アメリカでは、現金を払うのではなく小切手を書くのが普通です。

America; United States of America

indicates location of action; at; in; indicates time of action; indicates means of action; cause of effect; by; and then; so; indicates continuing action; indicates certainty, emphasis, etc.

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

cash; ready money; money on hand; currency; mercenary; self-interested; calculating

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

to pay (e.g. money, bill); to brush off; to wipe away; to clear away; to dust off; to cut off (e.g. branches); to drive away (e.g. one's competitors); to sell off (something unneeded); to dispose of; to pay (e.g. attention); to show (e.g. respect, concern); to make (e.g. effort, sacrifice); to expend; to exert; to move out (of one's own place); to vacate; to sweep (e.g. one's legs); to knock aside; to make a sweeping stroke (in Japanese calligraphy); to reset (an abacus)

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

nonexistent; not being (there); unpossessed; unowned; not had; unique; indicates negation, inexperience, unnecessariness or impossibility; not ...; to not be...; to have not ...

cheque; check

to write; to compose; to pen; to draw; to paint

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

general; ordinary; usual; normally; generally; usually; train that stops at every station

be; is