Let’s learn the major spelling differences between British English and American English, with example words:
-our (British English) vs. -or (American English):
- British English: colour, flavour, honour, labour, neighbour, odour, rumour, savour, valour
- American English: color, flavor, honor, labor, neighbor, odor, rumor, savor, valor
-re (British English) vs. -er (American English):
- British English: centre, fibre, litre, metre, meagre, spectre, theatre
- American English: center, fiber, liter, meter, meager, specter, theater
-ise (British English) vs. -ize (American English):
- British English: apologise, realise, recognise, organise, prioritise, criticise, specialise, sympathise
- American English: apologize, realize, recognize, organize, prioritize, criticize, specialize, sympathize
-yse (British English) vs. -yze (American English):
- British English: analyse, catalyse, paralyse
- American English: analyze, catalyze, paralyze
-ence (British English) vs. -ense (American English):
- British English: defence, offence, pretence
- American English: defense, offense, pretense
For a few words, British English makes a spelling difference between the noun and verb forms, whereas American English does not:
- British English: licence (n.) and license (v.), practice (n.) and practise (v.)
- American English: license (n. and v.), practice (n. and v.)
-ogue (British English) vs. -og (American English):
- British English: dialogue, monologue, catalogue
- American English: dialog, monolog, catalog
ae/oe (British English) vs. e (American English):
- British English: aeon, anaemia, anaesthesia, coeliac, diarrhoea, faeces, gynaecology, leukaemia, oesophagus, oestrogen, paediatric
- American English: eon, anemia, anesthesia, celiac, diarrhea, feces, gynecology, leukemia, esophagus, estrogen, pediatric
ll (British English) vs. l (American English):
- British English: cancelled, travelled, dialled, counsellor, quarrelled, signalling, equalling, modelling
- American English: canceled, traveled, dialed, counselor, quarreled, signaling, equaling, modeling
l (British English) vs. ll (American English):
- British English: enrol, fulfilment, instalment, skilful, wilful
- American English: enroll, fulfillment, installment, skillful, willful
“e” (British English) vs. no “e” (American English):
- British English: ageing, likeable, sizeable, unshakeable
- American English: aging, likable, sizable, unshakable
Other words spelled differently in British vs. American English:
Some of these also include pronunciation differences, such as “a – lu – MIN – i – um” (British English) vs. “a – LU – min – um” (American English)
- British English: aeroplane, aluminium, cheque, cosy, fillet, jewellery, kerb, moustache, plough, programme, pyjamas, sceptical, speciality, sulphur, tyre
- American English: airplane, aluminum, check, cozy, filet, jewelry, curb, mustache, plow, program, pajamas, skeptical, specialty, sulfur, tire
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