# British, American different turns of phrase **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070 "2010-12-22T13:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/1 "2010-12-22T13:58:16Z")
Not just words, like lorry/truck or lift/elevator, but phrases: UK: “take a decision” US: “make a decision” UK: “in hospital” US: “in the hospital” UK: “in the event” US: “in the end” Any others? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/2 "2010-12-22T14:11:05Z")
All of those are in common usage in the UK depending on certain context but I wouldn’t pick any of those as being Particularly “US”. however, UK “write to me” US “write me” is pretty distinctive. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/3 "2010-12-22T14:13:29Z")
I’ve heard Americans use the phrase “write to me,” too. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/4 "2010-12-22T14:24:03Z")
My old boss–a Canadian–was taking a licensing test at the same time I was. His inquiry of “When do you write?” seemed very distinct from the “When do you take your test?” that I’m used to. Especially when there was no writing involved! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/5 "2010-12-22T14:34:31Z")
I say “ewrite to me”, too., Doesn’t sound odd or British. UK: On Holiday US: On Vacation I recall one professor from the UK who produced confused looks when he asked his class to give him their _Christian_ names. Of course, there was a pretty big Jewish contingent in his class that was _really_ confused. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/6 "2010-12-22T14:40:16Z")
The British “make sure” has a different connotation than the American phrase–it seems to be more like the American “felt sure” or along the lines of thought/beleved to be so. For example, I hear people in mystery stories say things like “I made sure the door was locked,” when they didn’t actually go and check–which is what that sort of phrase suggests to my American ears. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/7 "2010-12-22T14:44:25Z")
In news reports the ommission in US english of “on” when referring to dates. US: A 19-year-old woman was injured Saturday afternoon when her car hit a tree. UK: A 19-year-old woman was injured on Saturday afternoon when her car hit a tree. Also: US: I could care less UK: I couldn’t care less ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/8 "2010-12-22T14:47:10Z")
> [@](#): > > US: I could care less > UK: I couldn’t care less Both forms are used in the US – most folks, I believe, use what you’ve branded the “UK” phrase. Some use “I could care less” ironically, fully knowing that it’s illogical. And many use it without thinking about the illogic, because that’s the way they’ve always heard it. But i don’t think this example is like the others in this thread, where there’s a sharp UK/US dichotomy. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/9 "2010-12-22T14:47:49Z")
A friend of mine referred to “not being good at maths” in a conversation about statistics yesterday. I said “are you _sure_ you’re not from England”? This is the same person who has unironically dropped phrases like “I visited him in hospital” and " 'e’s feeling poorly." She’s never even been to the UK, as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/10 "2010-12-22T14:56:13Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > For example, I hear people in mystery stories say things like “I made sure the door was locked,” when they didn’t actually go and check–which is what that sort of phrase suggests to my American ears. As a Brit if I heard someone say “I made sure the door was locked” I would always assume it meant they’d rattled the handle or performed a similar physical verification. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/11 "2010-12-22T14:56:29Z")
“I’ll catch up to you” vs. “I’ll catch you up.” ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/12 "2010-12-22T15:01:52Z")
UK : “At weekends” (“I see them at weekends”) w/ emphasis on “-ends” US : “On the weekends” (“I see them on the weekends”) w/ emphasis on “Week-” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/13 "2010-12-22T15:06:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I’ve heard Americans use the phrase “write to me,” too. sure, but I’ve never heard anyone in the UK say “write me” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/14 "2010-12-22T15:08:27Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > The British “make sure” has a different connotation than the American phrase–it seems to be more like the American “felt sure” or along the lines of thought/beleved to be so. > > For example, I hear people in mystery stories say things like “I made sure the door was locked,” when they didn’t actually go and check–which is what that sort of phrase suggests to my American ears. “make sure” in the UK does indeed mean that you probably went to the door and checked it was locked. I’m struggling to think of any examples of your other usage. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/15 "2010-12-22T15:08:28Z")
UK: “Take her in hand.” US: “Train her” or “Show her the ropes.” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/16 "2010-12-22T15:13:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > UK: “Take her in hand.” > US: “Train her” or “Show her the ropes.” I think again that the former is maybe used exclusively in the UK but the latter examples are probably used here more than the former anyway. (I’m not trying to be picky here…just clarifying) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/17 "2010-12-22T15:15:11Z")
One difference I’ve noticed from English law reports is the use of the plural verb for a collective body: “The Board are considering the application…” I don’t know if that’s just a legal usage, or more general in UK usage. The only similar usage that readily comes to mind in North America is with the word “police”, as in “The police are looking for the suspect.” ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/18 "2010-12-22T15:51:19Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > One difference I’ve noticed from English law reports is the use of the plural verb for a collective body: > > “The Board are considering the application…” > > I don’t know if that’s just a legal usage, or more general in UK usage. > > The only similar usage that readily comes to mind in North America is with the word “police”, as in “The police are looking for the suspect.” How does it work with sports teams? We would say “Man Utd were totally outclassed by a dominant Cambridge City team; City are now odds-on favourites to win the Premiership”. In Germany, sports teams are singluar: “Der FC Barcelona muss überraschend um den Einzug in das Viertelfinale bangen”. I guess most US sports teams are plural (Jets, Yankess, Bears etc), but would you say “Ohio State are going to win” or “Ohio state is going to win”? How about in politics? UK: The government are willing to consider all options US: The senate are/is reviewing the options…? ---
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/19 "2010-12-22T15:54:37Z")
US: not pleased UK: not best pleased US: a week from Sunday UK: Sunday week ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/20 "2010-12-22T16:05:27Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > How does it work with sports teams? > > We would say “Man Utd were totally outclassed by a dominant Cambridge City team; City are now odds-on favourites to win the Premiership”. > > In Germany, sports teams are singluar: “Der FC Barcelona muss überraschend um den Einzug in das Viertelfinale bangen”. > > I guess most US sports teams are plural (Jets, Yankess, Bears etc), but would you say “Ohio State are going to win” or “Ohio state is going to win”? > > How about in politics? > > UK: The government are willing to consider all options > US: The senate are/is reviewing the options…? I would say “Ohio State is going to win.” But also, “The Buckeyes are going to win.” Here’s my contribution, which is a variant of something posted earlier. “Writing an exam” US: compiling a set of questions for students to answer UK: answering questions on an exam. This leads to my question of how professors in the UK describe the task of creating an exam. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070.md?page=2)