Differences Between American Spelling and British Spelling

-orvs. -our American British color colour favorite favourite honor honour   -llvs. -l American British enrollment enrolment fulfill fulfil skillful skilful   -ogvs. -ogue American British analog analogue catalog catalogue dialog dialogue   -ckor -k vs. -que American British bank banque check cheque checker chequer   -ensevs. -enze American British defense defence license licence		-zevs. -se American British analyze analyse criticize criticise memorize memorise   -ervs. -re American British center centre meter metre theater theatre   -evs. -oe or -ae American British encylopedia encylycopaedia maneuver manoeuvre medieval mediaeval   -dgvs. -dge (or -g vs. -gu) American British aging ageing argument arguement judgment judgement   Other American British jewelry jewellery draft draught pajamas pyjamas  plow plough program programme tire tyre

In British English,words that end in -l preceded by a vowel usually double the-lwhen a suffix is added, while in American English the letter is not doubled. The letter will double in the stress is on the second syllable.

BaseWord	American	British
counsel	counseling	counselling
equal	equaling	equalling
model	modeling	modelling
quarrel	quarreling	quarrelling
signal	signaling	signalling
travel	traveling	travelling
excel	excelling	excelling
propel	propelling	propelling

-edvs. -t

The first categoryinvolves verbs that use -ed or -t for the simplepast and past participle.   Generally, the rule is that if thereis a verb form with -ed, American English will use it, and if there isa form with -t, British English uses it.  However, theseforms do not exist for every verb and there is variation.  For example,both American and British English would use the word 'worked' for the pastform of 'to work', and in American English it is common to hear the word'knelt' as the past tense of 'to kneel'.

Baseform	American	British
todream	dreamed	dreamt
toleap	leaped	leapt
tolearn	leareded	learnt

baseform vs. -ed

The second categoryof difference includes verbs that use either the base form of the verbor the -ed ending for the simple past.

Baseform	American	British
tofit	fit	fitted
toforecast	forecast	forecasted
towed	wed	wedded

irregularvs. -ed

The third categoryof difference includes verbs that have either an irregular spelling orthe -ed ending for the simple past.

Baseform	American	British
toknit	knit	knitted
tolight	lit	lighted
tostrive	strove	strived

For the list of words with the spelling variations between American Spelling and British Spelling,

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For detailed differences between American Spelling and British Spelling,

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For another list of detailed differences between American English and British English,

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