UseofthePresentPerfect

　　InBritishEnglishthepresentperfecttenseisusedtoexpressanactionthathasoccurredintherecentpastthathasaneffectonthepresentmoment.Forexample:

　　I’ve(Ihave)lostmykey.Canyouhelpmelookforit?InAmericanEnglishthefollowingisalsopossible:Ilostmykey.Canyouhelpmelookforit?

　　OtherdifferencesinvolvingtheuseofthepresentperfectinBritishEnglishandsimplepastinAmericanEnglishincludealready,justandyet.

　　BritishEnglish:

　　I’vealreadyseenthatfilm.

　　Haveyoufinishedyourhomeworkyet?

　　AmericanEnglish:

　　IalreadysawthatfilmorI’vealreadyseenthatfilm.

　　Didyoufinishyourhomeworkyet?orHaveyourfinishedyourhomeworkyet?

　　Possession

　　TherearetwoformstoexpresspossessioninEnglish“have”or“havegot.”

　　Haveyougotacar?

　　Hehasn’tgotanyfriends.

　　Hedoesn’thaveanyfriends.

　　Shehasabeautifulnewhome.

　　She’sgotabeautifulnewhome.

　　Whilebothformsarecorrect,“havegot”(haveyougot,hehasn’tgot,etc.)isgenerallythepreferredforminBritishEnglishwhilemostspeakersofAmericanEnglishuse“have”(doyouhave,hedoesn’thave,etc.)

　　Theverb“get”

　　Thepastparticipleoftheverb“get”is“gotten”inAmericanEnglish.Example:He’sgottenmuchbetteratplayingtennis.BritishEnglish:He’sgotmuchbetteratplayingtennis.

　　Prepositions

　　Therearealsoafewdifferencesinprepositionuseincludingthefollowing:

　　AmericanEnglish:ontheweekend;BritishEnglish:attheweekend.

　　AmericanEnglish:onateam;BritishEnglish:inateam.

　　AmericanEnglish:Pleasewritemesoon;BritishEnglish:Pleasewritetomesoon.