English Vocabulary Lesson on American or British English (subway/underground - eggplant/aubergine)

Hello, everyone. How are you today? This is Mark. I'm doing just great. Thank you very much for asking. In this lesson, we're going to talk about the differences between the American English and British English. In one of my past lessons, under the playlist Confusing English, I talked mainly about vocabulary differences. In this lesson, we're going to talk about grammar differences and some spelling and vocabulary differences. So, let's look at the first one, ok? Past simple versus present perfect. Obviously, present perfect is standard English and so we prefer to use more the present perfect, ok? But in America, they tend to use more the past simple. Let's look at the examples then. Did you ever see gone with the wind? As opposed to, have you ever seen gone with the wind? Some places in North America, they use have you ever seen gone with the wind, especially in Canada and north of United States. But some people say, did you ever see gone with the wind? Gone with the wind is a movie or a film in British English. Let's take a look at another example. I just ate a sandwich. You know that this is incorrect if you are in Britain, ok? But in America, it's quite acceptable. So, in British English, it would be I've just eaten a sandwich. I've just eaten a sandwich. So, let's take a look at the third example and with the usage of the past simple and the present perfect. Did you finish your homework yet? As opposed to, have you finished your homework yet? The last example for the past simple and the present perfect or the differences between the American and the British English is, in America, obviously, he already left for Florida. As opposed to, he has, he's already left for Florida. Ok, so we're back with the differences. In American English, we would say, should we go out tonight? In British English instead, shall we go out tonight? Ok, so, should we and shall we. Ok, this is a difference in the language, ok? In American English and in British English. So, with the American English, we step to must not. So, the example was, Mary didn't get in touch with me. She must not have gotten my messages. Ok, this means that it is not probable, ok? So, she must not have gotten my messages. In British English instead, Mary didn't get in touch with me. So, Mary didn't get in touch with me. She can't have got my messages. Notice also got and here gotten which is the past participle of get but in American English because in British English is got. So, another example of grammar differences is in American English, they would say, he could have went to jail if they had caught him stealing. Ok, notice that after have, we usually use the past participle, ok? In correct English or, sorry, British English. But in American English, they use the past, ok, of the verb. So, they say, he could have went to jail if they had caught him stealing. In British English, it would be, he could have gone to jail if they had caught him stealing. So, we continue with the differences and in American English, we use the auxiliary when we need to use need, the verb to need. So, we would say, we don't need to wear formal clothes at school as opposed to British English where need is with not. So, you don't need an auxiliary with need. We needn't wear formal clothes at school. Another difference and this is the last grammar difference that I'm going to teach you today is in a dialogue, for example, he didn't call me yesterday, ok? So, the person would answer or would ask, he didn't as opposed, this is to show interest, ok? So, he would say or she would say, he didn't as opposed to British English. So, a person would say, he didn't call me yesterday. The other person didn't he, ok? So, we invert the auxiliary. So, in the American English is subject and then auxiliary plus not in this case and in British English is auxiliary plus not plus subject, ok? So, auxiliary plus subject in British English. And in American English is subject plus auxiliary, sorry, auxiliary. Ok, so now let's take a look at some vocabulary differences and spelling differences. Ok, in 1828 Noah Webster published the Webster's Dictionary which is the American English Dictionary and he introduced a lot of changes in the language and we're going to list some of them, ok? Because this one stayed, others no. He proposed other changes in the language that didn't stay but this one's yes. So, color, honor, neighbor, these are examples, ok? For words. So, color, honor, in American English without the U, in British English with the U, ok? So, color, honor and neighbor. They're obviously pronounced the same but the spelling is different. Ok, for example, analyze, organize, paralyze. This is a Z or Zed in English and in British English is with a S, ok? Organize, analyze, paralyze, etc. Obviously is always pronounced with a Z, ok? So, for example, for catalog, analog, catalog, analog, ok? And here I made a mistake because I wrote it in American English, analog, with a G-U-E, G-U-E. But, but, for example, dialogue stayed the same. So, dialogue, ok, is the same, spelled, obviously. Then we have center, theater, litter, meter, in American English. In British English, center, theater, litter, meter. So, you can see the inversion of the E-R in all these words, ok? So, center more as in French and American English E-R, ok, as opposed to R-E in British English. And then we had traveled, canceled, with instead of writing double L, Noah Webster proposed to write it with a one L, ok? And so it stayed. So, traveled or traveling is always with one L. And canceled, canceling, and so on, with one L. Then there are other words such as gray, for example, the color, and with an A as opposed to an E in British English. And yogurt without the H, as in British English. Now, let's look at some vocabulary differences. So, around in American English, in British English, around. Eraser, rubber, in British English. Candy, in American English. Sweets, in British. Cookie, in the morning you eat cookies. Biscuit, in British English. Fall, autumn, ok, the season, fall and autumn. Pants, trousers, in British English. Movie, as I said before, film, in British English. Chips, crisps, resume, or CV, in British English. Sidewalk, pavement, what you walk on, ok, just next to the street, ok. Sneakers, trainers, ok, when you go jogging, for example, you use your sneakers or your trainers, in British English. I hope you enjoyed the lesson. If you have any comments, requests, or if you want to write your own example, you may do so under this video. Enjoy your day and I see you the next time. Take care.