Differences Between American Spelling and British Spelling
|
|
|
-orvs. -our
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
color
|
colour
|
|
favorite
|
favourite
|
|
honor
|
honour
|
|
-llvs. -l
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
enrollment
|
enrolment
|
|
fulfill
|
fulfil
|
|
skillful
|
skilful
|
|
-ogvs. -ogue
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
analog
|
analogue
|
|
catalog
|
catalogue
|
|
dialog
|
dialogue
|
|
-ckor -k vs. -que
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
bank
|
banque
|
|
check
|
cheque
|
|
checker
|
chequer
|
|
-ensevs. -enze
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
defense
|
defence
|
|
license
|
licence
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-zevs. -se
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
analyze
|
analyse
|
|
criticize
|
criticise
|
|
memorize
|
memorise
|
|
-ervs. -re
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
center
|
centre
|
|
meter
|
metre
|
|
theater
|
theatre
|
|
-evs. -oe or -ae
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
encylopedia
|
encylycopaedia
|
|
maneuver
|
manoeuvre
|
|
medieval
|
mediaeval
|
|
-dgvs. -dge (or -g vs. -gu)
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
aging
|
ageing
|
|
argument
|
arguement
|
|
judgment
|
judgement
|
|
Other
|
|
American
|
British
|
|
jewelry
|
jewellery
|
|
draft
|
draught
|
|
pajamas
|
pyjamas
|
|
plow
|
plough
|
|
program
|
programme
|
|
tire
|
tyre
|
|
In British English,words that end in -l preceded by a vowel usually double the-lwhen a suffix is added, while in American English the letter is not doubled. The letter will double in the stress is on the second syllable.
|
BaseWord
|
American
|
British
|
|
counsel
|
counseling
|
counselling
|
|
equal
|
equaling
|
equalling
|
|
model
|
modeling
|
modelling
|
|
quarrel
|
quarreling
|
quarrelling
|
|
signal
|
signaling
|
signalling
|
|
travel
|
traveling
|
travelling
|
|
excel
|
excelling
|
excelling
|
|
propel
|
propelling
|
propelling
|
-edvs. -t
The first categoryinvolves verbs that use -ed or -t for the simplepast and past participle. Generally, the rule is that if thereis a verb form with -ed, American English will use it, and if there isa form with -t, British English uses it. However, theseforms do not exist for every verb and there is variation. For example,both American and British English would use the word 'worked' for the pastform of 'to work', and in American English it is common to hear the word'knelt' as the past tense of 'to kneel'.
|
Baseform
|
American
|
British
|
|
todream
|
dreamed
|
dreamt
|
|
toleap
|
leaped
|
leapt
|
|
tolearn
|
leareded
|
learnt
|
baseform vs. -ed
The second categoryof difference includes verbs that use either the base form of the verbor the -ed ending for the simple past.
|
Baseform
|
American
|
British
|
|
tofit
|
fit
|
fitted
|
|
toforecast
|
forecast
|
forecasted
|
|
towed
|
wed
|
wedded
|
irregularvs. -ed
The third categoryof difference includes verbs that have either an irregular spelling orthe -ed ending for the simple past.
|
Baseform
|
American
|
British
|
|
toknit
|
knit
|
knitted
|
|
tolight
|
lit
|
lighted
|
|
tostrive
|
strove
|
strived
|
For the list of words with the spelling variations between American Spelling and British Spelling,
For detailed differences between American Spelling and British Spelling,
For another list of detailed differences between American English and British English,
From American Spelling to HOME PAGE
| 