1. 2. Grammatical Differences Cont’d…
6. Use of the Subjunctive
Subjunctive is a special kind of present tense that is used to express ‘mood’ that has no -s in the third person singular. Others are indicative and imperative moods.
Thus, AmE is particularly common to the use of subjunctive after words like essential, vital, important, suggest, insist, demand, recommend, ask, advice, etc and it is commonly used in ‘that clauses’ after words which express the idea that is considered important or desirable,

2. 2. Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
By contrast, in BrE the subjunctive is formal and unusual. British people normally use should + Infinitive or ordinary present and past tenses. For example:
i. It is essential that every child get an opportunity to learn. (AmE)
It is essential that every child gets an opportunity to learn. (BE)
ii. She suggested that I see a doctor. (AmE)
She suggested that I should see a doctor. (BrE)
iii. She insisted that I go with her. (AmE)
She insisted that I should go with her. (BrE)

3. 2. Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
7. Collective Nouns
Collective nouns like jury, team, family, government etc., can take both singular and plural verbs in BrE. In AmE, they normally take a singular verb.
i. The committee meets/meet tomorrow. (BrE)
The committee meets tomorrow. (AmE)
ii. The team is/are going to lose. (BrE)
The team is going to lose. (AmE)

4. 2.Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
8. Auxiliary verb + do
In BrE it is common to use do as a substitute verb after an auxiliary verb. Americans do not normally use do after an auxiliary verb.
E.g.,
i. May I have a look at your papers? You may (do) (BrE)
You may. (AmE)
ii. 'Have you finished your homework?' 'I have (done).' (BrE)
'I have.' (AmE)

5. 2.Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
9. As if/ like
In AmE, it is common to use ‘like’ instead of ‘as if/ as’ but this is not correct in British English.
He talks as if he knew everything. (BrE)
He talks like/as if he knew everything. (AmE)
In AmE, it is also common to use ‘were’ instead of ‘was’ in unreal/hypothetical comparisons.
He talks as if he was rich. (BrE)
He talks as if he were rich. (AmE)

6. 2.Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
10. The use of indefinite pronoun ‘One’
Americans normally use he/she, him/her, his/her to refer back to one. In BrE, ‘one’ is used throughout the sentence.
One must love one's country. (BE)
One must love his/her country. (AE)
11. Mid position ‘adverbs’
In AmE, mid position adverbs are placed before auxiliary verbs and other verbs. In BrE, they are placed after ‘auxiliary verbs’ and before other verbs.

7. 2.Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
For example,
He has probably arrived now. (BE)
He probably has arrived now. (AE)
I am seldom late for work. (BE)
I seldom am late for work. (AE)

8. 2. Grammatical Differences Cont’d …
11. Mid position adverbs
In American English mid position adverbs are placed before auxiliary verbs and other verbs. In British English they are placed after auxiliary verbs and before other verbs.
i. He has probably arrived now. (BrE)
He probably has arrived now. (AmE)
ii. I am seldom late for work. (BrE)
I seldom am late for work. (AmE)

9. 3. Pronunciation
There are several regular differences between Received Pronunciation and General American. In AmE, the final /-r/ is pronounced. In addition, several words have individually different pronunciations, as shown below:
BrE AmE
anti- anti: antaɪ
ate et, eɪt eɪt
clerk klɑ:k klɜrk
schedule ʃedju:l skedʒuəl

10. 3. Pronunciation & Stress
Learn also how these words are pronounced differently:
Advertisement, news, water, etc
4. Stress differences
There are many words whose stress varies between the two accents. Some of them can be grouped into ways such as those ending in –ary/-ory (e.g. secretary, laboratory), or –et (e.g. ballet, better), which attracts stress on the final syllable. Below are some examples:

11. 4. Stress differences BrE AmE address address
advertisement advertisement
ballet ballet
cigarette cigarette
garage garage
princess princess

12. 5. Lexical differences AmE BrE Administration Government
allowance pocket money
antenna aerial
apartment building block of flats
back-up tailback
baggage luggage
bathroom lavatory, toilet
bookstore bookshop
can tin

13. Lexical differences AmE BrE candy sweets diversion freeway
driver’s license driving license
fall autumn
eraser rubber
French fries chips
garbage rubbish, refuse
motorcar car, automobile
puncture flat