Page 61 - Basic English Usage

73

73 British and American English

These two kinds of English are very similar. There are a few differences
of grammar and spelling, and rather more differences of vocabulary.
Pronunciation is sometimes very different, but most British and
American speakers can understand each other.

1 Grammar
US GB
He just went home. He’s just gone home. (See 243.)
Do you have a problem? Have you got a problem?(See 153.2.)
I've never really gotten I've never really got to know him.
to know him.
It’s important that he It's important that he should be told.
be told. (See 332.1.)
(on the telephone) Hello, Hello, is that Harold?(See 341.4.)
is this Harold?
It looks like it's going It looks as if it’s going to rain.
to rain. (See 49.3.)
He looked at me real He looked at me really strangely.
strange. (informal) (See 275.)

2 = Vocabulary
There are very many differences. Sometimes the same word has
different meanings (GB mad = ‘crazy’; US mad = ‘angry’). Often
different words are used for the same idea (GB /orry ; US truck). Here
are a few examples:

US GB US GB
apartment flat second floor _ first floor
cab taxi french fries chips
can tin garbage rubbish
candy sweets or trash
check bill (in a restaurant) gas(dline) petrol
closet cupboard highway main road
or cabinet intersection crossroads
cookie biscuit mad angry
corn maize mail post
crazy mad motor engine
elevator lift movie film,
fall autumn one-way single (ticket)
first floor ground floor pants trousers