Adverb clauses are a type of dependent clause that modify or describe a verb, adjective, or adverb in the main clause of a sentence. They provide additional information about the circumstances under which an action took place, or the manner in which it occurred. Two types of adverb clauses are those of condition and those of concession. In this article, we will take a closer look at these two types of adverb clauses and how they function in a sentence.
Adverb Clauses of Condition
They indicate the conditions that must be met for an action to occur. They usually begin with words such as “if”, “unless”, “provided that”, “as long as”, or “in case”. For example:
If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.
Unless you finish your homework, you cannot watch TV.
You can go out with your friends as long as you come home before midnight.
They can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence, or in the middle. When they are placed at the beginning of a sentence, a comma is used to separate them from the main clause.
Adverb Clauses of Concession
They indicate a contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. They usually begin with words such as “although”, “even though”, “while”, “though”, or “despite the fact that”. For example:
Although he is rich, he is not happy.
Despite the fact that it was raining, she went for a run.
While she was nervous, she gave a great speech.
They are usually placed at the beginning of a sentence, and a comma is used to separate them from the main clause.
Conclusion
These clauses of condition and concession are important tools in creating complex sentences that convey a wide range of meanings. By using these clauses, writers can add depth and complexity to their writing, as well as convey a greater sense of nuance and subtlety in their message. Understanding the basic rules of adverb clauses of condition and concession is an important step in mastering the English language and becoming a more effective communicator.
Adjective clauses, also known as relative clauses, are groups of words that modify or describe a noun or pronoun in a sentence. They typically begin with a relative pronoun such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” or “that.” However, there is another type of relative pronoun that is less commonly used in adjective clauses – the subject relative pronoun.
Who, Whom, and That
Subject relative pronouns, which include “who,” “whom,” and “that,” function as the subject of an adjective clause. This means that they refer to the person or thing that performs the action in the relative clause. Let’s take a look at an example:
Example: The woman who won the prize is my neighbor.
In this sentence, “who” is a subject relative pronoun that begins the adjective clause “who won the prize.” The clause describes the woman who won the prize, and “who” refers to the person who performed the action of winning.
Here are a few more examples:
The team that scored the most points won the game.
The boy whom I saw at the store was my classmate.
The car that runs on electricity is very popular.
Notice that in each of these examples, the subject relative pronoun is the subject of the adjective clause and refers to the person or thing that performs the action.
Defining & Non-Defining Adjective Clauses
Subject relative pronouns can be used in both defining and non-defining adjective clauses. Defining clauses provide essential information about the noun or pronoun they modify and are not set off by commas. Non-defining clauses provide extra information about the noun or pronoun and are set off by commas. Let’s look at examples of both:
Defining: The teacher who assigned the homework is strict.
Non-defining: My sister, who is a doctor, is coming to visit.
In the first example, the adjective clause is defining because it provides essential information about the teacher. In the second example, the clause is non-defining because it adds extra information about the speaker’s sister.
Questions
Subject relative pronouns can also be used in questions. For example:
Who is the person that broke the vase?
Whom did you invite to the party?
Which team scored the most points?
In these questions, the subject relative pronoun is used to ask about the person or thing that performs the action.
Conclusion
In conclusion, subject relative pronouns are a type of relative pronoun that function as the subject of an adjective clause. They are used to refer to the person or thing that performs the action in the clause. Understanding how to use subject relative pronouns in adjective clauses can help you write clear and concise sentences.
Adjective clauses are a type of dependent clause that act as adjectives in a sentence, modifying nouns or pronouns. These clauses contain a subject and a verb and are introduced by a relative pronoun. Object relative pronouns are a type of relative pronoun that are used to introduce adjective clauses that modify the object of a sentence. In this article, we will explore what object relative pronouns are, how they are used, and provide some examples to help you understand their function.
What are Object Relative Pronouns?
Object relative pronouns are a type of relative pronoun that are used to introduce adjective clauses that modify the object of a sentence. The most common object relative pronouns are whom, which, and that.
Whom: is used to refer to people in formal English, often as the object of a preposition. For example, “The woman whom I spoke to was very helpful.”
