British English and American English: Spelling Differences

British English and American English: Spelling Differences

British and American variants of spelling are used internationally in various fields. However, language learners should stick to the spelling variant that corresponds to the variant of English that they are studying. Be consistent in your choice: if you write "centre" in one sentence and "center" in another, it might be regarded as a mistake, especially in examination papers. The chart below gives examples of spelling differences between BrE and AmE. Some derivative words are also given in the chart; some of them are the same in British and American English, others are not. Note that British spelling variants often exist as secondary spelling variants in American English. You can check British and American spelling in online dictionaries, for example, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary and Merriam-Webster Online.

British English	American English
aero	air, aero
aeroplane, aerodrome, airport	airplane, airdrome, airport
aeronaut, aerospace, aerosol, aerial	aeronaut, aerospace, aerosol, aerial
ae	e, ae
anaemia	anemia
anaesthetic	anesthetic, anaesthetic
aesthete, aesthetics	aesthete, aesthetics; esthete, esthetics
archaeology, archaeologist	archaeology, archaeologist; archeology, archeologist
encyclopaedia, encyclopedia	encyclopedia
gynaecology, gynaecologist	gynecology, gynecologist
haemoglobin, hemoglobin	hemoglobin
haemophilia, hemophilia	hemophilia
haemorrhage, hemorrhage	hemorrhage
leukaemia	leukemia
medieval, mediaeval	medieval
orthopaedic, orthopedic	orthopedic
paediatrician, pediatrician	pediatrician
Aesop, Caesar	Aesop, Caesar
oe	e
diarrhoea, diarrhea	diarrhea
foetus, fetus, foetal, fetal	fetus, fetal
homeopathy, homoeopathy	homeopathy
oesophagus, esophagus	esophagus
oestrogen, estrogen	estrogen
Oedipus, phoenix	Oedipus, phoenix
ction, xion	ction
connection, connexion	connection
inflection, inflexion	inflection
reflection, reflexion	reflection
complexion; crucifixion	complexion; crucifixion
gue	gue, g
analogue	analogue, analog
catalogue	catalogue, catalog
demagogue	demagogue, demagog
dialogue	dialogue, dialog
monologue	monologue, monolog
pedagogue	pedagogue, pedagog
prologue	prologue, prolog
ize, ise	ize
apologize, apologise	apologize
characterize, characterise	characterize
memorize, memorise	memorize
normalize, normalise, normalization, normalisation	normalize, normalization
organize, organise, organization, organisation	organize, organization
realize, realise, realization, realisation	realize, realization
recognize, recognise	recognize
specialize, specialise	specialize
symbolize, symbolise	symbolize
terrorize, terrorise	terrorize
vaporize, vaporise	vaporize
yse	yze
analyse, analysed, analysing; analysis, analyst	analyze, analyzed, analyzing; analysis, analyst
paralyse, paralysed, paralysing; paralysis	paralyze, paralyzed, paralyzing; paralysis
l, ll	l
cancel, cancelled, cancelling, canceller, cancellation	cancel, canceled, canceling, canceler, cancellation
counsel, counselled, counselling, counsellor	counsel, counseled, counseling, counselor
dial, dialled, dialling, dialler	dial, dialed, dialing, dialer
equal, equalled, equalling; equality	equal, equaled, equaling; equality
fuel, fuelled, fuelling	fuel, fueled, fueling
initial, initialled, inialling	initial, initialed, inialing
jewel, jeweller, jewellery; jewelled	jewel, jeweler, jewelry; jeweled
label, labelled, labelling, labeller	label, labeled, labeling, labeler
level, levelled, levelling	level, leveled, leveling
libel, libelled, libelling, libellant, libellee, libeller, libellous	libel, libeled, libeling, libelant, libelee, libeler, libelous
marvel, marvelled, marvellous, marvellously	marvel, marveled, marvelous, marvelously
parallel, paralleled, paralleling, unparalleled, parallelogram	parallel, paralleled, paralleling, unparalleled, parallelogram
quarrel, quarrelled, quarrelling, quarreller	quarrel, quarreled, quarreling, quarreler
scandal, scandalous	scandal, scandalous
signal, signalled, signalling, signaller	signal, signaled, signaling, signaler
travel, travelled, travelling, traveller	travel, traveled, traveling, traveler
wool, woollen, woolly	wool, woolen, woolly, wooly
l, ll	ll
distil, distilled, distilling, distillation, distillery	distill, distilled, distilling, distillation, distillery
enrol, enrolled, enrolling, enroller, enrolment	enroll, enrolled, enrolling, enroller, enrollment
fulfil, fulfilled, fulfilling, fulfilment	fulfill, fulfilled, fulfilling, fulfillment
install, instal, installed, installation, installer, instalment	install, installed, installation, installer, installment
instil, instilled, instillation, instillator	instill, instilled, instillation, instillator
skill, skilful, skilfully, skilled	skill, skillful, skillfully, skilled
will, wilful, wilfully	will, willful, willfully
mme	m, mme
gramme, gram, kilogramme, kilogram	gram, kilogram
to programme, programmed, programming; programmer; a programme	to program, programmed, programed, programming, programing; programmer; a program
our	or
armour, armoury, armoured	armor, armory, armored
behaviour, behavioural	behavior, behavioral
clamour, clamorous	clamor, clamorous
colour, coloured, colourful	color, colored, colorful
favour, favourite, favourable	favor, favorite, favorable
flavour, flavouring	flavor, flavoring
glamour, glamorous, glamourous	glamour, glamor, glamorous, glamourous
honour, honoured, honourable, honorary	honor, honored, honorable, honorary
humour, good-humoured, humourless, humorous, humorist	humor, good-humored, humorless, humorous, humorist
labour, laboured, labouring, labourer, laborious	labor, labored, laboring, laborer, laborious
neighbour, neighbourhood	neighbor, neighborhood
odour, odourless, deodorant	odor, odorless, deodorant
parlour	parlor
rumour	rumor
saviour	savior
savour, savoury	savor, savory
splendour	splendor
tumour	tumor
valour, valorous	valor, valorous
vapour, vaporous, vapourous	vapor, vaporous
vigour, vigorous	vigor, vigorous
re	er
cadastre	cadastre, cadaster
calibre	caliber
centre, centres, central	center, centers, central
to centre, centred, centring	to center, centered, centering
centrepiece	centerpiece
fibre, fibrous	fiber, fibrous
litre	liter
lustre, lustrous, illustrious	luster, lustrous, illustrious
macabre	macabre, macaber
manoeuvre, manoeuvres, manoeuvrability	maneuver, maneuvers, maneuverability
to manoeuvre, manoeuvres, manoeuvred, manoeuvring	to maneuver, maneuvers, maneuvered, maneuvering
meagre	meager
metre, metric, centimetre, kilometre	meter, metric, centimeter, kilometer
meter	meter
sceptre	scepter
sombre	somber
theatre, theatrical	theater, theatrical
se, ce	se, ce
defence	defense
to license, a licence	to license, a license
offence	offense
pretence	pretense
to practise, practised, practising, practiser; practice (noun)	to practice, practiced, practicing, practicer; practice (noun)
Miscellaneous	Miscellaneous
aluminium	aluminum
cheque	check
cigarette	cigarette, cigaret
cosy	cozy
disc, disk	disk, disc
draught	draft
grey	gray
kerb, kerbstone	curb, curbstone
maths	math
matt	matte
mould; mouldy	mold; moldy
per cent	percent
plough	plow
pyjamas	pajamas
sceptic, sceptical, scepticism	skeptic, skeptical, skepticism
smoulder	smolder
speciality	specialty
storey, storeys; two-storey, two-storeyed	story, stories; two-story, two-storied
tyre	tire
yoghurt, yogurt, yoghourt	yogurt, yoghurt, yoghourt

