Using Present Perfect

 
 
 
 

THE  DIFFERENCE BETWEEN  
BRITISH ENGLISH  
AND 
AMERICAN ENGLISH

 
 
 
 

Using   Present Perfect  

    In British English Present Perfect is used when it comes to actions in the past, but the result is that there is at present. In American English in these situations can be used as a Present Perfect, and Past Simple. 

• He has gone home. (BrE) 
  He went home. = He has gone home. (AmE
• I have lost my pen. Can you borrow me yours? (BrE) 
  I lost my pen. = I have lost my pen. (AmE)

 
 
 
 

Expression  of the possession 

    In British English to express possession is usually used verb have got. In American English in this case there are two forms - have and have got. 

• Have you got a car? (BrE) 
  Do you have a car? = Have you got a car? (AmE) 
  У тебя есть машина?

 
 
 
 

Using  of the verb Get 

         In British English the past participle of the verb get is got. In American English the past participle of the verb get is gotten, except when the construction have got used to mean possession.

• He has got a prize. (BrE) 
  He has gotten a prize. (AmE) 
  Он выиграл приз. 
  
• I have got two sisters. (BrE) 
  I have got two sisters. = I have two sisters. (AmE) 
  У меня две сестры.

 
 
 
 

Using  Will / Shall /  Should  

    In British English form shall still is used with the first person subject to express future time. In American English the usage is extremely rare.

• I shall/will never forget this favour. (BrE) 
  I will never forget this favor. (AmE) 
  Я никогда не забуду об этой услуге.
• Shall I help you with the homework? (BrE) 
  Should I help you with the homework? (AmE) 
  Помочь тебе с домашними заданиями?

 
 
 
 

Using  Need 

   In British English there are two possible negative verb forms need - needn't and don't need to. In American English is generally used only don't need to.

• You needn't reserve seats. = You don't need to reserve seats. (BrE) 
  You don't need to reserve seats. (AmE) 
  Тебе не нужно бронировать места заранее.

 
 
 
 

Collective  nouns 

     In British English collective nouns, such as: - the jury, - the team, - family, - the government, etc., can be used with verbs as single and plural. In American English, they usually take the form of a single number.

• The committee meets/meet tomorrow. (BrE) 
  The committee meets tomorrow. (AmE) 
  Комиссия собирается завтра. 
  
• The team is/are going to lose. (BrE) 
  The team is going to lose. (AmE) 
  Эта команда проиграет.

 
 
 
 

Auxiliary  verb + do 

     In British English after the auxiliary verb is commonly used as a substitute for the basic do, semantic verb. In American English do in such cases is usually not used. 

• May I have  a look at your papers? You may (do). (BrE) 
  You may. (AmE) 
  Можно посмотреть твои записи? Да, можно.

 
 
 
 

As  if / like 

     In American English instead of the conjunction as if and as though frequently used conjunction like. In British English usage is wrong. 

• He talks as if he knew everything. (BrE) 
  He talks like / as if he knew everything. (AmE) 
  Он говорит так, словно он все знает
• He talks as if he was rich. (BrE) 
  He talks as if he were rich. (AmE) 
  Он говорит так, словно он богатый

 
 
 
 

Abbreviations 

    In modern British English abbreviations are usually written without points, while in American English after abbreviations there is point. 

•  Mister = Mr (BrE) = Mr. (AmE) 
  Doctor = Dr (BrE) = Dr. (AmE) 
  Limited (ООО – общество с ограниченной ответственностью) = Ltd (BrE) = Ltd. (AmE) 
  Kilogram = Kg (BrE) = Kg. (AmE)

 
 
 
 

The  main differences in  the use of prepositions  between American and  British English.  

• Different from/to  (BrE)
• Check something (BrE)

 

• In a tem (BrE) 
  
• Live in X street (BrE) 
  
• Do something again (BrE)

 
 

• Different from/than  (AmE)
• Check something (out) (AmE)
• On a team (AmE)

 

• Live on X street  (AmE)

 

• Do something over/again  (AmE)

 
 
 
 

There  is a difference in  the spelling of certain  words in British and  American English.  

defence - defense 
licence - license  

-ence изменяется на -ense  

Слова, оканчивающиеся  на -ence  

travelled - traveled 
modelling - modeling  

l обычно не удваивается после короткой гласной  

Слова, оканчивающиеся  на удвоенную l после короткой гласной  

realise/realize - realize  

всегда используется  -ize  

Слова, оканчивающиеся на -ise/-ize  

catalogue - catalog  

-ogue изменяется на -og 

Слова, оканчивающиеся на -ise/-ize  

colour - color  

-our изменяется на -or 

Слова, оканчивающиеся  на -our  

centre - center 
metre - meter  

-re изменяется на -er 

Слова, оканчивающиеся  на -re  

Пример  
(британское слово -  
американское слово)  

Американский  английский 

Британский  английский 

 
 
 
 

AmE  - BrE  

   fall - autumn 
apartment- flat 
cookies - biscuits

can- tin

 candy- sweets

corn – maize

drug store-  chemist‘s

elevator –  lift 
 

elevator –  lift

first floor  - ground floor

vacation –  holiday

mail –post

 railroad – railway

garbage –  rubbish

rest room -  toilet 

subway - underground 

flashlight -  torch