British vs American English Spelling Differences PDF

Inglés 1, I 1º Grao T&I 1º cuadrimestre BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH 1. SPELLING DIFFERENCES There are some we...

Inglés 1, I 1º Grao T&I 1º cuadrimestre BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH 1. SPELLING DIFFERENCES 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. British -re vs. American -er British -ae/-oe/-oeu vs. American -or difference American difference -e/-o/-eu difference amphitheatre amphitheater armour armor archaeology archeology centimetre centimeter behavio gynaecology gynecology behaviour centre center r leukaemia leukemia colour color fibre fiber manoeuvre maneuver favourite favorite kilometre kilometer mediaeval medieval flavour flavor litre liter mementoes mementos harbour harbor lustre luster oestrogen estrogen honour honor louvre louver orthopaedic orthopedic humour humor manoeuvre maneuver paediatric pediatric labour labor metre meter palaeontology paleontology neighbo spectre specter neighbour toxaemia toxemia r theatre theater rumour rumor saviour savior British -se vs. American -ze British -l vs. British -ogue vs. difference* American -ll American difference -og difference analyse analyze enrolment enrollment analogue analog apologise apologize fulfil fulfill catalogue catalog appetiser appetizer instalment installment dialogue dialog catalyse catalyze skilful skillful monologue monolog civilise, civilize, civilisation civilization 1  British -ll vs. colonise, colonize, American -l British –ence vs. colonisation colonization difference American -ense difference criticise criticize counsellor counselor defence* defense emphasise emphasize fuelled fueled licence travelling traveling license (both organise organize (noun) noun and parallelled paralleled license popularise, popularize, verb) (verb) popularisation popularization quarrelling quarreling offence* offense prise prize pretence pretense realise realize !Remember: In British English, verbs that end in -l recognise recognize preceded by a vowel usually *But note: defensive, double the final -l when a offensive suffix -ed/-ing is added. In American English 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 British -gramme vs. American -gram -dg/-gu) difference judgement judgment programme (noun) (TV/radio programme or arguement argument programme of events - program plans, conferences, a theatre programme etc.) British -que vs. American programme (verb) (to program (-mm-) -k/–ck difference instruct) banque bank program (programme) program (computer program) cheque (money) check gram (gramme) gram kilogram (kilogramme) kilogram  Miscellaneous spelling differences British American British American ageing aging mould mold mum, mummy (mom, aluminium aluminum mom, mommy mam) encyclopaedia encyclopedia omelette omelet kerb (edge of roadway or practise (verb), practice (both pavement) curb (both practising, practice noun and verb), curb (verb means noun and verb) (noun) practicing "restrain") 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 It is useful to learn both British and American English forms, but a good recommendation is to aim for consistency in your spelling. 3 2. VOCABULARY DIFFERENCES The major difference between British and American English lies in the choice of vocabulary. Here are some of the main differences in vocabulary between British and American English. This is intended as a guide only. Bear in mind that there can be differences in the choice of specific terms depending on dialect and region within both the USA and the UK. British English American English A accelerator gas pedal, accelerator advertisement commercial aerial (TV, radio) antenna, aerial air hostess flight attendant anorak parka anywhere anyplace, anywhere at home home, at home aubergine eggplant autumn fall, autumn B baking tin baking pan bank holiday legal holiday barrister lawyer base rate prime rate bath bathtub to bath to bathe bathroom bathroom/toilet bedside table nightstand bill check bin garbage can biro ball-point pen biscuit cookie bonnet hood booking reservation bookshop bookstore bookstall newsstand boot trunk braces suspenders brackets parentheses C candy floss cotton candy car park parking lot caravan trailer caretaker janitor casualty department emergency room catalogue catalog centre center chambers law offices chemist's shop drugstore cheque check chips French fries cinema movie theater city centre downtown cloakroom checkroom clothes peg clothespin coach long distance bus cocktail stick toothpick coffin casket, coffin colour color