7/6/2010
ENGLISH MAGAZINE
INVITATION
President Dr. Gelasio Cardona Serna Vicepresidente Dr. Gabriel de Jesús Acevedo Rector Dr. Juan Carlos Vergara Silva Director: Dr. Monica Cuellar Editorial Committee Carlos A. Gutierrez Omayra Vargas C. Sandra Jaramillo Gladys Fuentes Javier Sanchez Juan carlos barragan Jenny lagos Aura carrero Henry castellanos Carlos delgadillo Edgar Trujillo Editors Sandra Jaramillo Aura Carrero
We’re pleased to invite you to become a member of this magazine, as one of the pioneers of this publication being a member of provides you with a stellar opportunity to continue increasing your abilities in the use of English Language Writing is a trade in which every educated man, woman, and child should be skilled. Writing is a trade, which any one can master if he goes about it in the right way. It is true that writing skill is often the only trade of some people like the poets, novelists, newspaper reporters and editors. These might be called specialists in writing, and writing is their main occupation and way of making a living. But writing skill is a universal trade and it is necessary for every person to know it to a certain extent.
Edition and publication
Instituto Superior de Pedagogía Universidad Autónoma de Colombia Design and illustration Cristy Soledad Pàez Photography Sandra Torres Electronic Edition Cristy Soledad Pàez Contact
A person will never regret the time he spends in perfecting his instrument of expression. He should work steadily toward the point where he may come to have an abiding love for that which is lucid and beautiful in expression by words. No matter how practical the life he plans to lead, the power of writing down his ideas in good English, in a way that will leave no doubt as to what he meant and how earnestly he meant it, will always profit him. Finally we would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter and to consider being a part of this project.
Editorial
content
5
English at the University
8
The importance of English
Monica Cuellar
9
English at autonomous university
English teachers
10
English discoveries
Sandra Jaramillo
11
The world of English for specific purposes
Aura Carrero
Re-read 12
Competence vs economics
Omaira Vargas
13
How to be a successful student Cristy Soledad Paez
14
What is Ning?
Gladys Fuentes
15
American English vs British English
Carlos Gutierrez
16
English: What for?
Eduardo Arias
17
How to make an oral presentation
Javier Sanchez
18
Linguistic mediators in the process of translation
Juan Carlos Barragan
19
The teacher we need, the teacher we have
Jenny Lagos
20
Puzzles and games
Henry Castellanos
21
Save to travel abroad
Carlos Delgadillo
22
Effective project work
Roger Neira
Students’ Corner 23
The age of stupid
Sandra Milena Castellanos Carrillo Level 5 Teacher: EDGAR TRUJILLO GIRALDO
24
Improving Business Vocabulary
Diego Andres Mondragon Guzman Level 4 teacher: CRISTY SOLEDAD PAEZ
Students Corner
English at
Short but truly stories…
Autonomous
A BAD DAY
One day I was drinking a lot of rum with my cousin when suddenly three ugly men grabbed us and shouted at us “Give me all your money”. I told them that I did not have any, so they checked my purse and stole what money I had. As I went home nervously, I began to cry.
Marcela Padilla and Jerson Mendoza Level 3
One day I was in front of the Hospital speaking with my mother when suddenly I fell down on the floor and With the help of one of the nurses After the doctor examined me he told me, “You can go home now, you are fine” but as soon as I started walking I fell down again, I was in the hospital for a week. They realized I had a gastric ulcer.
Jonathan Acuña and
University We “as and English Micro curricular component” are ready to offer Autonomous university students the best English classes they have ever had before. The University has focussed its students into a high quality of education through a variety of programs that let them to be part of this process. A year ago the Micro component English was born in the Head of Dr. Sonia Roan and the academic support Dr. Monica Cuellar, since then the program has grown very fast, now We have more than 2000 students in all levels and all of them are more than pleased with the program because they have been able to seize the wonderful opportunities to improve their knowledge in a second language and to be ready for their future professional development.
Courses in the Micro curricular component are designed to be challenging, interesting and intellectually stimulating. The emphasis in our teaching is not simply in improving your mastery of the world’s international
language, but also in developing your critical and intellectual thinking across a wide range of subjects within the field of English Studies The micro component has professional teaching staff which currently includes more than forty five teachers from different universities in Colombia as well as postgraduate teachers in English methodology, education management and those who are certified by the common European framework of reference(C.E.F.R) and there are some who speak more than one language. Teaching methods vary from course to course but usually comprise a combination of lectures and seminars. We regularly review our teaching programs in order to make improvements and to offer the best possible range of choices to our students. At the end of each course, students are encouraged to contribute to the review process by submitting their own evaluations of our courses.
