Oxford_Guide_to_English_Grammar

NOTE

a For verbs which have forms both in ed and t, e.g. burned / burnt, dream / dreamt, • 303(11). b Cost as a transitive verb is regular.

They've costed the project. (= estimated the cost)

cThe third person singular of do is does

dFit is usually regular in Britain but irregular in the US.

eIn GB the past tense offorbid is forbad or forbade, pronounced . In the US it is

gThe third person singular of go is goes For gone and been, • 84(6).

hWe use hanged only to talk about hanging a person.

m We use sped for movement.

They sped down the hill.

But we say speeded up (= went faster),

n Weave is regular when it expresses movement.

We weaved our way through the traffic.

39 IRREGULAR VERB FORMS . PAGE 388

301 Special participle forms

There are some special past/passive participle forms that we use mainly before a noun. Compare these sentences.

We can also form special participles from drink, shrink, prove, learn and bless.

NOTE

These participles can have special meanings and are used only in limited contexts.

Forexample,wetalkabout molten metalbutNOT molten ice.

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40

American English

302 Summary

The grammar of British English and American English is very similar. There are a few differences but not very many, and most of them are minor points.

Differences with verbs • 303

Differences with noun phrases • 304

Differences with adjectives and adverbs • 305

Differences with prepositions • 306

Differences with conjunctions • 307

American spelling • 308

There are also some spelling differences, such as GB colour, US color.

The main differences between British and American English are in pronunciation and in some items of vocabulary. A good dictionary such as the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary or the OxfordAdvanced Learner's Dictionarywill give American variants in spelling, pronunciation and usage. The Hutchinson British-American Dictionary by Norman Moss explains the meanings of words which are familiar in one country but not in the other.

303 Differences with verbs

1 Linking verb + noun phrase

The British can use a noun phrase after a linking verb such as be, seem, look, feel.

• 9(1) Mainly GB:

The Americans do not use this pattern except with be and become.

US: It looks like/It looks to be a lovely evening.

She seemed to be a competent pilot.

40 AMERICAN ENGLISH PAGE 390

2 Do for an action

The British sometimes use do to refer to an action. • 38 (2c)

GB: He practises the piano, but not as often as he might (do).

You should reply if you haven't (done) already.

This usage is not found in American English.

US: He practices the piano, but not as often as he might.

You should reply if you haven't already.

But Americans use do so.

GB/US: You should reply if you haven't done so already.

3 Do for emphasis

The British can use do to emphasize an offer or invitation in the imperative form.

Americans also avoid the emphatic Do let's... and the negative Don't let's...

• 19 (6a)

GB/US: Let's not invite them. GB only: Don't let's invite them.

NOTE Let's don't invite them is possible in informal American English but not in Britain.

4 Question tags

Americans use tags much less often than the British. The British may use them several times in a conversation, but this would sound strange to an American. Americans use tags when they expect agreement. They do not often use them to persuade or argue.

Americans often use the tags right? and OK?

Mainly US: You're going to meet me, right?

We'll take the car, OK?

5 Have, have got and have gotten

a Have and have got

dGot and gotten

GB: He's got a newjob. (= He has a new job.)

Your driving has got better. (= It has become better.) US: He's got a new job. (= He has a new job.)

He's gotten a newjob. (= He has found a new job.) Your driving has gotten better. (= It has become better.)

eGet someone to do something and have someone do something GB/US: We got the waiter to bring another bottle. Mainly US: We had the waiter bring another bottle.

6 Present perfect and past simple

Both the British and the Americans use the present perfect for something in the past which is seen as related to the present. • 65(2)

GB/US: I'vejust met an old friend.

Dave has already eaten his lunch. Have you ever seen St Paul's Cathedral? I've never had a passport.

But Americans sometimes use the past simple in such contexts especially with just, already, yet, ever and never.

Mainly US: Ijust met an old friend. Dave already ate his lunch.

Did you ever see the Empire State Building? I never had a passport.

7 Gone and been

The British use been for 'gone and come back', • 84(6), but the Americans mostly

8 Will and shall

The British use will or shall in the first person, • 71(2). Americans do not often use shall.

GB:

US:

The British use shall in offers, but Americans prefer should.

Mainly GB: Shall I meetyou at the entrance?

Mainly US: Should I meetyou at the entrance?

The British can also use Shall we... ? in suggestions.

Mainly GB: Shall we gofor a walk?

Americans would say How about a walk? or Would you like to take a walk?

9 Need and dare

Need, • 92(3), and dare, • 1 0 1 , can be ordinary verbs. The British can also use

10 Can't and mustn't

In Britain one use of must is to say that something is necessarily true, • 95(1). The negative is can't. Americans can also use mustn't.

GB/US: There's no reply. They can't be home. US only: There's no reply. They mustn't be home.

11 Learned and learnt

Some verbs have both regular and irregular forms: learned or learnt,

dreamed /dri:md/ or dreamt /dremt/ etc. The irregular forms are not very usual in America. The British say dreamed or dreamt; the Americans say dreamed.

The verbs dive and fit are regular in Britain but they can be irregular in America. GB/US: dive - dived - dived fit - fitted - fitted

US only: dive - dove - dived fit-fit-fit

NOTE Fit is irregular in America only when it means 'be the right size'. GB: The suit fitted him very well.

US: The suit fit him very well.

It is always regular when it means 'make something the right size' or 'put something in the right place'.

GB/US:

12 The subjunctive

We can sometimes use the subjunctive in a that-clause, • 242. In Britain the subjunctive is rather formal. Americans use it more often.

Mainly GB: My parents prefer that my brother lives/should live at home. Mainly US: My parents prefer that my brother live at home.

304 Differences with noun phrases

1 Group nouns

The British can use a singular or a plural verb after a group noun. • 156 GB: The committee needs/need more time.

Holland isn't/aren't going to win.

The Americans prefer a singular verb.

US: The committee needs/need more time.

After a name the Americans always use a singular verb.

US: Holland isn't going to win.

2 Two nouns together

When we use two nouns together, the first is not normally plural: a grocery store, a word processor, • 147(4). There are some exceptions in Britain but Americans almost always use a singular noun.

3 The with musical instruments

The British use the with a musical instrument (play the piano), but Americans sometimes leave it out (play piano).

4 The with hospital and university

The British talk about a patient in hospital and a student at (the) university, • 168. Americans say that someone is in the hospital or at the university.

5 This and that on the telephone

People in both countries say This is... to say who they are, but usage is different when they ask who the other person is.

6 The pronoun one

Americans do not often use one meaning 'people in general'; and they do not use one'soroneself.

GB: One must consider one's legal position. US: You must consideryour legal position.

People must consider their legal position.