I need help. I'm trying to learn English,but I think my bbok is old-fashioned. I'd like to know the following:

Question

Do you use the word "motor-car' for "car'?
Do you use "shall",i.e. I shall go or We shall come"
Do you use "petrol" for "gas"?
Is it possible to say:"I'm loving you?
Do you use "post" for "mail"?
I'm a Brazilian, and we don't have good teachers around. Would you say "don't have' or "haven't got"? I' d appreciate your help since you all speak the current British language. I don't like the American dialect. Thanks again.

Answer 1

A lot of American responses so far, some of them snide, and all ignoring the last part of your question. English is also spoken in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries, and as with many other languages it has a huge variety of dialects. And it's evolving and changing all the time. So what constitutes English in one area is totally different from another, with none of them being "better" than the other.

"Motor car" is correct, but people mainly just say "car".

"Shall" is correct, but it's rarely used. Normally people use the short forms of "I will" and "We will" - "I'll" and "We'll".

The British say "petrol" for petroleum oil and "gas" for natural gas. Americans use "gas" for petroleum oil (gasoline) and natural gas, I assume.

"I'm loving you" isn't used. It's "I love you".

British say "post" and Americans say "mail" (although in computing "mail" is universal).

"Don't have" is fine, but I would avoid "haven't got" even though it's used (many schoolteachers intensely dislike overuse of the words "got" and "get").

Just remember that there are a huge number of different dialects, and that probably everyone will maintain that their one is better than everyone else's. What really matters is being able to communicate effectively, and on the basis of your question I don't think you will have many problems.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Your teachers are better than you think, because you do very well in English.
The differences you are citing are largely the differences between British and American usage.
Brits say motor car, or motor, Americans say car.
Brits say petrol, Americans say gas. Brits say post, Americans say mail. Canadians mostly follow American usage, but not always. There is a difference between American and Canadian spelling:
Americans use 'color', Canadians use 'colour'.
Americans use 'thru', Canadians use 'through'.
It would be unusual to say 'I'm loving you', you would be more likely to say, 'I love you'.
Don't have usually refers to a condition, while haven't got refers to a substance, eg: I don't have a cold,
I haven't got any whiskey.
You don't say which city you are in, but many of the larger cities, and especially those with international airports, have news stands with newspapers from around the world. It should be possible to get a newspaper from London, and use it as supplementary reading matter.
Good luck with your studies.You are doing well.

Answer 3

Why don't you like the "American Dialect"?

Its not called the British language its called English.

But I will tell you what we say in America anyway.
Our language is more action oriented.
In USA we use "car"

I am in agreement with you about Camilla Parker Bowles.

Instead of "Shall I start the car?" we would say "Want me to start the car."

I'm loving you is awkward use I love you.

We use "post" for when you put something on the Internet
Like I "posted" my comments on the music forum.

You can use either don't have or haven't got.
British English is a bit more formal than American English.

Answer 4

I use car.

I use shall. Some people do, some people don't. Most of the people here in the South say fixin'. I hate it.

Gas.

I'm in love with you, or I love you are used more often. But you can say I'm loving you.

Mail.

Either, but I use don't have. For some reason I do not like the word got.

I'm American, but I am pretty sure the British would talk the same. At least in some of the questions.

Answer 5

some people use motor , and car others use the name like mini or fiesta
depends who your taking to you can say I shell go if your going on your own , if your going with another person or group then you would say we shall go
we use petrol in most cars some use diesel and a very few use gas or other means when a person requires to re fuel they will pull into a filling station and sectect the pump green for unleaded black for diesel if the car run on gas the pump will be on its own
you can say that your loving a person but only to the one you love
we use the post we receive mail or letters cards and trash
we say we haven't got any, you would say you haven't got to your self only
good luck

Answer 6

car is the norm for saying that, shall is a bit old fashioned, you can normally miss it out and just say I go. petrol, not gas!!! technicly its 'I love you' post, not mail!! don't have and 'haven't got' are perfect too, hope you have good luck in continuing to learn English, its hard but worth it!!!!

Answer 7

We tend to just say "car" cos motor-car is a bit old fashioned.
In my opinion "I shall go" sounds better than "we shall come" - but when you use "I" it refers to you, one person only. "We" is referring to more than one person so....
We use both petrol and gas - but petrol is used more frequently in Britain.
We also tend to say "I luv U" rather than "I'm loving you" unless it's lyk a song and we're singing it.
Again sorry if i'm repeating myself here - but we use both post and mail - but mail is more American.
And "I haven't got" is more casual than saying "i don't have". For example "I haven't got the time"

Answer 8

SHALL is used with the FUTURE tense.

Cinderella SHALL go to the ball.

I SHALL see you tomorrow.

In legal documents e.g. tenancy agreements, "The tenant SHALL not ... "

I WILL punch you on the nose. (A DETERMINED statement. A threat, compulsion)

I will report you tomorrow. We will have to do it. Boys will be boys.

In Britain:

Car, Petrol, I am loving this chocolate sponge, I do love you, I can post your letter, the cheque is in the post,

Answer 9

Do you use the word "motor-car' UK
for "car'? US.

Do you use "shall",i.e. I shall go or We shall come". UK or US
Do you use "petrol" UK
or "gas"? US


Is it possible to say:"I'm loving you?
As a descriptive statement only. same as "I'm touching you"
"I love you". As a positive statement. as "I touch you".

Do you use "post" UK
for "mail"? US

Would you say "don't have' Uk US
or "haven't got"? Incorrect grammar.

Sorry, I'm US

Answer 10

It's just car,I am going or I am going to go to the store, it is gas for the car, I love you/ I am in love with you, We mail letters and post emails on the computer. We don't have or we haven't got.