This presentation will give you a pretty good idea of the relative
frequency of modals in speech and writing (there's no British/ American
distinction though):

http://www.slideshare.net/ebenimzo/modal-frequency-and-genre-6510671

Marie
France

> I have a niece in Germany married (for 15 years or so) to a
> German.  She tutors children in English and asks the following question:
>
> "Do you ever use "needn't or mustn't" when you speak? Maybe it's British
> because it sure sounds weird to me. Kids have to learn this in 5th grade
> and to me it seems like unnecessary vocabulary..."
>
> Both sound normal to me. But that might be because I lived and taught in
> England for several years.
>
> Jane Saral
>
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