American English
There are a few grammatical differences between British English and American English:
BRITISH
The present perfect is used for an action in the past with a result now:
* I've lost my key. Have you seen it?
* Sally isn't here. She's gone out.
The present perfect is used with just, already and yet:
* A: What time is he leaving?
B: He has already left.
* Have you finished your work yet?
AMERICAN
The present perfect OR past simple can be used:
* I've lost my key. Have you seen it? or I lost my key. Did you see it?
* Sally isn't here. She's gone out. She went out.
The present perfect OR past simple can be used:
* I'm not hungry. I've just had lunch. I've just had lunch.
* A: What time is he leaving?
B: He has already left. He already left.
* Have you finished your work yet? or Did you finish your work yet?
BRITISH: have a bath/have a shower
AMERICAN: take a bath/take a shower
BRITISH
Will or shall can be used with I/we:
* I will/shall be late this evening. The questions shall I ...? and shall we ...? are used to ask for
advice etc.:
* Which way shall we go?
AMERICAN
Shall is unusual:
* I will be late this evening. Should I ...? and should we ...? are used to ask for advice etc.:
* Which way should we go?
BRITISH
You can use needn't (do) or don't need to (do):
* We needn't hurry. or We don't need to hurry.
AMERICAN
Needn't is unusual. The usual form is don't need to:
* We don't need to hurry.
BRITISH
After demand, insist etc. you can use should:
* I demanded that he should apologize.
* We insisted that something should be done about the problem.
AMERICAN:
The subjunctive is normally used. Should is unusual after demand, insist etc.:
* I demanded that he apologize.
* We insisted that something be done about the problem.
Many verbs ending in ~ise in British English (apologise/organise/specialise etc.) are spelt with ~ize (apologize/organize/specialize etc.) in American English.
BRITISH
British speakers say 'to/in hospital' (without 'the'):
* Three people were injured and taken to hospital.
AMERICAN
American speakers say 'to/in the hospital':
* Three people were injured and taken to the hospital.
BRITISH
Nouns like government/team/family etc. can have a singular or plural verb:
* The team is/are playing well.
AMERICAN
These nouns normally take a singular verb in American English:
* The team is playing well.
BRITISH: at the weekend/at weekends:
* Will you be here at the weekend?
AMERICAN: on the weekend/on weekends:
* Will you be here on the weekend?
BRITISH: in a street:
* Do you live in this street?
AMERICAN: on a street:
* Do you live on this street?
BRITISH: different from or different to:
* It was different from (or to) what I'd expected.
AMERICAN: different from or different than:
* It was different from (or than) what I'd expected.
BRITISH: write to somebody:
* Please write to me soon.
AMERICAN: write (to) somebody (with or without 'to,):
* Please write (to) me soon.
BRITISH
The verbs in this section (burn, spoil etc.) can be regular or irregular (burned or burnt, spoiled or spoilt etc.)
AMERICAN: The verbs in this section are normally regular (burned, spoiled etc.)
BRITISH: The past participle of get is got:
* your English has got much better. (= has become much better)
Have got is also an alternative to have:
* I've got two brothers. (= I have two brothers.)
AMERICAN: The past participle of get is gotten:
* Your English has gotten much better.
Have got = have (as in British English):
* I've got two brothers.
BRITISH: travel -> travelling/travelled, cancel -> cancelling/cancelled
AMERICAN: travel -> traveling/traveled, cancel -> canceling/canceled
