RICARDO E. VALENZUELA RUIZTEACHER : RICARDO E. VALENZUELA RUIZTEACHER E-mail varr1947@yahoo.com
Skype. rico0013 http://englishmistakeswelcome.blogspot.com/Blog Spanish blog: English blog: http://ricardo-elcastellanoenmxico.blogspot.com/
Slide 2 : “Two countries divided by a common language.”
George Bernard Shaw Differences between American and British English
Slide 3 : Teacher Sara is English but she lived in Canada for two years and in America for two years. There were many occasions when she made a mistake with the language or didn’t understand what people were saying. Usually it was the accents which were a problem but she had some difficulties with vocabulary in shops. Here are two examples. Differences between American and British English Teacher Sara was thinking: She was thinking: What did she ask her for?
What should she have asked her for?
Slide 4 : ANSWERS Differences between American and British English Teacher Sara was thinking: She was thinking: What did she ask her for?
What should she have asked her for? jumper (UK)
sweater (US) torch (UK)
flashlight (US)
Slide 5 : Differences between American and British English Another true story:
Teacher Sara was having her hair cut in Washington DC, USA and the hairdresser asked her where she came from as she had a ‘cute’ accent.
Teacher Sara explained that she was from England.
And the hairdresser replied, “ Oh, wow, but you speak our language so well.” !!!
Slide 6 : Differences between American and British English
Grammar The Past
What might a British person say in the following situations:
1. Jenny feels ill. She ate too much.
2. I can't find my keys. Did you see them anywhere?
3. A: Are they going to the show tonight?
B: No. They already saw it.
4. A: Is Samantha here?
B: No, she just left.
5. A: Can I borrow your book?
B: No, I didn't read it yet.
Slide 7 : Differences between American and British English
Grammar ANSWERS The Past
What might a British person say in the following situations:
1. Jenny feels ill. She ate too much. >> She has eaten too much.
2. I can't find my keys. Did you see them anywhere? >> Have you seen them anywhere?
3. A: Are they going to the show tonight?
B: No. They already saw it. >> They’ve already seen it.
4. A: Is Samantha here?
B: No, she just left. >> She has just left.
5. A: Can I borrow your book?
B: No, I didn't read it yet. >> I haven’t read it yet.
Slide 8 : Differences between American and British English
Grammar What might a British person say in the following situations:
1. Which team is losing?
The Government is doing a good job.
The class is listening carefully to the teacher.
2. Will they still be there on the weekend?
3. Joe's taking a shower. I'd like to take a bath. Let's take a short vacation. Why don't you take a rest now? http://www.onestopenglish.com/english_grammar/british_american.htm#present%20perfect
Slide 9 : Differences between American and British English
Grammar ANSWERS What might a British person say in the following situations:
1. Which team is losing? >> are
The Government is doing a good job. >> are
The class is listening carefully to the teacher.>> are
2. Will they still be there on the weekend? >> at
3. Joe's taking a shower. >> having
I'd like to take a bath. >> have
Let's take a short vacation. >> have / holiday
Why don't you take a rest now? >> have http://www.onestopenglish.com/english_grammar/british_american.htm#present%20perfect
Slide 10 : Differences between American and British English
Vocabulary Which common American words go in the gaps:
1. In our school we have a caretaker to look after the building.
In our school we have a _______ to look after the building.
2. Can you tell me where the toilets are, please?
Can you tell me where the _______ are, please?
3. Don’t forget to put the postcode on the envelope.
Don’t forget to put the ________ on the envelope.
4. In October it is autumn. In October it is _______.
5. Bank notes are easier to carry than coins. ______are easier to carry than coins.
6. Give me another sweet thing - one of those biscuits.
Give me another sweet thing - one of those _______ .
7. Between two lessons you often have a break.
Between two lessons you often have a _______.
Slide 11 : Differences between American and British English
Vocabulary ANSWERS Which common American words go in the gaps:
1. In our school we have a caretaker to look after the building.
In our school we have a janitor to look after the building.
2. Can you tell me where the toilets are, please?
Can you tell me where the bathroom / washroom is, please?
3. Don’t forget to put the postcode on the envelope.
Don’t forget to put the ZIP code on the envelope.
4. In October it is autumn. In October it is fall.
5. Bank notes are easier to carry than coins. Bills are easier to carry than coins.
6. Give me another sweet thing - one of those biscuits.
Give me another sweet thing - one of those cookies .
7. Between two lessons at school you often have a break.
Between two lessons at school you often have a recess.
Slide 12 : Differences between American and British English http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_English_words_not_used_in_American_English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_English_words_not_used_in_British_English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_words_having_different_meanings_in_British_and_American_English What are the common American word instead of these British English words?
He bought some sweets. He bought some _______ .
She took her clothes from the wardrobe. She took her clothes from the _______.
They bought a pack of cards. They bought a ________ of cards.
The baby needed a new nappy. The baby needed a new _______.
A pencil and a rubber are necessary for school.
A pencil and an ________ are necessary for school.
6. Fill up the tank with petrol. Fill up the tank with ________ .
7. The postman delivered a parcel. The ________ delivered a .
8. They approached a crossroads. They approached an _______.
Slide 13 : Differences between American and British English
ANSWERS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_English_words_not_used_in_American_English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_English_words_not_used_in_British_English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_words_having_different_meanings_in_British_and_American_English What are the common American word instead of these British English words?
He bought some sweets. He bought some candy.
She took her clothes from the wardrobe. She took her clothes from the closet.
They bought a pack of cards. They bought a deck of cards.
The baby needed a new nappy. The baby needed a new diaper.
A pencil and a rubber are necessary for school.
A pencil and an eraser are necessary for school.
Fill up the tank with petrol. Fill up the tank with gas .
7. The postman delivered a parcel. The mailman delivered a parcel.
8. They approached a crossroads. They approached an intersection.
Slide 14 : Differences between American and British English
Spelling The following words are spelled in British English – what is the American spelling?
The American spelling of tonight can be _______.
The American spelling of colour is _________.
The American spelling of grey is ________.
The American spelling of cheque is _________.
The American spelling of metre is _______.
The American spelling of theatre is ________.
The American spelling of programme is ________.
The American spelling of defence is ________.
The American spelling of licence is ________.
The American spelling of centre is _________.
The American word for criticize is ________.
The American spelling of neighbour is _______ .
Slide 15 : Words that end in -our in the UK end in -or in the USA.
But saviour and glamour are usual in both countries.
UK: colour, honour, favourite US: color, honor, favorite
Words that end in -re in the UK end in -er in the US.
UK: centre, theatre US: center, theater
The verbs that end in -ise in the UK end in -ize in the US. One exception is chastise which is the same in both countries.
UK: realise, theorise, socialise, analyse, US: realize, theorize, socialize, analyze
A few other words that end with an s or z sound before a final vowel differ also:
UK: cosy, practise (verb; noun is practice) US: cozy,, practice (both noun and verb)
A few words that end in -nse in the U.S. end in -nce in the U.K.:
UK: defence, licence (noun; verb is license) US: defense, license (noun and verb)
A few other words are spelled differently. A few common examples are:
UK: waggon, gaol (jail is becoming more common), mould, manoeuvre, encyclopaedia, furore US: wagon, jail, mold, maneuver, encyclopedia, furor SPELLING
Slide 16 : Differences between American and British English The state of the English language:
Let's face it English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant or ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins were not invented in England or french fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose, 2 meese? One index, two indices? Is cheese the plural of choose? If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? In what language do people recite at a play, and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? Park on driveways and drive on parkways? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? When a house burns up, it burns down. You fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm clock goes off by going on. When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it?
Author Unknown