Differences de grammaire US vs UK

Les structures grammaticales qui varient entre l'anglais americain et britannique

1. Have got vs Have

Les Britanniques preferent "have got" pour exprimer la possession, tandis que les Americains utilisent simplement "have".

ContexteAnglais britanniqueAnglais americain
PossessionI've got a car.I have a car.
QuestionHave you got a pen?Do you have a pen?
NegationI haven't got time.I don't have time.
ObligationI've got to go.I have to go.
UK : "Have you got any brothers or sisters?"
US : "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
Les deux sont compris partout, mais chaque forme est naturelle dans son pays.

2. Present Perfect vs Simple Past

Les Britanniques utilisent davantage le present perfect pour des actions recentes, la ou les Americains preferent le simple past.

SituationAnglais britannique (Present Perfect)Anglais americain (Simple Past)
Action recenteI've just eaten.I just ate.
Avec "already"I've already done it.I already did it.
Avec "yet"I haven't finished yet.I didn't finish yet.
ExperienceHave you ever been to Paris?Did you ever go to Paris?
En anglais britannique, utiliser le simple past avec "just", "already" ou "yet" sonne americain. En contexte professionnel UK, privilegiez le present perfect avec ces adverbes.

3. Noms collectifs : singulier ou pluriel ?

Les Britanniques traitent souvent les noms collectifs (equipe, gouvernement, entreprise) comme des pluriels, tandis que les Americains les traitent comme des singuliers.

Nom collectifAnglais britannique (pluriel)Anglais americain (singulier)
L'equipeThe team are playing well.The team is playing well.
Le gouvernementThe government have decided.The government has decided.
L'entrepriseThe company are hiring.The company is hiring.
La familleMy family are coming.My family is coming.
La policeThe police are investigating.The police are investigating.*

* "Police" est toujours pluriel dans les deux variantes.

4. Prepositions differentes

ContexteAnglais britanniqueAnglais americain
Le week-endAt the weekendOn the weekend
Dans une equipeIn a teamOn a team
Dans la rueIn the streetOn the street
A l'hopitalIn hospitalIn the hospital
A l'universiteAt universityIn college
Differemment deDifferent from/toDifferent from/than
Lundi a vendrediMonday to FridayMonday through Friday
Ecrire a qqnWrite to someoneWrite someone (sans "to")

5. Participes passes irreguliers

VerbeAnglais britanniqueAnglais americain
Getget - got - gotget - got - gotten
Learnlearn - learnt - learntlearn - learned - learned
Dreamdream - dreamt - dreamtdream - dreamed - dreamed
Spellspell - spelt - speltspell - spelled - spelled
Burnburn - burnt - burntburn - burned - burned
Leanlean - leant - leantlean - leaned - leaned
Smellsmell - smelt - smeltsmell - smelled - smelled
Spillspill - spilt - spiltspill - spilled - spilled
Regle generale : L'anglais britannique utilise souvent des formes irregulieres en -t (learnt, dreamt, spelt), tandis que l'americain regularise en -ed (learned, dreamed, spelled).

6. Autres differences grammaticales

PointAnglais britanniqueAnglais americain
Shall / Will"Shall" courant pour les propositions : Shall we go?"Shall" rare, prefere "Should we go?"
Needn'tYou needn't worry. (courant)You don't need to worry.
Have a bathHave a bath / Have a showerTake a bath / Take a shower
At / On (dates)At Christmas / At EasterOn Christmas / On Easter
Format dateDD/MM/YYYY (31/12/2025)MM/DD/YYYY (12/31/2025)

7. Exercices pratiques

Exercice 1 : Reecrivez ces phrases en anglais BRITANNIQUE :

a) Do you have a car? →

b) I just ate lunch. →

c) The team is winning. →

d) I learned French at school. →

e) Let's take a shower. →

a) Have you got a car?
b) I've just eaten lunch.
c) The team are winning.
d) I learnt French at school.
e) Let's have a shower.

Exercice 2 : Completez avec la bonne preposition (version UK) :

a) I usually play football the weekend. (at / on)

b) She lives Maple Street. (in / on)

c) He's hospital after the accident. (in / in the)

d) I'll write you tomorrow. (to / rien)

e) This is different what I expected. (from / than)

a) at the weekend — b) in Maple Street — c) in hospital — d) to you — e) from what I expected

Exercice 3 : Ce texte est en anglais americain. Identifiez les 6 elements a modifier pour le rendre britannique :

"I already finished my homework. Do you have a pen I can borrow? The company is launching a new product on the weekend. I dreamed about it and burned my toast this morning."

1) "already finished" → "have already finished" (present perfect)
2) "Do you have" → "Have you got"
3) "is launching" → "are launching" (nom collectif pluriel)
4) "on the weekend" → "at the weekend"
5) "dreamed" → "dreamt"
6) "burned" → "burnt"

Version UK : "I've already finished my homework. Have you got a pen I can borrow? The company are launching a new product at the weekend. I dreamt about it and burnt my toast this morning."