Which: is used to refer to things, animals, or groups of people. For example, “The book which I read last night was very interesting.”
That: is used to refer to people, things, and animals. For example, “The dog that barked at me scared me.”
How are Adjective Clauses with Object Relative Pronouns Used?
Adjective clauses with object relative pronouns are used to provide additional information about the object of a sentence. They follow the noun or pronoun they modify and contain a subject and a verb. The relative pronoun that introduces the clause is used to refer to the noun or pronoun being modified.
Here are some examples of sentences with adjective clauses containing object relative pronouns:
The car that I bought last year is very reliable.
The man whom she married is a doctor.
The book which is on the shelf is very old.
In each of these sentences, the object relative pronoun (that, whom, or which) introduces the adjective clause, which provides more information about the object of the sentence (car, man, or book).
In some cases, the relative pronoun can be omitted from the adjective clause when it is the object of the verb. For example:
The dog she adopted from the shelter is very friendly.
In this sentence, “she adopted from the shelter” is an adjective clause that modifies the object “dog”, but the relative pronoun “which” is omitted.
Object Relative Pronouns vs. Subject Relative Pronouns
They are often confused with subject relative pronouns, which are used to introduce adjective clauses that modify the subject of a sentence. The most common subject relative pronouns are who, which, and that.
Here are some examples of sentences with adjective clauses containing subject relative pronouns:
The woman who is standing over there is my sister.
The book that I read last night was very interesting.
The car which is parked in the driveway belongs to my brother.
In each of these sentences, the subject relative pronoun (who, that, or which) introduces the adjective clause, which provides more information about the subject of the sentence (woman, book, or car).
Key Takeaways
Adjective clauses are dependent clauses that modify nouns or pronouns in a sentence.
Object relative pronouns are used to introduce adjective clauses that modify the object of a sentence.
The most common object relative pronouns are whom, which, and that.
Adjective clauses with object relative pronouns provide additional information about the object of a sentence.
Object relative pronouns can be omitted from an adjective clause when they are the object of the verb.
Object relative pronouns should not be confused with subject relative pronouns, which introduce adjective clauses that modify the subject of a sentence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, object relative pronouns are a useful tool in English grammar for providing more information about the object of a sentence. By understanding how to use them properly, you can enhance your writing and make your sentences more precise and informative. When using object relative pronouns, be sure to identify the noun or pronoun being modified and choose the appropriate relative pronoun accordingly. With practice, you’ll be able to use object relative pronouns with ease and clarity.
In English, we often use the words “so” and “such” to express the purpose and result of an action. These words can be used to indicate the reason for an action, as well as the outcome that follows from it. In this blog post, we will explore how to use “so” and “such” to express purpose and result.
Using “So” for Purpose
We use “so” to express the purpose of an action. When we use “so” to express purpose, we often follow it with an infinitive verb or a clause that begins with “that.” For example:
I woke up early so that I could go for a run.
She studied hard so that she could pass her exams.
He saved money so that he could buy a new car.
In each of these examples, “so” is used to indicate the purpose of the action that follows. It is important to note that when “so” is used to express purpose, it is often followed by “that” and a verb.
Using “Such” for Result
We use “such” to express the result of an action. When we use “such” to express result, we often follow it with a noun or an adjective. For example:
She is such a good cook that everyone loves her food.
The weather was such a mess that we had to cancel our plans.
He is such a hard worker that he always gets the job done.
In each of these examples, “such” is used to indicate the result of the action that precedes it. It is important to note that when “such” is used to express result, it is often followed by a noun or an adjective.
Using “So” and “Such” Together
We can also use “so” and “such” together to express both purpose and result. For example:
She is such a talented musician that she practices for hours every day so that she can become even better.
He was so hungry that he ate such a large meal that he couldn’t move afterwards.
In each of these examples, “so” is used to express purpose, while “such” is used to express result. By using these words together, we can convey a complete picture of the action and its outcome.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “so” and “such” are two words that can help us express purpose and result in English. By understanding how to use these words correctly, we can communicate our intentions and outcomes more effectively. Whether we are expressing the reason for an action or the outcome that follows, “so” and “such” are valuable tools for any English speaker to have in their vocabulary.
