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.
你们当中有很多人都致力于学习美式英语。毕竟，你正在收听阅读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.
但是你也可能会接触到英式英语。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什么不同呢？你可能已经知道两者在口音上有明显的区别。另外还有一些词汇和表达方式上的差异。
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.
然而，语法上的差异很少有被讨论过。美国英语和英国英语的语法几乎完全相同。但两者之间还是有所区别的，而且有些还需注意——尤其是对英语学习者来说。
On today's program, we will discuss a few of them.
在今天的节目中，我们将讨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.
首先，我们来谈谈这两种英语在介词使用上的差异。
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用于几个与时间有关的短语中，如谈论周末。但是此时，美式英语使用介词on。请听这个美国人是怎么说的：
On weekends, I like to watch sports.
在周末，我喜欢看体育比赛。
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，我喜欢看体育比赛。”
Americans also use the preposition "on" with street names. Yet, British English speakers use "in."
美国人也在街道名称前使用介词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他人在何处居住：
She lives on 17th street near Dupont Circle.
她住在Dupont Circle附近的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：“她住在Dupont Circle附近的17街。”
These are just a few examples of the small differences in preposition use.
以上几个例子说的是介词用法上的差异。
The present perfect
现在完成时
Now, let's move on to verb tenses.
下面我们来看看动词时态。
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.
美国人和英国人使用动词现在完成时的方式相似。但美国人很少使用现在完成时。在很多情况下，我们用一般过去时来代替现在完成时。
Listen to an American use the simple past tense to talk about a lost object:
请听，一个美国人用一般过去时谈论丢失了一件物品：
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，英国人通常会使用现在完成时，比如I've lost my phone again，现在完成时的动词是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.
在提供信息时也是如此，在美式英语中，我们用一般过去时。说英式英语的人通常使用现在完成时。
Listen to an American give a piece of news to someone:
请听，一个美国人提供了一条信息：
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."
要提供这样的消息，英国人也使用现在完成时，比如，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.
注意单词just的用法，这是一个常见的时间副词。对于其他类似的副词，如yet和already，美国人也往往会使用一般过去时，而英国人则常使用现在完成时。
Listen to an American use a past tense verb and the adverb "already":
请听一个美国人使用动词过去式和副词already：
Would you like more?
你还想再要点吗？
No thanks. I already ate too much.
不，谢谢。我已经吃得太多了。
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，英国人会怎样回答呢？他可能会说，I have already eaten too much，现在完成时的动词是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."
这两种语言中，动词have和get的用法也稍有不同。
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."
当谈到人际关系时，英国人通常使用have got。例如，一个英国人可能会说：I've got an uncle in New York City.但是一个美国人可能会说：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."
这同样适用于谈论物品的所有以及谈论疾病。说英国英语的人可能会说I've got a cold，而美国人可能只会说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，这两种语言也各有自己的方式。情态动词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。一个美国人可能会说，We have to be there by 7，而一个英国人可能会说，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，要注意get过去分词形式的差异。在美式英语中，get的过去分词是gotten。但早在300多年前英国就不再使用gotten这个词了。在英式英语中，get的过去分词是got。
So, you might hear an American English speaker say this:
因此，你可能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取得多大进展。
Yet a British English speaker might say,
然而，一个英国人可能会说：
He has not got far on the project.
他在这个项目上还没有取得多大进展。
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.
最后，我们来谈谈简短答语。
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:
英国人经常在简短的答语中加上助动词do，而美国人只用一个情态动词。我们来听听这位美国人是怎么回答的：
Are you bringing the whole family?
你会带全家人都来吗？
I might.
可能会。
The modal verb in the reply is "might."
答语中的情态动词是might。
Yet, speakers of British English would generally use both a modal and the auxiliary "do," as in the reply "I might do."
然而，说英式英语的人通常会同时使用情态动词以及助动词do，比如在回答时说I might do。
What can you do?
我们该怎么做呢？
So...what can you do with this information?
那么，我们该怎么做呢？
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.
首先要记住，英式英语和美式英语都有若干种方言和口音。然而，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.
下次你接触到英式英语时，当你听到或看到关于今天所学的差异时，在脑海中把它们记下来。然后，问问自己：美国人会怎么说？这是一个有趣的练习，可以帮助你更好地了解美式英语的语法。
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