English and American English SpellingHere are the principal differences in spelling between English and American English.

English American English

Final -l is always doubled after one vowel in stressed and unstressed syllables in English but usually only in stressed syllables in American English, for example:

rebel > rebelledtravel > travelled

rebel > rebelledtravel > traveled

Some words end in -tre in English and -ter in American English, for example:

centretheatre

centertheater

Some words end in -ogue in English and -og in American English, for example:

analoguecatalogue

analogcatalog

Some words end in -our in English and -or in American English, for example:

colourlabour

colorlabor

Some verbs end in -ize or -ise in English but only in -ize in American English, for example:

realise, realizeharmonise, harmonize

realizeharmonize

Common Differences

English American English

all right all right, alright (disputed)

analyse analyze

centre center

cheque check

colour color

counsellor counselor

criticise, criticize criticize

defence defense

doughnut donut

favour favor

fibre fiber

flavour flavor

fulfil fulfill

grey gray

honour honor

humour humor

jewellery jewellery, jewelry

judgement, judgment judgment

kerb curb

labour labor

license, licence (verb)licence (noun)

license (verb)license (noun)

litre liter

metre meter

mould mold

neighbour neighbor

offence offense

practise (verb)practice (noun)

practice (verb)practice (noun)

pretence pretense

programme (plan, concert etc)program (computer software)

programprogram

pyjamas pajamas

realise, realize realize

savour savor

speciality specialty

theatre theater

travelledtravelling

travelled, traveledtravelling, traveling

tyre tire

valour valor

There are some well-known spelling differences between British English and American English. Many of these spelling differences result from French influence on English. British English has a tendency to keep the spelling of many words of French origin. Americans try to spell words more closely to the way they sound phonetically and they tend to omit some letters.

The general spelling differences between British and American English are listed below.

British -our vs. American-or differe

nce

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 -ze difference*

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 differe

nce

enrolment

enrollment

fulfil fulfill

instalment

installment

skilful skillful

British -ll vs. American -l differe

nce

counsellor

counselor

fuelled fueled

travelling traveling

parallelled

paralleled

quarrelling

quarreling

!Remember: In British English, verbs that end in -l preceded by a vowel usually double the final -l when a suffix -ed/-ing is added. In American English

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 (bothnoun and verb)

offence* offense

pretence pretense

*But note: defensive,offensive

the final -l is doubled only when the last syllable is stressed.

*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, mommy

(mom, mam)

encyclopaedia encyclopedia omelette omelet

kerb (edge of roadway or pavement)curb (verb means "restrain")

curb (bothnoun and verb)

practise (verb), practising, practice (noun)

practice (bothnoun 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

Here is an overview of the main differences between British and American spellings:

our endings change to orcolour > color

armourarmoury

behaviourcandourclamourcolour

demeanourendeavourfavouriteflavour

glamourharbourhonourhumourlabour

neighbourodour

armorarmory

behaviorcandorclamorcolor

demeanorendeavorfavoriteflavor

glamorharborhonorhumorlabor

neighborodor

rancourrigour

rumoursavioursavoursavoury

splendourvalourvapourvigour

rancorrigor

rumorsaviorsavorsavory

splendorvalorvaporvigor

re endings change to theatre > theater

amphitheatrecalibre

centimetrecentrefibre

kilometrelitre

louvrelustre

manoeuvremeagremetre

millimetresabre

sceptresombrespectre theatre

amphitheatercaliber

centimetercenterfiber

kilometerliter

louverluster

maneuvermeagermeter

millimetersaber

sceptersomberspecter theater

Note: These words are spelled with -re in both Britain and the USA: 

acre massacre mediocre ogre

There is a logical reason for this. Can you work out why these spellings are not changed to in the USA? Join us to find out.

ogue endings change to og

catalogue > cataloganaloguedialogue

catalogueepilogue

monologueprologue

travelogue

analogdialog

catalogepilog

monologprolog

travelogNote: -ogue can also be used in the USA

l endings do not double in US spellings

traveller > travelercancelledcounsellorequalledfuellingfuelled

grovellingjewellerjewellerylevelledlibelled

marvellousmodellingpanelled

quarrellingrevelledwoollen

canceledcounselorequaledfuelingfueled

grovelingjewelerjeweleryleveledlibeled

marvelousmodelingpaneled

quarrelingreveledwoolen

Some British English words ending in one l may have

double ll in the USA spelling:

appaldistilenrol

enthralfulfilinstilskilfulwilful

appalldistillenroll

enthrallfulfillinstillskillfulwillful

ae and oe words change to e

encyclopaedia > encyclopedia

diarrhoeaoestrogen

foetusmanoeuvremementoes

anaemiacaesarean

gynaecologyhaemorrhage

leukaemiapalaeontology

paediatric

diarrheaestrogen

fetusmaneuvermementos

anemiacesarean

gynecologyhemorrhage

leukemiapaleontology

pediatric

ise endings change to izeapologise > apologize

Some words are the same in both

countries:appetiserauthorisecapitalise

characterisecivilise

colonisecriticise

dramatiseemphasiseequalisemobilise

naturaliseorganise

populariserealise

recognisesatirise

standardisesymbolisevaporise

**************analyseparalyse

appetizerauthorizecapitalize

characterizecivilize

colonizecriticize

dramatizeemphasizeequalizemobilize

naturalizeorganize

popularizerealize

recognizesatirize

standardizesymbolizevaporize

**************analyzeparalyze

sizecapsize

prizeseize

**************advise

surpriseadvertise

Note: Some British spellers do use the -ize ending - either is correct - but the American spelling is almost always -ize.

You may remember these -ce and -se words from Unit 20 (Soft c). In some of them, the spelling depends on whether the word is a noun or a verb.

defence defenseoffence offense

pretence pretensevice

(workbench tool)vise

licence (as a noun):I've lost my driving licence.

license (noun and verb)

license (as a verb) is the same in both countries:He is licensed to drive large trucks

practise (as a verb): practice (noun and verb)

I practise the piano every day.practice (as a noun) is the same in both countries:Get some practice in these words.Some more examples of spelling differences:

Spelling change

ph > f sulphate  sulphide  sulphur sulfate  sulfide  sulfurugh > f or w draught  plough draft  plowy > i tyre (on a wheel)  gybe tire  jibeou > o mould  moult  smoulder mold  molt  smoldermme > m programme programque > ck cheque (money) 

chequer (game)check checker

ge > g acknowledgementageing judgement

acknowledgment agingjudgment

Miscellaneous: aluminium aluminum  axe ax  cosy cozy  kerb (edge of road) curb  furore furor  grey gray  carat (gold) karat  liquorice licorice  moustache mustache  nought naught  pyjamas pajamas  sceptic skeptic  phial vial  whisky whiskeyThe lists above show the most common spellings that are different in Britain and the USA. With the growth of the Internet, it is likely that the American spellings will become the most used - despite any British objections!