Our courses: They provide extensive systematic and well integrated practice in the productive and receptive skills necessary for successful communication in both oral and written forms of the language. This course uses a systematic learning of grammar and vocabulary is balanced with practice in communicative language use and particular attention to details of spelling and pronunciation. Offers opportunities to practice oral expressions skills thorough practiced oral presentations, at the same time the levels are divided in General English (levels 1, 2 and 3) and E.S P English for specific Purpose (legal English, business English and English for engineers levels 4 and 5) Our levels promote the development of portfolios, webpages, e-brary and special software “discoveries” all of this to offer our students the best English classes they have ever had before. English Teachers!
ENGLISH? WHAT FOR?
Nowadays, it is mandatory in Colombia to Study English in all Colombian universities because of globalization. Despite English is necessary to acquire new technologies and knowledge, many students do not realize its importance to improve their opportunities in life and they do not see it will help them to get what everyone wants in their lives. Happiness.
Many students only want a diploma and to study the minimum. They believe happiness is found satisfying their primitive senses and in easy life without studying enough. It is part of our culture which hasn’t permitted us to become a great country despite our great wealth, resources and people’s creativity.
It is evident English gives students more
opportunities in life. But, how it helps students to get their happiness? First, to learn English is an opportunity to strength self-esteem and discipline because to learn English is not an easy matter. You need to study at least two hours at home for each hour in class and
besides that you have to speak in a foreigner language in front of your classmates so you are exposed to make mistakes in front of them and mock. It implies each English student has to defeat its fears and defeat the “osos’s culture”. But it will be extremely difficult for students to do it without teacher’s help. Teachers have a relevant roll in the society especially if we want a change in our society. Teachers have to encourage students to do what they fear and besides that we have to get our students to understand we are humans so we are not perfect. It is natural to make mistakes in a learning process. We have to quit to the hypocrisy of our culture which pretends perfect people and mock about people’s natural mistakes. Secondly,
English permits to see the world from a different point of view and requires a mental change. When you can see the world from a different perspective you will be able to understand others and so you will give arguments in order to get someone to get your point of view instead arguing without them as Colombians usually do.
In our culture many people tend to use violence instead using
A great man once said: “A great man is someone who defeats others, but the greatest is the man who can defeat himself”. Besides that, English helps students to strength their spirit, because if you really want to learn a language you will have to study at least two hours at home for each our in class.
valid arguments. If we encourage our students to see life from different points of view we will help them to build their happiness because they will develop new skills to talk to people and they will get to defeat themselves and so they will get better relationships and our country will
have the opportunity to develop itself without violence.
It implies sacrifice, discipline, constancy, faith, and imagination amongst others. To learn a different language develops student´s brains because when you have to do an effort of this kind you develop new connections between your neurons which permit students to get new ways to do things and see the problems and their solutions. It means students will be able to develop non conventional thought and so they will be able to give revolutionary solutions to problems in their own lives at home and at work. Finally, English helps students to develop their patience, self-esteem and concentration. To learn a different language requires lots of hours of work, self-criticism, faith in the future, concentration and persistence. If you want to learn English you have to understand English is not pronounced in the way it is written, you have to listen many conversations and dialogues to get to pronounce words in the right way, and each individual have to persist in its aims and speaking in front of its classmates to develop its speaking skills. To be a student and a teacher is not an easy matter. It requires a lot of love, patience and wisdom. Teachers and students have to remember what Sidney Harris once said about education “The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows” EDUARDO ARIAS ENGLISH TEACHER.