In English, we use a variety of words and phrases to connect ideas and express relationships between them. Two commonly used words to express consequence are “so” and “such.” These words are used to show the effect or result of a given situation or action.
So
“So” is a conjunction that is used to connect clauses, phrases, or words, and is commonly used to express a consequence that follows a particular action or event. It is often used in combination with “that” to form a “so…that” construction. This construction is used to describe a consequence that is the result of an action or event. For example:
It was raining so heavily that we couldn’t leave the house.
I was so tired that I fell asleep in the middle of the movie.
She was so happy that she started to cry.
Such
“Such” is used to introduce a clause that describes or provides more information about a noun. It is commonly used to describe a consequence that is the result of a specific situation or event. “Such” is often used in combination with “that” to form a “such…that” construction. This construction is used to describe the degree or extent of a situation or event. For example:
He is such a good cook that everyone loves his food.
They received such bad news that they were unable to leave the house for days.
It was such a beautiful day that we decided to go for a walk in the park.
It is important to note that “such” is always followed by a noun, while “so” is not. “Such” is also used to modify adjectives and adverbs, and is often used to express a degree of intensity or extremity. For example:
It was such a long day at work.
She is such a talented musician.
He speaks English with such fluency.
Conclusion
“So” and “such” are both important words in English that are used to express consequence. “So” is used to express a result that follows an action or event, while “such” is used to describe a degree or extent of a situation or event. Understanding how to use these words correctly can help you to express yourself more clearly and effectively in English.
In English, we have a variety of ways to express our preferences and opinions. One common way is to use the phrase “would rather.” This phrase is used to indicate a preference or choice between two or more options.
Basic Structure
The basic structure of “would rather” is “subject + would rather + base form of verb + object.” For example, “I would rather stay home than go out tonight.” In this sentence, the subject is “I,” the base form of the verb is “stay,” and the object is “home.” The phrase “than go out tonight” is used to contrast the two options and show the preference.
With “Not”
“Would rather” can also be used with “not” to indicate a negative preference. For example, “I would rather not eat sushi.” In this sentence, the negative preference is indicated by the use of “not” before the verb.
Question
Another way to use “would rather” is in the form of a question. For example, “Would you rather go to the beach or the mountains?” In this question, the speaker is asking for the listener’s preference between two options.
Polite Suggestion or Request
“Would rather” can also be used to express a polite suggestion or request. For example, “I would rather you didn’t smoke in the house.” In this sentence, the speaker is making a polite request for the listener not to smoke in the house.
Would Rather + Verb
It is important to note that “would rather” is always followed by the base form of the verb, and not the infinitive form. For example, we say “I would rather go” instead of “I would rather to go.”
Past Tense
“Would rather” can also be used in the past tense, using “would rather” with “have” and the past participle of the verb. For example, “I would rather have stayed home last night.” In this sentence, the speaker is expressing regret about going out and wishing they had stayed home instead.
Conclusion
In summary, “would rather” is a useful phrase in English for expressing preferences and opinions. It can be used in a variety of ways, including as a statement, a question, or a suggestion. Remember to use the base form of the verb after “would rather,” and use “not” to indicate a negative preference. With practice, you can become confident in using “would rather” to express your preferences and opinions in English.
Hello there! My name is Michael and welcome to Episode number two of The English Corner.
For those of your who are new, I have created this series to help intermediate level English learners improve their English by talking about a wide range of interesting topics.
Language Learning Plateau
In today’s episode, we are going to talk about how to improve your English, especially when you have hit the language learning plateau.
The learning plateau is a common topic in educational psychology. It is the time when a learner doesn’t seem to make any progress no matter how much effort they put in.
Learning a language is no different.
However, to better understand the language learning plateau, we need to first understand The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment abbreviated as CEFR.
This guideline breaks down language learning achievements into 3 main levels and 6 total subcategories to better understand your ability in a language.
The categories are:
A Basic user
B Independent user
And C Proficient user
These can be further broken down into
A1 Breakthrough or beginner
A2 Waystage or elementary
B1 Threshold or intermediate
B2 Vantage or upper intermediate
C1 Effective operational proficiency or advanced
C2 Mastery or proficiency
To give you a better understanding, you would need at least a B2 level in English in order to go to an American University.
