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#2 (permalink) Fri Aug 29, 2008 16:52 pm The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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Hi T Cat
One tendency that comes immediately to mind, for example, is that in AmE we tend to say "help someone do something" whereas I believe it might be more typical in BE to say "help someone to do something". This my personal opinion on something I see as a difference in frequency of usage. . |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#3 (permalink) Fri Aug 29, 2008 17:02 pm The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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Hi,
I think the additional 'to' is really a matter of choice in British English rather than typical.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story 'the' vs. 'a/an' |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9209 Location: UK
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#4 (permalink) Fri Aug 29, 2008 17:10 pm The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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. I wonder why I expected exactly that sort of comment from you, Alan.  . |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#5 (permalink) Fri Aug 29, 2008 17:15 pm The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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I really don't get the point of that remark. I ran it through aloud to myself and that's the conclusion I came to. It's as simple as that. _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Good Bye Summer |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9209 Location: UK
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#6 (permalink) Fri Aug 29, 2008 17:19 pm The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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So, are you saying that you think the frequency of usage (with and without the word "to") would be about 50-50 in BE?
I'm asking because I have found the difference in frequency of usage to be quite noticeable. I'd say the general tendency in AmE would be to choose "help someone do" far more often than you Brits do. However, it may well be possible to narrow this difference down to more specific usage situations. . |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#7 (permalink) Sat Aug 30, 2008 9:09 am The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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Does it refer to "help someone do" alone? Are there are other examples, like:
To go on like this was dangerous. Her plan was now to drive to Bath during the night. I have never learnt to read or write. He was too tired to work. Joe is a person to lean on. He began to feel some curiosity.
Can 'to' be omitted in AmE in any of the cases or maybe elsewhere? |
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T Cat New Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 3
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#8 (permalink) Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:14 am The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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Hi T Cat
I was referring only to the construction "help someone do".
The only thing that strikes me as being different in your other sentences is the spelling of the word "learnt" -- we use "learned" in AmE. . |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#9 (permalink) Wed Sep 03, 2008 20:16 pm The difference of verbals usage in BrE and AmE |
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| Thank you a lot:) |
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T Cat New Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 3
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| Using either "on" or "to" | Noun collocates of "start" and "begin" |