ENGLISH. [Escriba el subtítulo del documento] When we think about going abroad on a pleasure, studies, business, or any other purpose, the first barrier that anyone would worry about, is “language”. No matter how rich, how influent, how smart you are, or the number of visas you may have. Language is the vehicle which takes you anywhere. Just imagine yourself going out along the street in a new country where everybody around you are speaking English and even people stop near you and ask questions every now and then, and you feeling completely frustrated because of your incapacity of interacting at least for a couple of seconds with anyone, or going into that store which sells your favorite products an being unable to express what you want to buy, just because it is not exhibited in the show window! Well “my dear fellow” (as people use to say in Trinidad and Tobago) Thank God you are bilingual. Think about how awesome it is when you are driving in a huge city like Atlanta, with the largest airport in the world, wide and crowded streets, and people who hardly walk along the streets and you don’t want to waste time making a wrong turn at the next traffic light, so you stop your car and ask the driver next to you about how to get to somewhere faster and they give you an answer right away, and you realize that you can do that because you master English language. You may go to a concert, a cinema, a doctor’s office, an ice-skating rink, a restaurant, a bar, a disco, a mall, or any other public place in Toronto or Mississauga (in Canada) and interact with anybody around, because can you speak English. One day you decide to take a master’s program in England, Australia, United States. Canada or New Zealand and you don’t have to put it off for years until you learn English, because you already know it! Beyond this, a lot of entertainment industry is being developed in English speaking countries. Many would like to be able to understand the words of their favorite songs, hear what Brad pitt’s voice really sound like, or be able to read Shakespeare, or harry potter, or even One hundred years of Solitude (by Gabo) in the English version So I could conclude that English is the key to open the doors you need to be successful in life. Carlos Julio Delgadillo R
English teacher
THE WORLD OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES “ESP”
English for Specific Purposes or English for Special Purposes ESP, is one of the most important areas of English teaching, the ESP began to grow from 1960 and now it is an useful area of EFL teaching. ESP is an excellent way to teach English in specific conditions. What do you do?, what do you study? What are your needs when you learn English? ESP means English for engineers, lawyers, secretaries, nurses, English for business, for each field of study or work. The material that is worked in ESP has to be according to the different topics or to the different groups that are being worked. Technical glossary, specific expressions and real contexts are worked in ESP; the study skills and all the activities are organized in order to work with a specific methodology that can be different from that of General English.
Authors like: Tony Dudley-Evans, Tom Hutchinson and Alan Waters have worked about ESP, they are in contrast with some ideas about ESP, their ideas can be different about the exactly definition, the group or ability range, but the important is the way how they think about ESP as an approach, a method based on the learner´s reason for learning.
The English Teachers at UAC are working in ESP, so we use this approach or this method, and it is necessary to be creative, rigorous and precise in order to focus the needs of the learners.
I want to finish this writing with a story that shows the EPS world. These are some acronyms used in the story: ELT (English Language Teaching)
ESL (English as a Second Language)
EFL (English as a foreign language)
EOP (English for Occupational Purposes)
ESP (English for Specific or special Purposes)
EBE (English for Business and Economics)
EVP (Earned Value Professional)
VESL (Vocational English as a second Language Program)
EAP (English for Academic Purposes)
´“The city of ELT” Once upon a time there was a city called ELT. The people of ELT led a comfortable, if not extravagant, life, pursuing the noble goals of literature and grammar. There were differences, of course: some people preferred to call themselves EFL people, while others belonged to a group known as ESL. But the two groups lived in easy tolerance of each other, more united than disunited. Now it happened that the city was surrounded by high and legend had it that the land beyond the mountains was inhabited by illiterate and savages tribes called Scientist, Businessmen and Engineers. Few people from ELT had ever ventured into that land. Then things began to change. Some of the people in ELT became restless. The old city could not support its growing population and eventually some brave souls set off to seek their fortune in the land beyond the mountains. Many of ELT were shocked at the prospect. It was surely no place for people brought in the gentle landscape for English literature al language. But, as it turned out, the adventurers found a rich a fertile land. They were welcomed by the local inhabitants and they founded a new city, which they called ESP. the city flourishes and prospered as more and more settlers came. Soon there were whole new settlements in this previously uncharted land. EST and EBE were quickly followed by EAP and EOP (the letters confusingly also known EVP and VESL). Other smaller groups took on the names of the local tribes to found a host of new towns called English for Hotel Staff, English for Marines Engineers, English for Medical
Science and so on. A future of limitless expansion and prosperity looked assured. But as with all things the reality proved less rosy. A number of people at the frontiers were forced to abandon their settlements and return to the larger cities. Many settlers, who had come to the newly developed land because ELT could no longer provided them with a living, longed for the comforts and certainties of the old city. Others were confused as to where their loyalties lay: were they still citizens of ELT? Was EAP an independent city or a suburb of ESP?. Did the people of English for Medical Science owe allegiance to EAP, EOP or ESP? Worst of all, there were even examples of groups from ELT being transported against their will to the new territories. Added to all this, the scientists, Businessmen and other tribes were becoming more demanding. Some became to resent the interference of the settlers in their area; others complained that the promised benefits had not materialized. The future in short began to look, if not gloomy, then a little confused and uncertain for the brave new world of ESP´. Taken from “English for specific purposes” by Tom Hutchinson and Alan Waters. 1987
Aura Carrero English teacher
THE AGE OF STUPID The age of stupid documentary is a reflection of what will happen in the future if damaging the planet we continue the way we have been doing. This documentary is about a man of the future showing the catastrophic consequences of the disproportionate damage of natural resources who committed the man and realize that in spite of the poles are thawing, the rivers are polluted and dying animals damaging the ecosystem are in that way and yet we do nothing to prevent it, unlike large corporations and developed countries are seeking ways to disguise their damage with adds that generate consume no matter the environmental consequences that bring these products, but looking for a capital increase for some few and increasing poverty of many.
