American vs. British English: Use of the Present Perfect 🌎 Grammar with Jennifer and Vicki

Hi everyone. It's Jennifer here with a very special grammar lesson.

Many of you have asked me about the differences between American and British English. In this lesson,

I'd like to help you understand one of those differences with verb tenses. But I can't do this alone.

I'll have help from my friend Vicki of Simple English Videos.

Vicki is British and her husband Jay is American.

Together we'll help you understand the differences in our use of the present. perfect. Are you ready?

The first thing to know is British and American English speakers both use the present perfect in very similar ways.

Americans just use it a little less often.

In this video, we're going to look at some situations where this frequency difference is most noticeable.

I've lost $20. Oh, that's funny. I've just found $20. Well, then it's mine

What was the serial number?

In American and British English, we often use the present perfect to talk about past actions that have relevance in the present.

So there's an important connection between the past and the present.

I've lost $20.

I found $20.

These past actions have effects in the present. That's why Jay and Vicki both used the present perfect here.

Sometimes past actions are very important in the present because they happened very recently.

Okay then. Bye.

Oh...

Your mother's just called. Well, what did she want? She says you never call her.

"Just" indicates that Jay's mother called very recently.

We can use "just" with the present perfect in American and British English.

But there's another possibility.

Hello. Hi Jay. Did you just call me?

Sorry. I just sat on my phone and it dialed your number. Not to worry. Bye. Bye-bye.

In American and British English, we can also use "just"

with the simple past to talk about recent events.

So what's the difference about the way American and British people use "just"?

When we're giving news in British English, we generally use the present perfect.

Oh, your mother's just called. Well, what did you want

When we're giving news in American English, we often use the simple past.

Your sister just called. Oh really? What did she want

So both these sentences are possible in both varieties.

It's just that we use the present perfect more frequently in British English.

32, 90...

16, 51...

11...and the bonus ball

48.

Just won the lottery!

Really? Yeah. Oh!

I think that's my ticket.

I've just won the lottery.

Okay, so that's how we use "just." Let's look at how we use the present perfect with "yet" and "already."

Oh hi. Have you eaten yet? Oh, yes. I've already eaten. Okay. I'll make something for myself.

The words "yet" and "already"

indicate a time up to now or until now.

That relation to the present time means we commonly use them with the present perfect.

That's true in both British and American English.

In American English, especially spoken English, you'll often hear us use these words with the simple past too.

I'm going outside to practice soccer.

Wait a sec. Did you do your homework yet? Yeah, I already did it. Okay.

In British English these sentences will be unusual.

With "yet" and "already" we usually use the present perfect, not the simple past.

So when do Americans use the present perfect and when do they use the simple past?

In written English and when we're speaking carefully, we often use the present perfect with "yet" and "already."

But when we're speaking informally we often use the simple past.

"Did you do it yet?" Sounds a little more informal than "Have you done it yet?"

Especially if we use the less careful pronunciation "didja/didju do it yet?" And

There's something else.

My theory is "did you do it yet?"

can sound just a little more urgent in American English than "have you done it yet?"

I agree with that, Vicki. Let's share one more example.

Did you do it yet?

What? You know.

What? Oh.

I forgot!

You didn't pay the electric bill!

Sorry.

Well, that's all for now. I hope you found this lesson useful.

Please feel free to share this video with other learners who are curious about American versus British English.

And remember to subscribe to our channels English with Jennifer and Simple English videos.

Always thanks for watching and happy studies!