British and American spellingThere are several areas in which British and American spelling are different. These are the main ones to be aware of.

 Words ending in –re British English words that end in -re often end in -er in American English:

 British UScentre centerfibre fiberlitre litertheatre theater or theatre

 Words ending in -our British English words ending in -our usually end in -or in American English:

 British UScolour colorflavour flavorhumour humorlabour laborneighbour neighbor

  Words ending in -ize or -ise Verbs in British English that can be spelled with either -ize or -ise at the end are always spelled with -ize at the end in American English:

 British USapologize or apologise apologizeorganize or organise organizerecognize or recognise recognize

  Words ending in -yse Verbs in British English that end in -yse are always spelled -yze in American English:

 British US

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analyse analyzebreathalyse breathalyzeparalyse paralyze

  Words ending in a vowel plus l In British spelling, verbs ending in a vowel plus l double the l when adding endings that begin with a vowel. In American English, the l is not doubled:

 British UStravel traveltravelled traveledtravelling travelingtraveller traveler

 fuel fuelfuelled fueledfuelling fueling

  Words spelled with double vowels British English words that are spelled with the double vowels ae or oe are just spelled with ane in American English:

 British USleukaemia leukemiamanoeuvre maneuveroestrogen estrogenpaediatric pediatric

 Note that in American English, certain terms, such as archaeology, keep the ae spelling as standard, although the spelling with just the e (i.e. archeology

  Nouns ending with –ence Some nouns that end with -ence in British English are spelled -ense in American English:

 British USdefence defenselicence licenseoffence offensepretence pretense

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 Nouns ending with –ogue Some nouns that end with -ogue in British English end with either -og or -ogue in American English:

 British USanalogue analog or analoguecatalogue catalog or cataloguedialogue dialog or dialogue

 The distinctions here are not hard and fast. The spelling analogue is acceptable but not very common in American English; catalog has become the US norm, but

uncommon; dialogue is still preferred over dialog.

  Aside from spelling differences, many items and practices have different names in British and American English. To explore further, see British and American terms

British and American termsBritish and American English often spell the same word differently, for example:labour/labor, enthrall/enthral, or centre/center. You can find out more about these differences here. 

There are also many cases in which the two varieties of English use different terms to describe the same thing.

Here’s a list of various British words and expressions together with their American equivalents.

British English American Englishaccommodation accommodationsaction replay instant replayaerofoil airfoilaeroplane airplaneagony aunt advice columnistAllen key Allen wrenchaluminium aluminumaniseed aniseanticlockwise counterclockwisearticulated lorry tractor-trailerasymmetric bars uneven barsaubergine eggplantbaking tray cookie sheetbank holiday legal holidaybeetroot beet(s)bill checkbiscuit cookie; crackerblack economy underground economyblanket bath sponge bathblind (window) shade

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block of flats condominiumboiler suit coverallsbonnet (of a car) hoodboob tube tube topboot (of a car) trunkbottom drawer hope chestbowls lawn bowlingbraces suspendersbrawn (the food) headcheesebreakdown van tow truckbreeze block cinder blockbridging loan bridge loanbumbag fanny packcandyfloss cotton candycar park parking lotcasualty emergency roomcatapult slingshotcentral reservation median stripchemist drugstorechips French friescinema movie theater; the moviescling film plastic wrapcommon seal harbor sealconsumer durables durable goodscornflour cornstarchcos (lettuce) Romainecot cribcot death crib deathcotton bud cotton swabcotton wool absorbent cottoncouncil estate (housing) projectcourgette zucchinicourt card face cardcrash barrier guardrailcrisps chips; potato chipscrocodile clip alligator clipcross-ply bias-plycrotchet (music) quarter notecurrent account checking accountdanger money hazard paydemister (in a car) defrosterdialling tone dial tonediamante rhinestonedouble cream heavy creamdraughts (game) checkersdrawing pin thumbtackdressing gown robe; bathrobedrink-driving drunk driving

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drinks cupboard liquor cabinetdrinks party cocktail partydriving licence driver’s licensedual carriageway divided highwaydummy (for a baby) pacifierdust sheet drop clothdustbin garbage canearth (electrical) groundengaged (of a phone) busyestate agent real estate agent, realtor (trademark)estate car station wagonex-directory unlistedfaith school parochial schoolfinancial year fiscal yearfire brigade/service fire company/departmentfirst floor second floorfish finger fish stickfitted carpet wall-to-wall carpetingflannel washclothflat apartmentflexitime flextimeflick knife switchbladeflyover overpassfootball soccerfootway sidewalkfringe (hair) bangsfull board (in hotels) American planfull stop (punctuation) periodgarden yard; lawngearing (finance) leveragegear lever gearshiftgoods train freight traingreaseproof paper wax paper/waxed papergreen fingers green thumbgrill (noun) broilergrill (verb) broilground floor first floorgroundsman groundskeeperhairslide barrettehatstand hatrackhen night bachelorette partyhire purchase installment planhoarding billboardhob stovetopholdall carryallholiday vacationholidaymaker vacationerhomely homey