This doesn’t mean that you should worry as you can still improve!
I have helped many students get past the language learning plateau. Today, I would like to give you my tips to help you make progress in English.
Just remember. Learning a language is not a sprint. It is a marathon. While you might not appear that you are progressing today, when you look back in a few months’ time, you will see major improvements.
Speak
I have to admit that I have also experienced the language learning plateau with French. Therefore, I personally know that if you really want to pass it, you need to move to the country where they speak that language! For example, I moved to France.
Just kidding! While this will definitely help. I know that this might not be possible for everyone and really isn’t a requirement to get good at English.
In fact, I know plenty of people who have great levels in English and have never been to an English speaking country before.
Rather, the most important thing you need to do in order to improve your English is speak.
As such, I recommend that you go ahead and find a language exchange partner. If you don’t have anyone close to you, don’t worry! With the magic of the internet, it is very easy to find language exchange partners from all over the world.
I am not sponsored by any of these, but some popular ones include
I am also not sponsored by any of these, but some popular ones include:
Italki
and
Lingoda
Also, shameless plug, but if you would like, my website englishacademy101.com also provides one-on-one lessons with a teacher. You can check the link in the description below!
Listen and Read at the Same Time
Another great way to improve your English is by listening to the audio while reading at the same time.
When you speak in your native language, you don’t spend time thinking about the correct grammar. You just speak! This is because your brain is putting together sentences and phrases that you have already heard hundreds and thousands of times before. In other words, your whole life is one massive source of language input that helps you develop a natural language intuition.
In fact, in Brainscape, Andrew Cohen proposes that when learning a foreign language it is best to start by reading. The process of seeing words helps reinforce our ability to remember and use it. He further states that reading at the same time as listening to the audiobook is even better![3]Transcription – Reading vs. Listening – Which is More Effective for Learning and Remembering
In other words, you will start to “feel” what sounds are good and what sounds are “ugly”. Just like a native speaker!
In fact, according to Daniel Willingham, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and author of Raising Kids Who Read, humans have shared information orally for tens of thousands of years. On the other hand, the written word is a relatively recent invention. As such, “When we’re reading, we’re using parts of the brain that evolved for other purposes, and we’re MacGyvering them so they can be applied to the cognitive task of reading,” Additionally, we can get much more information from listening that is very often lost in the written word, namely the intonation and emotions behind the words. For example, when listening to Shakespeare out loud, listeners tend to understand much better.[5]Time – Are Audiobooks As Good For You As Reading? Here’s What Experts Say
Let’s give it a try. Read this famous passage from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet
"To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them. To die: to sleep...” -Hamlet, Act III, Scene I
Now, read along but listen to the speaker’s voice.
You can clearly hear the speakers questioning emotions as he reflects upon this existential problem. This can be easily missed if you are just reading.
Again, this is not sponsored, but I have personally done this learning French by using LingQ. This platform provides thousands of hours of “real world” audio and written content from things such as podcasts, books, magazines, etc..
What’s great about LingQ is that it provides material in all levels from A1 to C2. So you can start where you feel most comfortable and progress from there!
Grammar is Important
You probably didn’t want to hear this, but if you really want to improve your English, grammar is important.
Just like building a house, you first need to build a strong foundation. Otherwise, you will always find yourself making the same mistakes over and over again and unable to get past the language learning plateau.
However, don’t worry! When I say learning grammar is important, I don’t mean just repeating grammar drills like in school. Or learning grammar but not being able to put it into practical use.
Rather, you should learn the relevant grammar material for the material that you are learning at the moment.
For example, say that I want to talk about what I did yesterday. This is a great time to brush up on the past simple tense.
In other words, you should learn grammar bit-by-bit and only when you need it.
This will make grammar much more enjoyable and useful for you.
If you would like some help with your English grammar, you can check out our English Grammar playlist or our website englishacademy101.com where we go into more detail with examples and exercises.