Note: Regular and irregular verbs

These verbs can be regular or irregular in BrE and AmE: burn, dream, kneel, lean, leap, learn, misspell, smell, spell, spill, spoil. Usually, they are regular in American English, i.e., they form the Simple Past and the Past Participle by adding the ending ED.

10 tips to help you improve your English writing skills

1. Write in English every day

This is the most important tip to improve your writing skills in English. Start by thinking of a theme, for example, you could start writing a diary of something that happens to you every day, you can write a few lines of a story each day or you could write emails to your friends in English. This might be difficult at first but the more you continue, the easier it will become and you might even end up enjoying it!

2. Ask someone to check your writing

If you’re studying at an English language school, you could ask your teacher to check your writing for you. Otherwise, why not ask a friend or relative who speaks English? I’m sure they’d be happy to help! You might even be able to do a writing language exchange – find an English person who is learning your language and write letters or emails to each other (you can write in English and they can write in your language). When you send a reply, you can also send their letter back to them with corrections and they can do the same for

you!

3. Improve your vocabulary

Having a wide range of vocabulary is very important when you’re writing in English. An excellent way to improve your vocabulary is to read as much as possible. If you read books, newspapers or magazines in English, you will learn many new words and common English idioms. Remember to write down the new words and expressions you read and their meanings so you can learn them.

4. Use a dictionary

You might feel that using a dictionary when you write is ‘cheating’ but think again – it is actually a great way to improve your vocabulary and practise using words and phrases that you’ve heard but haven’t used before. Remember to ask someone to check your writing to make sure you have used the vocabulary correctly.

5. Check your writing Carefully

After you have written something in English, you should always read it again, either straight away or the next day. When you do this, you will probably see a few mistakes that you didn’t notice when you were writing it. Remember to check the spelling, grammar and vocabulary – have you used a particular word many times? Can you think of another way to say it?

6.Write about different topics

If you write about the same thing every day, you could become very bored and you might end up using the same words and phrases over and over again! It is a good idea to find different topics to write about as this will help to widen your vocabulary and will be much more interesting for you. Writing about something you read in a newspaper or watched on TV is a good starting point.

7. Do your homework

If you have classes at an English language school, your teacher probably gives you writing homework to do. It is really important that you do all your homework as your teacher knows your level of English and will be able to give you good advice on which parts of writing you need to improve most (e.g. vocabulary, spelling, grammar). This is extremely important if you are planning to take an English language exam.

8. Write to your friends

Do you have friends who speak English (e.g. people you have met in your English classes)? If so, you should definitely practise your writing with them! There are many ways to do this – using social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.), sending emails, writing text messages, chatting on Skype etc. The best thing about writing to people who are also learning English is that you can correct each other’s mistakes!

9. Write a blog

It doesn’t even matter if no one reads it, but writing a blog is a great way to practise writing in English. Set yourself a goal (e.g. upload one blog article a week) and start writing! The great thing about a blog is you can write about absolutely anything and there’s a chance that you might even help or entertain someone who reads it!

And finally…

10. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!

It’s easy to decide not to do any English writing as you are worried that you will make lots of mistakes. However, the more you write and get your writing corrected, the fewer mistakes you will make!