cooker stove costume swimsuit cosy cozy cot (baby) crib cotton thread crisps potato chips crossroad crossroads intersection cupboard closet current account checking account curriculum vitae resume cutlery silverware D dialogue dialog dinner jacket tux, tuxedo directory enquiries directory assistance diversion detour doctor's surgery doctor's office draught draft draughts checkers drawing pin thumbtack dress circle balcony dressing gown bathrobe driving licence driver's license driving wheel steering wheel dustbin garbage can duvet bedspread dynamo generator E earth ground earth wire ground wire engaged busy engine motor to enquire to inquire enquiry inquiry entrée appetizer 5 expiry date expiration date extra time overtime F fag cigarette fancy dress costumes favourite favorite to fill in to fill out filling station gas station film film, movie fire brigade fire department first floor second floor fish-fingers fish-sticks flat apartment flavour flavor football soccer fortnight two weeks frying pan skillet G garden yard gear lever gear shift Gents Men's Room to give s.b. a lift to give s.b. a ride goods train freight train grammar school high school to grill to broil ground floor first floor H hairdresser barber shop hairdresser hairdresser, beauty shop harbour harbor hard cooked egg boiled egg headmaster, head teacher principal high street main street to hire to rent hire purchase instalment plan hockey field hockey holiday vacation hoover vaccum cleaner humour humor I ice-hockey hockey icing frosting icing sugar powdered sugar ill nauseated indicator turn signal injection shot insect bug interval intermission inverted commas, quotation marks quotation marks J jab shot jacket potato baked potato jam jelly (no pieces in it) jewellery jewelery jug pitcher jumble sale rummage sale K kilometre kilometer kitchen roll paper paper towel knickers panties L label tag labour labor Ladies ladies' room ladybird ladybug lager beer to lay the table to set the table lead leash letterbox mailbox life jacket life vest lift elevator litre liter lorry truck lost property lost and found luggage baggage, luggage M mackintosh raincoat main road highway maize corn managing director president (business) mashed potato mashed potatoes match game mate buddy maths math mean stingy medicine drugs,medicine mince meat hamburger meat, ground beef mobile (phone) cellular, cell motorbike motorcycle motorway freeway, interstate multi-storey car park parking garage mum mom N 7 nappy diaper national insurance number social security number neighbour neighbor newsagent's newspaper store normal regular note bill notice board bulletin board number plate license plate P a pack of cards a deck of cards a packet of cigarettes a package of cigarettes paper knife letter opener paraffin kerosene parliament congress pavement sidewalk pay rise pay raise pedestrian crossing crosswalk personnel department human resources petrol gas phone box phone booth platform track plug hole drain polo neck turtle neck porridge oatmeal post mail post code zip code postman mailman elementary school primary school grade school prison jail programme program pub bar pupil student to put sb. through to connect sb. Q to queue to line up quid buck R railway railroad reception front desk redundant laid off to ring to call road surface pavement roundabout traffic circle, rotary row argument rubber eraser rubbish garbage S school report report card secondary school high school semi-detached house duplex share stock shop store shop assistant sales clerk single ticket one-way ticket skipping rope jump rope sledge sled solicitor lawyer state school public school stock inventory store superstore storey story subway underpass sultana raisin to suppose to guess sweet shop candy store T tap faucet taxi cab, taxi taxi rank taxi stand technical college vocational school telephonist telephone operator term semester terraces bleachers test quiz theatre theater till cash register timetable schedule tin can tissue Kleenex to think to guess toilet, loo bathroom, rest room town centre downtown tracks track traffic lights stop lights trainers sneakers tram streetcar travelled traveled trolley cart trousers pants tumble dryer clothes dryer tyre tire U 9 underground, tube subway underlay carpet pad V van station wagon vest undershirt video VCR W wage cut salary cut waistcoat vest wallet billfold wardrobe closet to wash wash up wash up liquid dish washing liquid washing up powder laundry soap wellington boots rubbers wholemeal bread brown bread windscreen windshield wing fender Z zebra crossing crosswalk zip zipper