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American, British English grammar
Many of you have the goal of learning American English. After all, you are listening to or reading a lesson from the voice of America.
你们傍边有许多人都尽力于学习美式英语。究竟，你正在收听阅览的这篇文章就是美国英语。
But you will still probably have some contact with British English. The popularity of British television shows and musical groups, for example, reaches across borders.
可是你也可以会触摸到英式英语。例如，英国的电视节目和乐队等。
So, how does British English differ from American English? You may already know that there is a clear difference in accent. Other differences include some vocabulary and expressions.
那么，英式英语和美式英语有啥不一样呢？你可以现已晓得两者在口音上有显着的差异。另外还有一些词汇和表达方法上的差异。
Less commonly discussed, however, are the variations in grammar. American and British Englishes share almost all of the same grammar. But there are differences, and some are worth noting – especially for English learners.
可是，语法上的差异很稀有被谈论过。美国英语和英国英语的语法几乎完全相同。但两者之间仍是有所差异的，而且有些还需留心——特别是对英语学习者来说。
On today's program, we will discuss a few of them.
在今日的节目中，咱们将谈论语法上的一些差异。
Use of prepositions
介词的用法
First, let's talk about where the two Englishes vary on preposition use.
首要，咱们来谈谈这两种英语在介词运用上的差异。
In British English, the preposition "at" is used in several time-related phrases, such as when talking about weekends. But speakers of American English use the preposition "on" in such a case. Listen to this American English speaker:
在英式英语中，介词at用于几个与时刻有关的短语中，如谈论周末。可是此时，美式英语运用介词on。请听这个美国人是怎么说的：
On weekends, I like to watch sports.
在周末，我喜爱看体育竞赛。
Can you think of how a British English speaker would say this?
你能想到说英式英语的人会怎么说吗？
That's right, it is: "At weekends, I like to watch sports."
没错，那就是：“在周末，我喜爱看体育竞赛。”
Americans also use the preposition "on" with street names. Yet, British English speakers use "in."
美国人也在大街称号前运用介词on。但说英式英语的人用in。
Listen to this American talking about where someone lives:
请听这个美国人正在谈论别人在何处居住：
She lives on 17th street near Dupont Circle.
她住在Dupont Circle邻近的17街。
Can you guess how the British English speaker would say it?
你能猜到说英式英语的人会怎么说吗？
That's right: "She lives in 17th street near Dupont Circle."
没错，是这样的：?≡贒upont Circle邻近的17街。”
These are just a few examples of the small differences in preposition use.
以上几个比方说的是介词用法上的差异。
The present perfect
如今结束时
Now, let's move on to verb tenses.
下面咱们来看看动词时态。
American and British English speakers use the present perfect verb tense in similar ways. But Americans use it in fewer situations. In many other situations, we use the simple past instead.
美国人和英国人运用动词如今结束时的方法类似。但美国人很少运用如今结束时。在许多情况下，咱们用一般曩昔时来替代如今结束时。
Listen to an American use the simple past tense to talk about a lost object:
请听，一个美国人用一般曩昔时谈论丢掉了一件物品：
Ugh! I lost my phone...again.
哎！我的手机又丢了。
British English speakers would generally use the present perfect in this situation, as in "I've lost my phone...again." The present perfect verb here is "have lost."
在这种情况下，英国人一般会运用如今结束时，比方I've lost my phone again，如今结束时的动词是have lost。
This is also true when giving news. In American English, we use the simple past to do this. Speakers of British English generally use the present perfect.
在供给信息时也是如此，在美式英语中，咱们用一般曩昔时。说英式英语的人一般运用如今结束时。
Listen 
to an American give a piece of news to someone:
请听，一个美国人供给了一条信息：
Your supervisor just called.
你的主管刚打来电话。
Again, such news would involve the present perfect for Britons, as in, "Your supervisor has just called" or the contracted "You supervisor's just called."
要供给这样的消息，英国人也运用如今结束时，比方，Your supervisor has just called。
Notice use of the word "just," a common time-related adverb. With other such adverbs, like "yet" and "already," Americans also tend to use the simple past tense while Britons use the present perfect.
