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Paul Sparks - Xiangtan University, Online Postgraduate (Phd Doctors) English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas...

Speaking Lesson: American English and British English:

Spelling Differences

Source: http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~jphb/american.html (by Peter Burden)


Spelling Differences

• Generally American English -or as a word ending is equivalent to -our in British English.

• American -er as a word ending is sometimes equivalent to -re in British English.

• If a verb ends in a single 'l' then the American -ing, -ed and -er forms also have a single 'l' whereas the British forms have a double 'll'. For example American English has signaler, signaling and signaled whereas British English has signaller, signalling and signalled.

• American English tends to prefer -ize and -ization whereas British English prefers -ise and -isation.

• There are, of course, exceptions to the above rules. American usage is "glamour" not "glamor" and "advertising" not "advertizing". British usage has "honorary" and "honorific" without the "u"

• When spelling out words (and phone numbers) it is British practice to say things such as "double e" for "ee" and "triple / treble 3" for "333".

Common Spelling Differences:
 

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