house looks great now that it has been done up.
| fix up a house etc. :
- That old house looks great now that it has been fixed up.
|
| Appendix | |
| 1.3 | The verbs in this section (burn, spell etc.) can be regular or irregular (burned or burnt, spelled or spelt etc.).
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.)
| The verbs in this section are normally regular (burned, spelled etc.).
The past participle of get is gotten:
- Your English has gotten much better.
Have got = have (as in British English):
|
| 6.6 | British spelling:
travel → travelling / travelled
cancel → cancelling / cancelled | American spelling:
travel → traveling / traveled
cancel → canceling / canceled |