Slowly Tip the Scales in Favor of Native Sources
The next tip that I have for you to help improve your English and pass that language learning plateau is to slowly move from English as a second or foreign language (ESL) material to those made for native speakers.
This is because most language learning programs teach you a formal version of the English language. While this is good, as it helps build a strong foundation in the language, it is not exactly the same as that used every day by native speakers.
This is the reason why you often hear people saying that they have been studying English for years; however, when they watch a movie or listen to native speakers talk, they can’t understand anything!
One way that I often recommend to my students is by using subtitles when they watch something in English. However, rather than just watching one time, depending on your level and the difficulty of the material, I recommend that you watch the English material up to three times.
The first time, the audio should be in English, but the subtitles are in your native language.
This is great because it allows you to hear the English audio, but focus on comprehension.
The second time, the audio should be in English, but the subtitles are in English.
The second time you listen, as you already know the story, you can focus more on the English that is being spoken and use the English subtitles to help you in the parts you still don’t understand.
The third time, the audio should be in English, but you don’t have any subtitles.
The third time, is when you can solely focus on the English being spoken. You already know the story well and can focus on overall comprehension.
When using this three step method, I recommend that you wait a little bit between each viewing. For example, you can wait one week.
Additionally, if you find the thing that you are watching a bit easier, you can also skip step one and only focus on the next two steps.
As a personal note, this is actually the method that I use when improving my French. Personally, I am very interested in travel, food, and Asian cultures. As such, I have found many French Youtubers that combine these interests. These channels are not made for French learners. Rather, they are made for native French speakers. However, since I am already interested in the subject, it doesn’t feel like I am studying when watching. As such, this helps me get a lot of input in the language in a very enjoyable way.
Transcripts with Anki Cards
Building on the previous method, a great way to get past that language learning plateau is through vocabulary study through a spaced repetition system such as Anki.
However, rather than just studying random lists of vocabulary that are not connected to anything you might already talk about in daily life, get the transcripts of the videos that you were watching and actively search for the definitions of vocabulary that you don’t understand.
This will allow you to better understand the vocabulary words in context as well as in a subject that interests you.
If you don’t know how to find the transcript in a Youtube video, don’t worry! It is very easy!
Under the video, at the bottom right hand corner, you will see the three little dots. Click it and you will see Open Transcript. Click that.
The transcript is going to appear on the right hand side of the video. It includes timestamps so that you can easily find where you are in the video.
Make it a part of your Daily Life
Lastly, you need to make English a part of your daily habits. As we stated earlier, only through massive input and living in the language, will you truly be able to improve and pass that language learning plateau.
There are several ways that you can do this including:
Scheduling a part of your day to focus on studying English. For example, set aside 30 minutes to work on English. This can include anything from studying some grammar to watching a video in English.
Another great way to incorporate English into your daily life is by switching your devices to English. For example, you can switch your phone’s setting to show everything in English.
Finally, make use of your dead time to work on your English. But what is dead time?
Simply put, it is the time when you are inactive or unable to act productively.
For example, dead time can include when you are washing the dishes, driving to work, or waiting for your appointment at the doctor’s office.
These are great times to put in a bit of English practice.
Personally, when I take my dog on a walk, I like to listen to French podcasts to help work on my French listening skills.
In other words, they spend 52 minutes per day on the road. Saying that they work 5 days per week. That is 260 minutes or 4 hours and 20 minutes per week. The average American also works 48 weeks per year.[10]How I Go The Job – How Many Workweeks in a Year This means that over the period of one year, they spend 12,480 minutes or 208 hours or 8 days and 16 hours driving per year. Needless to say, that is a lot of time to practice your language!
How to Improve Your English – Conclusion
Learning English or any foreign language is difficult. I understand, I am learning French and still have a lot of difficulties.
However, it doesn’t have to be impossible.
Following these simple tips, over time, you can easily improve your English.
That’s it for now! Don’t forget to subscribe and like. We hope that you found this subject interesting. If there are any subjects that you would like me to talk about, please feel free to write a question in the comments below. See you later!
English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. The two main dialects are British and American English. While very similar and mutually intelligible, there are some small differences between them, namely vocabulary.[1]Oxford International
We have included some of the biggest differences between British and American English vocabulary.
