2015-08-21
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| n Shall is infrequent in AmE, they prefer will or be going to. I shall be in the office at 9.30. Frequency of Shall per 1 million words BrE AmE 16 | n However, AmE allows shall in first person interrogatives, especially functioning as suggestions or in semi-fixed expressions: Let’s try to find other words, shall we? How shall we say it? |
| n Must is much more frequent in BrE than in AmE which prefers have to to express obligation. Frequency of Must per 1 million words BrE AmE | Had better is 6 times more frequent in spoken BrE than AmE. |
| Be going to (and the contracted form gonna) are not a characteristic use in BrE, which prefers imperatives in direction-giving: You’re gonna to go two blocks and then you’re gonna to see a big modern white building… (AmE) Come to T-junction, turn left. Go down…, you come …. (BrE) | n I guess is 30 times more frequent in spoken AmE than in BrE where I suppose, I reckon are more frequent. I reckon we should have more coffee after this. |
| n The present tense form of have with got is more than twice frequent in spoken BrE than AmE: I’ve got one sister and one brother (BrE) | n Ir(regular) verbs In AmE, the past tense of fit is most often fit, while in BrE fitted: Jennifer says she never really fit in… I found a pair of boots that fitted me |
| n Interrogative tags are around 4 times more frequent in BrE than in AmE: He’s brilliant, isn’t he? | In informal contexts, AmE speakers often use an interrogative copy tag with rising intonation in responses involving surprise or emotional involvement: I changed schools three times You did? In one year. Wow. Wow. In BrE Did you? |
| n Affirmative copy tags occur in both variants but are much rarer in AmE than in BrE: I think it’s really funny that they live together, I do. (BrE) n | n The universal tag,right? is 4 times more frequent in AmE than in BrE: You lived in Canada, right? (AmE) I was hoping we could change this one, right? (BrE) |
| Tails are considerably less common in AmE than in BrE, but they do occur in informal spoken AmE: That was a nightmare, that one. (BrE) He’s a scary guy, that Dan Boland (AmE) | Good is often used in informal spoken AmE where BrE requires well: Hi, how are you doing? I’m good. |
| n Present Perfect is less frequent in AmE where the tendency is to use Past Simple. | n AmE uses some exclamative and intensifying expressions which are not common in BrE: geez, goddam, oh my gosh: It was the best tastinggoddamstuff I’ve ever eaten in my life. It’s been eighty degrees here.- Oh my gosh! |
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