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hosepipe (garden) hosein hospital in the hospitalhot flush hot flashhousing estate housing developmenthundreds and thousands sprinkles (for ice cream)ice lolly Popsicle (trademark)icing sugar confectioners’ sugarindicator (on a car) turn signalinside leg inseamjelly babies jelly beansJoe Bloggs Joe BlowJoe Public John Q. Publicjumble sale rummage salejump lead jumper cablejumper sweaterjunior school elementary schoolkennel doghouseladybird ladybuga lettuce a head of lettucelevel crossing grade crossinglift elevatorlolly Popsicle (trademark)lollipop lady (or man) crossing guardloo (toilet) johnloose cover slipcoverlorry truckloudhailer bullhornlow loader flatbed trucklucky dip grab bagluggage van baggage carmaize cornmangetout snow peamarket garden truck farmmarshalling yard railroad yardmaths mathmetalled road paved roadmilometer odometerminim  (music) half notemobile phone cell phonemonkey tricks monkeyshinesmotorway expressway; highwaymum/mummy mom/mommynappy diaperneedlecord pinwalenewsreader newscasternoughts and crosses tic-tac-toenumber plate license plateoff-licence liquor store; package store

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opencast mining open-pit miningordinary share common stockoven glove oven mittpaddling pool wading poolparacetamol acetaminophenparting (in hair) partpatience solitairepavement sidewalkpay packet pay envelopepedestrian crossing crosswalkpeg clothespinpelmet valancepetrol gas; gasolinephysiotherapy physical therapypinafore dress jumperplain chocolate dark chocolateplain flour all-purpose flourpolo neck turtleneckpositive discrimination reverse discriminationpostal vote absentee ballotpostbox mailboxpostcode zip codepotato crisp potato chippower point electrical outletpram baby carriage; strollerpress stud snappress-up pushupprivate soldier GIpublic school private schoolpublic transport public transportationpunchbag punching bagpushchair strollerpylon utility polequantity surveyor estimatorquaver (music) eighth notequeue lineracing car race carrailway railroadreal tennis court tennisrecorded delivery certified mailregistration plate license plateremould (tyre) retreadreverse the charges call collectreversing lights back-up lightsright-angled triangle right trianglering road beltwayroom only European planroundabout (at a fair) carousel

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roundabout (in road) traffic circlerowing boat rowboatsailing boat sailboatsaloon (car) sedansandpit sandboxsandwich cake layer cakesanitary towel sanitary napkinself-raising flour self-rising floursemibreve (music) whole notesemitone (music) half stepshare option stock optionshopping trolley shopping cartshow house/home model homesilencer (on a car) mufflersilverside rump roastskeleton in the cupboard skeleton in the closetskimmed milk skim milkskipping rope jump ropeskirting board baseboardsledge sledsleeper railroad tiesleeping partner silent partnerslowcoach slowpokesnakes and ladders chutes and ladderssolicitor lawyersoya/soya bean soy/soybeansplashback backsplashspring onion green onionstag night bachelor partyStanley knife utility knifestarter appetizerstate school public schoolstorm in a teacup tempest in a teapotsurtitle supertitleswede rutabagasweet(s) candytakeaway (food) takeout; to gotaxi rank taxi standtea towel dish towelterrace house row housetick check markticket tout scalpertights pantyhosetimber lumbertitbit tidbittoffee apple candy appletouch wood knock on woodtrade union labor union

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trading estate industrial parktrainers sneakerstram streetcar; cable cartransport cafe truck stoptrolley shopping carttwelve-bore twelve-gaugeunalike unlikeunderground subwayvacuum flask thermos bottleverge (of a road) shouldervest undershirtveterinary surgeon veterinarianwagon (on a train) carwaistcoat vestwalking frame walkerwardrobe closetwater ice Italian iceweatherboard clapboardwhite coffee coffee with creamwhite spirit mineral spiritswholemeal bread wholewheat breadwindcheater windbreakerwindscreen windshieldwing (of a car) fenderworktop countertopYale lock cylinder lockzebra crossing crosswalkzed (letter Z) zeezip zipper

 

Commonly confused wordsTake a look at these two sentences – one of them contains a mistake:

I poured over book after book.We pored over the catalogues.

 

Are you uncertain which one is right? There are a lot of words in English that look or sound alike but have very different meanings, such as pore and pour or flaunt and flout. It’s easy to get them confused and most electronic spellcheckers won’t be much help in this type of situation: they can tell you if a word has been spelled wrongly but they can’t generally flag up the misuse of a correctly spelled word.

