Reginal Grammar Differences 5.6 Flashcards
Verb agreement and collective nouns regionally
US and AUS
Stick to singular verbs for collective nouns.
Ex/
The class has a test today.
UK uses either singular or plural
Ex/ above and
The class have a test today.
Present perfect tense
It serves as a bridge between past and present.
Is used in present to indicate the action that has taken place at some specific time.
It uses auxiliary verb and past participle for the main verb
(i.e., verb + -ed)
Ex/
I have watched this movie before.
Simple past tense
The most basic form. Used to discuss something that both began and ended in the past.
Is used to talk about things that happened or exposures before now.
Ex/
Wolfgang entered a hula hoop contest.
When describing a past event that has consequences in the present, what tense to use regionally?
*UK favors present perfect tense
Ex/
I have eaten too much, and now feel I’ll.
I have not eaten yet.
*US favors past simple tense
Ex/
I ate too much, and now feel ill.
I did not eat yet.
Delexical verbs
Are verbs like have, take, make, give which when used with particular nouns have very little meaning of their own. Most of the meaning is found in the noun.
Ex/
I had a good breakfast before I left home.
Delexical verbs: have or take regionally
UK favors have
Ex/
I am going to have a bath.
US favors take
Ex/
I am going to take a bath.
Shall or will?
shall is used with first-person pronouns and is only used in formal writing in all dialects.
Ex/
I shall get up early tomorrow.
will is used with second- and third- person pronouns
Ex/
You will get up early tomorrow.
Inverted when used emphatically
Ex/
You shall go the the ball!
Simple past of Bust regionally
UK
Bust
US
Busted
Simple past of Dive regionally
UK
Dived
US
Dove/Dived
Simple past of Get regionally
UK
Got
US
Got
Simple past of Plead regionally
UK
Pleaded
US
Pleaded/Pled
Simple past of Prove regionally
UK
Proved
US
Proved
Simple past of saw regionally
UK
Sawed
US
sawed
Simple past of stink regionally
UK
Stank
US
Stank/Stunk
Simple past of wake regionally
UK
Woke
US
Woke/waked
Past participle of Bust regionally
UK
Bust
US
Busted
Past participle of dive regionally
UK
Dived
US
Dived
Past participle of get regionally
UK
Got
US
Gotten
Past participle of plead regionally
UK
Pleaded
US
Pleaded/Pled
Past participle of prove regionally
UK
Proved
US
Proved/Proven
Past participle of saw regionally
UK
Sawn
US
Sawn/Sawed
Past participle of stink regionally
UK
Stunk
US
Stunk
Past participle of wake regionally
UK
Woken
US
Woken
Gotten past participle rules
*Gotten isn’t typically used in UK or AUS
In the US Gotten is used as a common past participle form when referring to a change.
Ex/
Acquisition:
We’ve gotten lunch.
Movement:
She still hasn’t gotten up.
Becoming:
He’s gotten fat.
But not in simple possession.
Ex/
Wrong:
I’ve gotten a scarf with me.
Correct:
I’ve got a scarf with me.
Preposition at or on regionally
UK
Ex/
I’ll see you at the weekend.
US
Ex/
I’ll see you on the weekend.
Related to time both use at
Ex/
I’ll see you at seven.
Preposition at or in regionally
UK
Ex/
I studied at university.
US
Ex/
I studied in college.
This difference only applies to educational institutions.
Preposition to or than regionally
UK
Ex/
Mine is different to yours.
US
Ex/
Mine is different than yours.
Both use different from
Preposition exception to regionally
UK
Ex/
Have you written to grandma yet?
US
Ex/
Have you written grandma yet?
US often drops the preposition after the word write.
Regional difference with definite article and the word hospital
UK
Patient is in hospital.
US
Patient is in the hospital.
Regional difference and definite article when referring to reading a clock
UK
Able to tell the time
US
Able to tell time
Regional differences with where to put river in the name of a river
UK
Before the name :
The River Thames
US
After the name:
The Colorado River
Past participle
Are two types of verbs
- To form the perfect tense (e.g. present perfect, past perfect).
- As an adjective to modify a noun or pronoun.