this movie is based on the examples that show the ranges we have generated pollution and some solutions difficult to implement but very necessary to get something fairly good for the planet to recover, is shown in one example the level of pollution per person in each of continents resulting in the U.S. and Europe more pollutants is necessary that the lower their level of contamination to balance the world in a positive way, but these rather than accept his actions are shielded by the absurd claims that the greatest destroyer of nature is poverty and what to do is increase the supply and demand. in spite of the absurd ideas of those who have the power we must personally perform actions to lessen the pollution from our homes and at all times in our daily lives contribute to the recovery of land actions as simple as not littering to the street , Recycling and even planting trees.
Name: Sandra Milena Castellanos Carrillo English 5 Teacher: EDGAR TRUJILLO GIRALDO
¡The teacher we need, the teacher we have!
Adults, men, women and children from all walks of life, with different likes, needs and interest, on the lookout for new experiences or maybe not yet with any life project, all live in Colombia. They go to English class and wait for the magic that will let them communicate in English. Why?
They’re not sure, but they are aware of the technological
revolution, globalization and other challenges that are difficult if not impossible to master without English.
While other subjects are of course important in professional and academic life, English is different.
English is used to obtain
knowledge; it is goal and process, aim and tool.
Because of its
criticality, its duality, the role of the English teacher is being constantly questioned.
As English teachers, we constantly ask “What is the
objective of our classes? What books should we use? What are the best resources for our classes? What is the best way to evaluate students, processes and skills? How should we design tests? Are they even necessary? Do we really know the answers? Maybe the student, who may know better, should be given the opportunity.
Perhaps this is the reason that in Colombia, as in the rest of the world, a new method was encouraged: students must learn by themselves. Who is responsible for creating and developing the “to curriculum? Schools and universities accepted the challenge guarantee Some the professionals different disciplineswith might that it is responsibility survival of from a variable environment, thesay capacity of the being adapted of educational institutions and teachers. But that cannot be the case for an and integrated to that setting in a creative way and learning English program. (Colciencias1994:52). Students must be involved because hownot they continuously” However, thelanguage results is were express their world, their thoughts and feelings. always successful because teachers knew how to teach a language butneed not to how to teach why students to learn. assumed They understand teachers do whatSome they do in class,that howthe it is learning process was the student’s responsibility. A new curriculum relevant, and how to improve by themselves. Students learn, as Stenhouse and a new methodology has been required. in Posner (1999) says “, through their own experience in the world, taking what they know, so they can think and understand the world instead of repeating it.” Students must not just be taught repetition of words, sentences, knowledge.
Who is responsible for creating and developing the curriculum?
Some
professionals from different disciplines might say that it is the responsibility of educational institutions and teachers. But that cannot be the case for an English program. Students must be involved because language is how they express their world, their thoughts and feelings. They need to understand why teachers do what they do in class, how it is relevant, and how to improve by themselves. Students learn, as Stenhouse in Posner (1999) says “, through their own experience in the world, taking what they know, so they can think and understand the world instead of repeating it.” Students must not just be taught repetition of words, sentences, knowledge.
They must be taught how to repeat procedures, to learn more outside the class than in it.
For this, the English student needs a secure teacher,
autonomous, with high self-esteem, able to follow his or her own life project as tutor and professional and able to lead students to their own way of learning, making them autonomous learners. These teachers have emphasized that, in the words of Little (1990) in Benson (2001), “Autonomy is not self –instruction or learning without a teacher; it does not forbid intervention or initiative on the part of the teacher and it is not something that teachers do to learners.” They provide students with tools for them to steadily begin control over their learning. That’s the teacher our students need; that’s the teacher Autonoma University has.
