Verb & Preposition Usage (US)

You say to your friend, "I've gotten so much better at this game," and they shrug. Sounds normal. Then you see a comment online: "It's got, not gotten. Americans can't speak properly." Now you're wondering if every English teacher you've ever had has been lying to you.

Here's the deal: got and gotten, dived and dove, at the weekend and on the weekend — these aren't "right vs wrong." They're mostly US English vs UK English differences. If you're in the US school system, it helps to know what sounds natural here — and what looks like it wandered in from a British textbook. Let's tidy it up.

The basics: got, dove, on the weekend

"Get": got vs gotten

In US English, both "got" and "gotten" are real words — they just do different jobs. The pattern matches other verbs (I eat → ate → have eaten): I get → I got (simple past) → I have gotten (past participle).

• "Yesterday I got a new game." (simple past)
• "I've gotten better at this game." (with have — change over time)

There's one special thing: in American English, we often use "have got" to mean just "have" — and there we don't use "gotten":

• "I've got a dog." = I own a dog.
• "I've gotten a dog." = I received one recently.

So: talking about owning something? → "I've got a dog." Talking about becoming or receiving something? → "I've gotten better / taller."

"Dive": dived vs dove

"Dive" has two accepted past forms in US English. Dived is the older, slightly more formal form; dove is very common in American speech. Both are correct: She dove into the pool or She dived into the pool (a bit more textbook). Most teachers accept either.

"On the weekend" and "on the team"

Prepositions — those little words like on, in, at — are some of the clearest differences between US and UK English. For weekends, US English says on the weekend ("What are you doing on the weekend?"), where UK English says at the weekend. For teams, US English says on ("I'm on the basketball team"), where UK English often says in the team. In a US school, on the weekend and on the team are the natural choices.

Common Mistake: Writing "I've gotten a dog for three years." That sounds like you kept getting a new dog for three years. What you mean is "I've had a dog for three years."

Quick recap:

• In US English, got = simple past and "have"; gotten = the "have become/received" form.
• "Dived" and "dove" are both correct; dove is very common in US speech.
• In US English, say on the weekend and on the team.

In real sentences

Got vs gotten inside sentences. Once you add have/has/had: have got = basically have (possession or obligation), while have gotten = change or receiving.

• "I've got three projects due this week." = I have them.
• "I've gotten better at writing essays." = I've become better.
• "We've gotten a lot of homework this week." = we received it.

For obligation, "I've got to finish this" means "I have to" — and in formal writing, have to sounds more polished.

Dived vs dove — which when? In speech and casual writing, dove is natural ("I dove into bed"). In formal writing (science reports, exams), dived feels safer ("The swimmer dived into the pool"). Most teachers care more that you're consistent than which you pick — don't switch around for no reason.

Prepositions with time. "On the weekend" fits a bigger US pattern: on + days and dates (on Monday, on my birthday, on the weekend); in + months, years, longer periods (in March, in 2025, in summer); at + clock times (at 7:30, at noon, at night). In US English we treat the weekend like a day, which is why we use on.

Prepositions with groups. We say in for classes and rooms full of people ("I'm in Ms. Rivera's English class"), and on for teams and official groups ("I'm on the soccer team," "She's on student council"). You can feel it: in algebra class (you attend it) versus on the math team (you compete for it).

Pro-Tip: If it sounds like a sports team or an official group that makes decisions, try on. If it sounds like a classroom or room full of people, try in.

Sounding controlled, not just "not wrong"

Gotten and tiny meaning shifts. To an American ear, gotten signals becoming or receiving, while have got means having. So "I've gotten more patient" (I have become more patient) is natural, but "I've got more patient" feels off. Same with "He's gotten very tall" (he has grown). And US English usually says "I've gotten used to waking up early," where British writing says "got used to."

Dove and irregular verbs. Dove fits the vowel-change pattern (drive → drove, ride → rode). For top-level school writing, use dove for simple past if it feels natural, but dived as the safe past participle: "He has dived into the water many times" — many US teachers flag "had dove."

Prepositions and "sounding British." These little choices change the "accent" of your writing: "on the weekend" sounds US; "at the weekend" sounds British. In a US essay, dropping in "at the weekend" can look like you copied a British website — not evil, just distracting.

Switching on purpose. British YouTubers and books are how "at the weekend" sneaks into your brain. For US schoolwork, tests and applications, stick to US patterns — "gotten taller," "on the weekend," "on the team." For chatting with British friends, copy their style a little, but don't mix it randomly into one US assignment.

Pro-Tip: Think of US and UK English as two settings, not right vs wrong. For each piece of writing, pick a setting and stay there start to finish.

UK vs US Note

This article is all about US English. In UK English, people usually say just "got" instead of "gotten," prefer "dived" over "dove," and say "at the weekend" and "in a team." Those are completely correct in the UK system — just not what US teachers expect in your essays. For the UK rules in detail, see the UK edition of this article.

Quick check

1. Best sentence for US school English:
a) I've gotten a new bike, and I've gotten much taller.
b) I've got a new bike, and I've gotten much taller.
c) I've gotten a new bike, and I've got much taller.

2. Rewrite so it sounds natural in US English: "What are you doing at the weekend?"

3. Fill the blank with dived or dove (simple past): Last summer, I ______ off the high board for the first time.

4. Which preposition fits best in US English? I'm ___ the school soccer team. (in / on / at)

5. Is this more US-style or UK-style? "She's got a lot taller since last year."

Where next

• "UK vs. US English: A Practical Overview"
• UK edition of this article: "Got", "Dived", and "At the Weekend": A Guide to UK Verb & Preposition Usage
• Verb pillar articles:
  • "Verbs: The Complete Beginner's Guide"
  • "Irregular Verbs: Patterns and Practice"
• Preposition pillar articles:
  • "Prepositions: The Basics"
  • "Prepositions of Time and Place"