| British -our vs. American-or difference |
| armour |
armor |
| behaviour |
behavior |
| colour |
color |
| favourite |
favorite |
| flavour |
flavor |
| harbour |
harbor |
| honour |
honor |
| humour |
humor |
| labour |
labor |
| neighbour |
neighbor |
| rumour |
rumor |
| saviour |
savior |
|
British -re vs. American -er
difference |
| amphitheatre |
amphitheater |
| centimetre |
centimeter |
| centre |
center |
| fibre |
fiber |
| kilometre |
kilometer |
| litre |
liter |
| lustre |
luster |
| louvre |
louver |
| manoeuvre |
maneuver |
| metre |
meter |
| spectre |
specter |
| theatre |
theater |
|
British -ae/-oe/-oeu vs. American
-e/-o/-eu difference |
| archaeology |
archeology |
| gynaecology |
gynecology |
| leukaemia |
leukemia |
| manoeuvre |
maneuver |
| mediaeval |
medieval |
| mementoes |
mementos |
| oestrogen |
estrogen |
| orthopaedic |
orthopedic |
| paediatric |
pediatric |
| palaeontology |
paleontology |
| toxaemia |
toxemia |
|
|
| British -se vs. American -zedifference* |
| analyse |
analyze |
| apologise |
apologize |
| appetiser |
appetizer |
| catalyse |
catalyze |
| civilise, civilisation |
civilize, civilization |
| colonise, colonisation |
colonize, colonization |
| criticise |
criticize |
| emphasise |
emphasize |
| organise |
organize |
| popularise, popularisation |
popularize, popularization |
| prise |
prize |
| realise |
realize |
| recognise |
recognize |
|
| British -l vs. American -ll difference |
| enrolment |
enrollment |
| fulfil |
fulfill |
| instalment |
installment |
| skilful |
skillful |
| British -ll vs. American -l difference |
| counsellor |
counselor |
| fuelled |
fueled |
| travelling |
traveling |
| parallelled |
paralleled |
| quarrelling |
quarreling |
!Remember: In British English, verbs that end in -lpreceded by a vowel usually double the final -l when a suffix -ed/-ing is added. In American English the final -lis doubled only when the last syllable is stressed. |
British -ogue vs. American
-og difference |
| analogue |
analog |
| catalogue |
catalog |
| dialogue |
dialog |
| monologue |
monolog |
British –ence vs. American
-ense difference |
| defence* |
defense |
licence(noun)
license(verb) |
license (both
noun and verb) |
| offence* |
offense |
| pretence |
pretense |
*But note: defensive, offensive |
| *Additional notes::: British English uses both “-ise” and “-ize” forms but tends to prefer -ise (-isation) form.
:: Verbs in British English that can be spelled with either “-ize” or “-ise” at the end are always spelled with -ize in American English.
:: Verbs in British English that end in “-yse” (e.g. analyse) are always spelled “-yze” in American English (analyze). |
| British -dge/-gue vs. American -dg/-gu) |
| judgement |
judgment |
| arguement |
argument |
British -que vs. American
-k/–ck difference |
| banque |
bank |
| cheque (money) |
check |
|
| British -gramme vs. American -gram difference |
programme (noun)
(TV/radio programme or programme of events – plans, conferences, a theatre programme etc.) |
program |
| programme (verb) (to instruct) |
program (-mm-) |
program (programme)
(computer program) |
program |
| gram (gramme) |
gram |
| kilogram (kilogramme) |
kilogram |
|
|
| Miscellaneous spelling differences |
| British |
American |
British |
American |
| ageing |
aging |
mould |
mold |
| aluminium |
aluminum |
mum, mummy (mom, mam) |
mom, mommy |
| encyclopaedia |
encyclopedia |
omelette |
omelet |
kerb (edge of roadway or pavement)
curb (verb means “restrain”) |
curb (both
noun and verb) |
practise (verb), practising, practice (noun) |
practice (both
noun and verb),
practicing |
| draught (current of air) |
draft |
pyjamas |
pajamas |
| grey |
gray |
plough |
plow |
| sulphur or sulfur |
sulfur |
tyre |
tire |
| jewellery |
jewelery |
sceptic |
skeptic |
| marvellous |
marvelous |
woollen |
woolen |
|
It is useful to learn both British and American English forms, but a good recommendation is to aim for consistency in your spelling.
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