British VS American Spelling: What’s the Difference?

British and American Spelling: Main Difference

Even if you are a UK or US native English speaker who feels extremely confident with your language, you might still slip up at times when differentiating between British and American spelling and pronunciation. Although the languages are more or less the same – there are some differences you should be aware of.

Some spelling differences can be traced back to the 17^th century British Colonisation of North America. At this time, English spelling wasn’t fixed in a verified dictionary, as it is today. When Noah Webster founded the Webster’s Dictionary, he attempted to simplify English spellings in America. Some of his suggestions were approved and gained popularity and today are standard spelling in the US (like ‘mold’ instead of ‘mould’), however others (like ‘tung’ instead of ‘tongue’) did not.

A basic rule that can help you when initially trying to identify American and British spelling differentiations is that American English spelling tends to be simplified and pronunciation-based, so words are spelled as they sound when spoken.

British English often spells words as they originally appeared in the language they’ve been borrowed from (often German or French). For example, the word ‘cheque’ in British English is spelt ‘check’ in American English. A cheque is a document used by a bank to pay a specific amount of money from one person's account to another’s.

Common words spelled differently in British and American English

It is important for writers, exchange students, and business people to be aware of these spelling differences as they may deal with people who use UK and US English throughout their career. Using the proper spelling for each country helps avoid confusion and adds a touch of professionalism.

If you are learning English as a second language, it can be tricky to get the hang of things since the spelling rules are not always consistent. However, there are a few rules you can begin with to get started.

1. OUR VS OR: Words that end in ‘our’ in British English usually end in ‘or’ in American English.

Examples

2. IZE VS ISE: Verbs generally end in ‘ise’ in British English are always spelled with ‘ize’ in American English.

Examples

3. YSE VS YZE: Verbs that end in ‘yse’ in British English are always spelled ‘yze’ in American English.

Examples

4. OG VS OGUE: Some nouns that end with ‘ogue’ in British English end with either ‘og’ or ‘ogue in American English.

Examples

5. An extra ‘L’: A common English spelling mistake is missing out the second ‘L’ in some words. In British English a double L is more common and Americans tend to skip it.

Examples

6. ER VS RE: In British English, words often end in ‘re’ but in American English the same word will end in ‘er’. However, even in British English, many words end in ‘er’. Generally ‘re’ is used for the root versions of nouns. This is when this sound is added on to a word that already exists e.g. ‘nice’ becomes ‘nicer’ or ‘big’ becomes ‘bigger’.

Examples

Other Simplifications

Many American spellings owe their existence to Noah Webster’s spelling reforms, which as mentioned, sought to simplify and bring spelling closer to common American pronunciation.

Examples

As an impact of globalised media and the internet, the lines between British and US English are becoming increasingly blurred as many of us consume a version of English spelling different than our mother tongue.

As well as spelling and grammar, there are some different in the given name for different items. Below are some American and British words for food and household items.

BRITISH VS US WORDS

Grammar differences between British and American English‍

As mentioned, there are some grammar rules that apply in the UK but are different in the US.

1. Single quotation marks or double quotation marks?

In general, both American and British writers usually prefer to write with “double quotation marks” for and ‘single quotation marks’ for dialogue within dialogue or other types of quotes.

However, some British style guides do use single-quotation marks, so be sure to follow any specific style guides you are given. 

If you’ve got quotes within quotes—say, a character quoting another within dialogue—the quotation mark styling for the inner marks is reversed.

2. Oxford/serial commas

The Oxford comma, or serial comma, comes after the final item in a list, before the word “and.” 

Although you may think the Brits would refer to the comma as an Oxford comma (since it is home to the Oxford University Press) it is actually the US that use the term.

Things to remember when spelling words in British or American English

As you can see, there are a lot of rules to keep in mind when trying to stick to British or American English. Although Americans can generally understand British English and vice versa, it is important to stick to the appropriate language style and spelling to ensure your writing comes across as professional and polished as possible.

Here are some tips to help you when learning British (or American) English:

1. Read the language style you’re studying: although there is a huge amount of content that will help you learn English, it is important to make sure the sources you are using are the correct language. Make sure the books, magazines, and news media are in the version of English you want to write. If you are reading regularly about a range of subjects, you’ll begin to pick up on the variations naturally.
2. Use spellcheck: If you are typing up your English language homework on Word or Google Docs, there is an option to use grammar check to highlight incorrections based on your selected language.
3. Google is your friend: If you’re uncertain about whether you are using a UK or US term, don’t guess, look it up! You can access many English UK and US dictionaries online that will give you the correct spelling.
4. Ask a native speaker: If someone has grown up in the UK and spoke the language all their lives, they are more likely to know the correct spelling or rules based on the region.

Remembering all these rules can be difficult, especially for people who are learning English as a second language. If you are learning English in the UK, you will be taught the UK rules but it can be confusing if you are consuming media online that is written in US English.

One rule to keep in mind is that often, the American spelling of words is a simplified version that is closer to how a word sounds, rather how it was spelled in the language it has been borrowed from. There are plenty more details to learn if you really want to become a language pro! 

Make sure to enrol in a verified English language course to ensure you get the best education possible – there is a lot to know after all!