 

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Here’s a quick-reference list of pairs of words that regularly cause people problems. The words follow the accepted British English spelling. Some of them do have alternative American spellings and you will find these at the main dictionary entry on this website. 

Word 1 Meaning Word 2 Meaningaccept to agree to receive or do except not includingadverse unfavourable, harmful averse strongly disliking; opposedadvice recommendations about

what to doadvise to recommend something

affect to change or make a difference to

effect a result; to bring about a result

aisle a passage between rows of seats

isle an island

all together all in one place, all at once

altogether completely; on the whole

along moving or extending horizontally on

a long referring to something of great length

aloud out loud allowed permittedaltar a sacred table in a

churchalter to change

amoral not concerned with right or wrong

immoral not following accepted moral standards

appraise to assess apprise to inform someoneassent agreement, approval ascent the action of rising or

climbing upaural relating to the ears or

hearingoral relating to the mouth;

spokenbalmy pleasantly warm barmy foolish, crazybare naked; to uncover bear to carry; to put up withbated in phrase

'with batedbreath', i.e. in great suspense

baited with bait attached or inserted

bazaar a Middle Eastern market

bizarre strange

berth a bunk in a ship, train, etc.

birth the emergence of a baby from the womb

born having started life borne carriedbough a branch of a tree bow to bend the head; the front

of a shipbrake a device for stopping a

vehicle; to stop a vehicle

break to separate into pieces; a pause

breach to break through, or break a rule; a gap

breech the back part of a gun barrel

broach to raise a subject for discussion

brooch a piece of jewellery

canvas a type of strong cloth canvass to seek people’s votescensure to criticize strongly censor to ban parts of a book or

film; a person who does thiscereal a grass producing an

edible grain; a breakfast serial happening in a series

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food made from grainschord a group of musical

notescord a length of string; a cord-

like body partclimactic forming a climax climatic relating to climatecoarse rough course a direction; a school

subject; part of a mealcomplacent smug and self-satisfied complaisant willing to pleasecomplement to add to so as to

improve; an addition that improves something

compliment to praise or express approval; an admiring remark

council a group of people who manage or advise

counsel advice; to advise

cue a signal for action; a wooden rod

queue a line of people or vehicles

curb to keep something in check; a control or limit

kerb (in British English) the stone edge of a pavement

currant a dried grape current happening now; a flow of water, air, or electricity

defuse to make a situation less tense

diffuse to spread over a wide area

desert a waterless, empty area; to abandon someone

dessert the sweet course of a meal

discreet careful not to attract attention

discrete separate and distinct

disinterested impartial uninterested not interesteddraught a current of air draft a first version of a piece of

writingdraw an even score at the end

of a gamedrawer a sliding storage

compartmentdual having two parts duel a fight or contest between

two peopleelicit to draw out a reply or

reactionillicit not allowed by law or rules

ensure to make certain that something will happen

insure to provide compensation if a person dies or property is damaged

envelop to cover or surround envelope a paper container for a letterexercise physical activity; to do

physical activityexorcise to drive out an evil spirit

fawn a young deer; light brown

faun a mythical being, part man, part goat

flaunt to display ostentatiously flout to disregard a ruleflounder to move clumsily; to

have difficulty doing something

founder to fail

forbear to refrain forebear an ancestorforeword an introduction to a

bookforward onwards, ahead

freeze to turn to ice frieze a decoration along a wallgrisly gruesome, revolting grizzly a type of bearhoard a store horde a large crowd of peopleimply to suggest indirectly infer to draw a conclusion

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loath reluctant, unwilling loathe to hateloose to unfasten; to set free lose to be deprived of; to be

unable to findmeter a measuring device metre a metric unit; rhythm in

versemilitate to be a powerful factor

againstmitigate to make less severe

palate the roof of the mouth palette a board for mixing colourspedal a foot-operated lever peddle to sell goodspole a long, slender piece of

woodpoll voting in an election

pour to flow or cause to flow pore a tiny opening; to study something closely

practice the use of an idea or method; the work or business of a doctor, dentist, etc.

practise to do something repeatedly to gain skill; to do something regularly

prescribe to authorize use of medicine; to order authoritatively

proscribe to officially forbid something

principal most important; the head of a school

principle a fundamental rule or belief

sceptic a person inclined to doubt

septic infected with bacteria

sight the ability to see site a locationstationary not moving stationery writing materialsstorey a level of a building story a tale or accounttitillate to arouse interest titivate to make more attractivetortuous full of twists; complex torturous full of pain or sufferingwreath a ring-shaped

arrangement of flowers etc.

wreathe to surround or encircle

 

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