Auberginevs. Eggplant
Autumn vs. Fall
Biscuits vs. Cookies
In American English, You can say biscuits. However, it is a type of bread.
American Biscuits
Chips vs. French fries
Courgette vs. Zucchini
Crisps vs. Chips
Crossroad vs. Intersection
Curtainsvs. Drapes
Dummy vs. Pacifier
Film vs. Movie
Flat vs. Apartment
Football vs. Soccer
Garden vs. Yard
Handbagvs. Purse
Holiday vs. Vacation
Ice Lolly vs. Popsicle
Lift vs. Elevator
Loo vs. Bathroom
Lorry vs. Truck
Maize vs. Corn
Mobile Phone vs. Cell Phone
Pavement vs. Sidewalk
Peckish vs. Hungry
Petrol vs. Gas
The place that you go to get Petrol in the UK is called a petrol station. In the United States, it is called a gas station.
Post vs. Mail
Pub vs. Bar
Queue vs. Line
In British English, you can say queue up while in American English you can say line up.
Rubber vs.
Rubbish vs. Trash
In British English, you can say a rubbish bin for the container of rubbish. In American English, you can say trash can or garbage can.
Shop vs. Store
In British English, you can say I am going to the shop. While in American English, you can say I am going to the store.
Sweets vs. Candy
Tap vs. Faucet
Taxi vs. Cab
Tin vs. Can
Torch vs. Flashlight
In the US, the word torch exists. However, when you say torch in American English it means
Trainers vs. Sneakers
Trousers vs. Pants
Underground vs. Subway
Wardrobe vs. Closet
Zip vs. Zipper
In the USA, the word zip exists. However, it is the verb. In other words, you can say, I am zipping the zipper.
Hello there! My name is Michael and welcome to the first episode of The English Corner (British English vs. American English).
I am very happy that you are here with me.
To start, I am going to present the idea of this series.
Simply put, the The English Corner is for people who are studying English and can’t find interesting things to watch and listen to.
There are many different types of people who learn English. For example, for beginners, there are many resources online, including on our website englishacademy101.com to study grammar, vocabulary, etc…
On the other end of the spectrum, there are people with advanced levels who can easily read, listen, and watch content made for native English speakers.
However, between these two levels are people with an intermediate level in English. They have more than a basic understanding of English but still might have a hard time comprehending content made for native speakers such as the news or movies because they speak too quickly or use difficult vocabulary.
Therefore, my goal with The English Corner is to help you learn English by presenting interesting videos about many different topics. For example, we will talk about the history and culture of the English language and English-speaking countries as well as many other subjects that you and I might find interesting.
When watching these episodes, it is normal that you might not understand everything that I say the first time. You might have to listen to the episode two, three, four, or many more times! This is normal. The more you listen, the better you will understand. To help, I have included subtitles for these episodes. In addition, I have included a full transcript of this episode on the website. There is a link in the description below.
Episode Introduction
In today’s episode, we will be talking about American and British English and their history and differences.
While English is very widespread, there are many different dialects. Therefore, it is important to define what a dialect is.
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines it as “the form of a language that is spoken in one area with grammar, words, and pronunciation that may be different from other forms of the same language” [3]Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries – dialect
American and British English are the two main native English dialects. The American English family includes native English spoken in the United States and Canada. The British English family includes English spoken in the British Isles, West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, Rhodesia, and South Africa.
History of British English
To truly understand the differences between these two main dialects, we need to understand the history of the English language.
The history of British English can be broken down into four parts.
Old English
The first part, according to Dennis Freeborn, the former Head of Language Studies at the College of Ripon and York St. John in the UK and former Chief Examiner in the English Language studies for the London University Schools Examinations Board. It is when English was first brought to the British Isles in the first half of the fifth century AD by “Angles” settlers from across the North Sea.
The native inhabitants of the British Isles were called “Britons”. They spoke several Celtic dialects. On the other hand, the Angles spoke dialects from the West Germanic language family. Over time, the land became known as “Englalond” or “Angle-land” and the language as “Englisc”. Modern-day linguists refer to the new language that emerged in this period, up to around 1100 or 1150, as “Old English”.