留心单词just的用法，这是一个常见的时刻副词。关于其他类似的副词，如yet和already，美国人也一般会运用一般曩昔时，而英国人则常运用如今结束时。
Listen to an American use a past tense verb and the adverb "already":
请听一个美国人运用动词曩昔式和副词already：
Would
you like more?
你还想再要害吗？
No thanks. I already ate too much.
不，谢谢。我现已吃得太多了。
So, what might a British answer sound like? A person is likely to say, "I have already eaten too much," which uses the present perfect verb "have eaten."
那么，英国人会怎样答复呢？他可以会说，I have already eaten too much，如今结束时的动词是have eaten。
Have and get
have和get
The two dialects also differ in some ways in their usages of the verbs "have" and "get."
这两种言语中，动词have和get的用法也稍有不一样。
When talking about human relationships, British English speakers generally use the wording "have got." For instance, a Briton might say, "I've got an uncle in New York City." But an American is likely
to say, "I have an uncle in New York City."
当谈到人际联络时，英国人一般运用have got。例如，一个英国人可以会说：I've got an uncle in New York City.可是一个美国人可以会说：I have an uncle in New York City.
This same rule applies when talking about possession of objects and when discussing illness. A British English speaker would likely say, "I've got a cold," while an American would probably just say, "I have a cold."
这相同适用于谈论物品的一切以及谈论疾病。说英国英语的人可以会说I've got a cold，而美国人可以只会说I have a cold.
The two dialects also have their own ways of saying that something is required or necessary. The modal verb "Have to" is more common to American English. The phrasing "have got to" is much more common to speakers of British English. An American would likely say, "We have to be there by 7" while a British person is more likely to say, "We have got to be there by 7."
要表达做某事是必需的或必要的，这两种言语也各有自个的方法。神态动词have to在美式英语中更为常见。have got to这一短语在英式英语中更常见。一个美国人可以会说，We have to be there by 7，而一个英国人可以会说，We have got to be there by 7.
And, speaking of "got," let's not forget an unusual difference between the past participle forms of "get." In American English, the past participle of "get" is "gotten." But Britain discontinued the use of "gotten" more than 300 years ago. In British English, the past participle of "get" is "got."
说到got，要留心get曩昔分词方法的差异。在美式英语中，get的曩昔分词是gotten。但早在300多年前英国就不再运用gotten这个词了。在英式英语中，get的曩昔分词是got。
So, you might hear an American English speaker say this:
因而，你可以会听到一个美国人说：
He has not gotten far on the project.
他在这个项目上还没有获得多大发展。
Yet a British English speaker might say,
可是，一个英国人可以会说：
He has not got far on the project.
他在这个项目上还没有获得多大发展。
Auxiliaries in replies
答语中的助动词
And finally, let's touch on something that deals with giving short answers to questions.
最终，咱们来谈谈简略答语。
British English speakers often add the auxiliary verb "do" in short replies. An American would use just a modal verb. Listen to an answer from this American English speaker:
英国人常常在简略的答语中加上助动词do，而美国人只用一个神态动词。咱们来听听这位美国人是怎么答复的：
Are you bringing the whole family?
你会带全家人都来吗？
I might.
可以会。
The modal verb in the reply is "might."
答语中的神态动词是might。
Yet, speakers of British English would generally use both a modal and the auxiliary "do," as in the reply "I might do."
可是，说英式英语的人一般会一起运用神态动词以及助动词do，比方在答复时说I might do。
What can you do?
咱们该怎么做呢？
So...what can you do with this information?
那么，咱们该怎么做呢？
First, keep in mind that British and American English both contain several dialects and accents. However, generally speaking, they are each still identifiably American or British.
首要要记住，英式英语和美式英语都有若干种方言和口音。可是，一般来说，这些都是可以辨认的。
The next time you come into contact with British English, make a mental note when you hear or see the differences you learned about today. Then, ask yourself: How would an American say this? It could be a fun exercise and may help you pay closer attention to American English grammar.
下次你触摸到英式英语时，当你听到或看到关于今日所学的差异时，在脑际中把它们记下来。然后，问问自个：美国人会怎么说？这是一个风趣的操练，可以协助你非常好地晓得美式英语的语法。
往期节目举荐▼