What is Ning? Ning a Social network to promote students’ communication in English by Gladys Fuentes Camargo, English teacher level 2, 4, 5 ( legal English) Working with social networks our students can encourage their communication in English, for this reason some English teachers of Autonoma University have decided to create a virtual community in order to support the real English classes with videos and other important resources in one social network called “Ning�. Although, Ning is a social platform, we are trying to implement their use as an e-portfolio because it can offer many benefits in our students for instance: It provides a personal online space where they can gather, organize and access a great variety of resources needed for them according to their strengths and weaknesses. This social platform allows students to keep on contact with their teachers all the time, to support each other in the development of their learning processes, and to practice the different topics and grammar functions seen in each class and also exchange information with their classmates. Finally, I have noticed with this virtual community when my students keep on working in autonomous way in Ning platform, they become confidence, improve their vocabulary, pay attention to the employ of some rules and use new expression when they want to express their opinions, thoughts or create their virtual works to the English Class. It is an excellent tool.
Techer: Gladys Fuentes
Mediators in the process of translation By Juan Carlos Barragan
T
he phenomenon of migrations is transforming the countries all over the world into a multicultural ones, where persons of different languages, religious backgrounds and cultures live together side by side. To know the other person's historical, cultural and religious background is certainly one of the fundamental aspects towards knowing the history of towns. How is it possible to know one culture learning from itself?; it might be possible throughout being bilingual or interpreter. Paul A. Kolers (1973) discusses the relation between bilingualism and translation in his article "Translation and Bilingualism" mainly considering the lexical level of translation and the role of bilingualism. He uses bilingualism to examine some general questions in the use of language and to learn more about how the human mind handles different kinds of information, he also emphasizes the human factor in translation by humans comparing it with machine translation, pointing out that there is no satisfactory translation machine. Throughout history of translation, there have always been found the fact that machines cannot replace what linguistic meadiators do in the process of translation and interpretation; the reason for this is the complex structure of languages and the fact that the meanings of words have more than one interpretation depending on the context in which they are used, and a machine cannot make this distinction. In addition to, (Catford 1965:20) focuses on is the fact that the way bilingual people interpret words is different from the dictionary translations of the same words. Kolers explains this situation through a psychological approach: "Our words are commonly used in contexts, in situations
that are defined both by their physical characteristics and by our habits, attitudes, dispositions, and intentions toward them. These cognitive and emotional conditions affect the way we interpret a word when we hear it or see it; they affect the meaning we give to the world" (Kolers 1973: 283). In conclusi贸n: Many Experts point out that bilingualism is a necessary condition for translation activity, the role of the linguistic mediator helps lots of but proficiency of the language is an essential issue to be mastered. Interpreters do not translate words, they do translate ideas.
Source: Cambell S (1998) Translation into the second language, Longman England
Toury) Toury, Gideon (in press). "Translation as a Means of Planning and the Planning of Translation: A Theoretical Framework and an Exemplary Case". Forthcoming in: Proceedings the International Conference "Translations: (Re)shaping of Literature and Culture", Bogazi莽i University, Istanbul, eds. Saliha Paker et al.
How to Make an Oral Presentation
Here are some things you can do to make an effective oral presentation.
Be prepared. Know them
your
audience
and
greet
Be positive. Don't read your presentation. Talk to your audience. Use your notes as prompts Provide examples. Add appropriate anecdotes and humor to drive home a point. Use visual aids and use your hands Maintain eye contact. Shift your eye contact around the room so that everyone feels that you are talking to them. Actively involve your audience. Build in some simple and quick activities for your audience so that they are actively involved in your presentation Use your voice effectively. Vary the tone of your voice and be careful not to talk too quickly. Don't shout or whisper Javier Sanchez Carrascal
18
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
COMPETENCE Vs. ECONOMICS AND CEFRL According to the regulations of the CEFR‌ in the globalization, the English language takes an important role in the development of many countries in the global economy and in the international culture with the use of a common language.. Let us begin by discussing several facts that support the importance of the English language in Economics at the FUAC. On the market side, the use of the English language is quite simple as the economy is increasing at huge steps due to the different changes concerning international markets and becoming this language in the most underlying feature, the CEFR, has very well defined the levels of the English language as the international standards. As we can notice in the scales, to reach the highest levels means to get the highest position in a company, if in the job market we need to compete with this competence that nowadays is not the English of just a few countries but of the most. On the part of the employment side, business transactions, finances, international affairs and relations; all that demand both, a professional career and a basic and advanced knowledge of the English language. Since the international standards control not just the functioning of the planning, organization, staffing, budgeting, of any kind of company, enterprise, or institution, to mention some; the CEFR makes an assessment of the English competences for the worldwide context in the English language, and it is our role, to provide the graduate students at the FUAC, with this competence.