Middle English
The second part, known as the “Middle English” period, was from about 1100 to 1500. The language was greatly affected by the Norman-French Conquest period between 1066 to 1075, when William I, Duke of Normandy, also known as William the Conqueror, fought for and laid claim to the English crown.
During this period, the ruling French class was the minority but had a disproportionate influence on all aspects of English life as they controlled the cultural, economic, and political life in England. In fact, according to the research of the origins of the 10,000 most common words in English, 29% of them come from French. When looking at the core 5,000 English vocabulary words, French is even more dominant at 56%.[4]Medium – The English language is a lot more French than we thought, here’s why Additionally, few works have survived of early Middle English as it was considered more prestigious to write in French than in English.
End of Middle English
The end of the Middle English period and the outsized influence of French on the English language came about due to two factors.
One of the major factors was the Black Death which negatively affected the French influence on the English language in three ways.
First, due to the death of a large number of French nobility, there wasn’t a large population of native French speakers living in England to keep the language alive.
Second, as the English-speaking lower classes started to fill in the vacant prominent positions in society, they started exerting more influence over the traditional French-speaking courts. In fact, in 1362 Edward III declared “the Laws should be pleaded in the English Tongue,” because “the French Tongue . . . is unknown in the Realm”.
The second major factor that saw to the end of Middle English and the French influence on the language was the Hundred Years’ War from 1337-1453. Due to over a century of fighting between these two countries, many Englishmen saw French as the language of the enemies. As such, it quickly lost popularity and the prominence of English rose.[6]theclassroom – The Effects of the Hundred Years’ War on English Literature
Early Modern English
The third part of the history of the English language is known as “Early Modern English”. This period lasted from 1500-1800. During this period, England experienced a great time of technological, political, and cultural advancements, such as the introduction of the printing press in 1476 by William Caxton[7]British Library – William Caxton and the exploration and colonization of the Americas.
The grammatical and orthographical features of the later periods of Early Modern English are still very influential in Modern Standard English. Many famous works from this period such as those by William Shakespeare and the King James Bible are still understandable to a modern audience.
Modern English
The final part of the history of the English language in Britain often called “Modern English”, started from the 1800s until the present day. As the British Empire rose to global dominance, they also spread the English language, making it the first truly global language. It was also during this time that American English started to develop and branch off into its own distinct dialect.
History of American English
As such, it is important to look at this starting off point to best understand the history of American English.
Early Modern English or Elizabethan English had a big impact on the early development of the American dialect. The first permanent English colony, Jamestown, Virginia, was found in 1607.[8]bl.uk – English arrives in North America
However, even then, there wasn’t a uniform dialect in the Americas. British settlers came from many parts of the British Isles and brought a diverse mixture of dialects with them.
Other Influences
Additionally, we can’t only attribute the development of the American dialect to the establishment of the earliest British settlements. Several other sources contributed to this early period of American English development.
One of the sources was Basque. This language comes from the Basque Country, a region incorporating the areas of Northern Spain and Southwestern France. It heavily influenced American maritime language such as the word anchovy.[9]Quicksilver – Bas que words in English
Another source that influenced the development of early American English was the Pidgin English of the Native Americans. Pidgin is a grammatically simplified language that is developed to allow two groups of people with dissimilar languages to talk to each other. Very often this is used for trade. The early Englishmen that came to the New World relied on the native population for survival with things such as food. This naturally led to them adopting new language norms and vocabulary to communicate.
Early American English was also influenced by the Pidgin English that was brought over by West African slaves in the 17th century.
Lastly, it is important to remember, that English was not the first European language in the Americas. For example, the Spanish were already in Texas for almost 100 years before the establishment of Jamestown. Additionally, the French also had colonies in the Americas in the 16th century.
Continuous Evolution
American English further developed after the initial Early Modern English period.
Through contact with many different cultures in the Americas, the language slowly evolved. However, it is interesting to note that the basic grammar and structure of the language kept its British roots. The main influence of these other languages was vocabulary.
