Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

PREPOSITIONAL USAGE

537

There are some differences in prepositional usage between BrE and AmE,

especially in time expressions:

I’ve been stranded in my house for days on end. I get to go out 

at the weekend

and that’s it. 

[laughs] That’s my life. 

(preferred BrE) 

[talking about TV viewing habits]

During the week I don’t have much time, and I spend a lot of time with my

daughter 

on the weekend and she lives a way away. 

(preferred AmE)

AmE allows in + time period after negatives with greater flexibility than BrE:

I haven’t played basketball 

in two years. 

(AmE; BrE preferred form: for two years) 

AmE uses through in many situations where BrE uses to or till in references to the

end points of time periods:

[dress-down-Fridays refers to the practice of allowing employees to come to

work in informal dress on Fridays]

It started with dress-down-Fridays, which was a couple of years ago. Now it’s

really Monday 

through Friday. 

(AmE)

[at a travel agent’s]

You can use that ticket on any train except ones that depart Monday 

to Friday

before nine. 

(BrE)

888 | Appendix: North American English grammar

Cambridge Grammar of English

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AmE uses on with street names, whereas BrE prefers in:

A: She lives on Third Street and I lived on Third Street but we lived between

different avenues. 

B: Hmm. Okay. 

(AmE)

I think she was born 

in Leonora Street and then moved to Castle Street. 

(BrE)