As Colombia has taken part of the National Bilingual Program from the Ministry of Education to fulfill the requirements of the CEFRL, the FUAC goes behind to get it.
For the above said, the FUAC, to contribute with this proposal and to improve the quality of the programs, has established for the students, the English language competence in Level B1 and in the very near future the level B2 as the minimum one for all the graduate students who will immediately enter in the international markets. Economics? Certainly, the FUAC offers this program. Economy? Yes, definitely, our economy is changing. Economic? Yes, the world needs economic prices to be consumers. Economist? Yes, graduate students become Economists.
Omayra Vargas C. English Teacher
American English Vs. British English Possession
If we talk about Written forms of American and British English as found in newspapers and textbooks vary little in their essential features, with only occasional noticeable differences in comparable media. This kind of formal English, particularly written English, is often called 'standard English An unofficial standard for spoken American English has also developed, as a result of mass media and geographic and social mobility. British and American English are the reference norms for English as spoken, written, and taught in the rest of the world. Most of the differences in lexis or vocabulary between British and American English are in connection with concepts originating from the 19th century to the mid 20th century, when new words were coined independently.
Use of the Present perfect In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example: I've lost my key. Can you help me look for it? In American English the following is also possible: I lost my key. Can you help me look for it?
Speakers of British English are likely to understand most American English terms, examples such as 'sidewalk', 'gas (gasoline/petrol)', 'counterclockwise', or 'elevator (lift)', without any problem. Certain terms which are heard less frequently, copacetic (satisfactory)', are unlikely to be understood by most British English speakers. While there are certainly many more varieties of English, American and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL/EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is "correct" however, there are certainly preferences in use. The most important rule of thumb is to try to be consistent in your usage. The following guide is meant to point out the principal differences between these two varieties of English. In British English the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are generally accepted in standard American English. Other differences involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already, just and yet. British English: I've just had lunch I've already seen that film American English: I just had lunch OR I've just had lunch I've already seen that film OR I already saw that film. Have your finished your homework
There are two forms to express possession in English. Have or Have got Do you have a car? Have you got a car? He hasn't got any friends. He doesn't have any friends. She has a beautiful new home. She's got a beautiful new home. While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasn't got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn't have etc.) The Verb Get The past participle of the verb get is gotten. American English. Example: - He's gotten much better at playing tennis.
British and Americans have different ways of pronouncing and spelling certain words but this doesn’t necessarily interfere with communication
Differences in Vocabulary Probably the major differences between British and American English lies in the choice of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties for example: Mean:(American English-angry,bad humored, British English - not generous, tight fisted) Rubber: (American English condom, British English - tool used to erase pencil markings) VOCABULARY
There are many more examples (too many for me to list here). If there is a difference in usage, your dictionary will note the different meanings in its definition of the term.
Many vocabulary items are also used in one form and not in the other. One of the best examples of this is the terminology used for automobiles. AmericanEnglish-hood British English - bonnet AmericanEnglish-trunk British English - boot AmericanEnglish-truck British English – lorry For a more complete list of the vocabulary differences between British and American English use a British vs. American English vocabulary tool.
Prepositions There are also a few differences in preposition use including the following: AmericanEnglish-ontheweekend British English - at the weekend AmericanEnglish-onateam British English - in a team AmericanEnglish-pleasewritemesoon British English - please write to me soon Past Simple/Past Participles The following verbs have two acceptable forms of the past simple/past participle in both American and British English, however, the irregular form is generally more common in British English (the first form of the two) and the regular form is more common to American English. Burn Burnt OR burned Dream dreamt OR dreamed Lean leant OR leaned Learn learnt OR learned Smell smelt OR smelled Spell spelt OR spelled Spill spilt OR spilled PĂĄgina 2
Spelling
Here are some general differences between British and American spellings: Words ending in -or (American) -our (British) color, colour, humor, humour, Words ending in -ize (American) -ise (British) recognize, recognise, patronize, The best way to make sure that you are being consistent in your spelling, is to use the spell check on your word processor (if you are using the computer of course) or memorize spelling rules and choose which variety of English you would like. As you can see, there are really very few differences between standard British English and standard American English. However, the largest difference is probably that of the choice of vocabulary and pronunciation
By Carlos A. Gutierrez