For example, during the early development of the Americas, Native American languages had a large influence on the development of the vocabulary. New settlers had to deal with many things that they couldn’t describe using the English that they had brought with them from Britain. This includes words such as igloo, tomahawk, kayak, and skunk.
Additionally, as the Spanish had already spread into many parts of the Americas, cultural contact was inevitable. This lead to the borrowing of words such as plaza, Creole, and sierra.
Furthermore, the Dutch presence in North America also added words such as Santa Clause, dumb, and boss to the American vocabulary.
Moving forward in time, the United States became a country. It opened its borders to immigrants from all around the world including Africa, Italy, China, and Germany. Immigrants from each of these places played their role in affecting and donating words to the American lexicon.
However, even in more recent times, this process of cultural adoption continues as American English continues to borrow words and phrases from a new wave of immigrants from places such as southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Why Did They Diverge?
As you can see, there are three main reasons that American and British English diverged becoming two distinct dialects.
First, time and distance had a big influence. For example, when the Mayflower sailed to America in 1620, it took 66 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean.[10]Mayflowerhistory – Voyage of the Mayflower Second, the social and political histories in both countries varied greatly. Third, as America went from being a colony of Britain to a sovereign nation, the relationship between these two countries also changed.
Needless to say, British and American English have many similarities as well as some significant differences. In other words, an easy way to look at it is that these two dialects are like cousins. They come from the same family, therefore, they have a lot of similarities, but don’t live together, as such have some differences as well.
Intro to Vocabulary, Grammar, And Spelling
Now that we have looked at a broad overview of the history of the English Language, let’s look into more detail about the biggest differences between American and British English. We can divide it broadly into 3 categories namely, vocabulary, grammar, and spelling.
While most words in American and British English are the same, due to the different historical influences on each dialect as we discussed earlier, both American English and British English do have some notable differences.
This can be seen in the development of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Noah Webster came of age during the American Revolution. As such, he adamantly believed in developing an American cultural identity. He went about doing this by first writing A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language in 1806 and later improving upon this with An American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828.[11]Merriam-Webster – About Us
Some popular vocabulary differences include:
Biscuits vs. cookies
While the words biscuits exist in American English. It usually refers to a type of bread, rather than a sweet.
Flat vs. apartment
Or
Lift vs. elevator
For example, if I was speaking in British English, I might say, “I am going to take the lift to my flat.”
However, in American English, I might say, “I am going to take the elevator to my apartment.”
Football vs. soccer
Petrol vs. gas
Please feel free to check out our website to see some more vocabulary differences. We have included a link in the description below.
Grammar Differences
Grammar is another area that we can see some differences between American and British English.
Some of the most common differences are:
Present Perfect and Past Simple
The use of the present perfect and past simple. In British English, the present perfect is used to talk about a past action that is relevant to the present.
In American English, this is also true. However, if an event is considered finished, it is much more common to use the past simple with adverbs such as yet, just, and already.
For example, in British English, you might say
“I am not hungry. I have already had lunch.”
While in American English you might say
“I am not hungry. I already had lunch.”
Past Participle of “got”
Another difference is the past participle of “got”. In British English, it is “got” while in American English it is “gotten”.
For example, in British English, you might say
“He has got big!”
While in American English you might say
“He has gotten big!”
Collective Nouns
Another difference is the verb form with collective nouns. A collective noun is a name for a group of things or people such as a team, class, or army.[12]Ginger – Collective nouns
In British English, a singular or plural verb can be used with collective nouns. This depends if you are looking at the group as a single unit or as a group of individuals.
In American English, a singular verb is always used with collective nouns.
For example, In British English, you might say,
“The team is/are losing the match.”
This depends if you are referring to the team as a collection of individuals or as a single unit.
While in American English you can only say,
“The team is losing the match.”
An exception to this rule for both American and British English is when talking about the police.
You have to always use the plural verb.
For example, in both American and British English, you might say,
“The police are chasing the criminal.”
Spelling Differences
The last major difference between the American and British English dialects is spelling.
Both American and British English are the main English dialects worldwide. While American English may have originally derived from British English, due to many foreign, cultural, and societal differences, over time it broke off into its very own unique and distinct dialect. It has done this so much that it has also affected the British English that it originally came from.
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