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British and American English
Writing Help from the PhraseBook for Writing Papers and Research in English
The differences in writing between British and American English are small. Apart from minor spelling, vocabulary and punctuation differences, written English is essentially the same worldwide: as well as British and American English, national varieties such as Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, Irish and South African English also have only minor differences, particularly in writing. Similarly, differences in speech should not be exaggerated: there is greater variation in spoken English between London and Glasgow than between London, San Francisco, Cape Town or Sydney.
A number of spelling and vocabulary differences in British and American English are listed below. For differences in punctuation click on the Writing Help links to the right.
-ou- and -o-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| arbour | arbor |
| ardour | ardor |
| armour | armor |
| behaviour | behavior |
| candour | candor |
| clamour | clamor |
| colour | color |
| demeanour | demeanor |
| enamour | enamor |
| endeavour | endeavor |
| favour | favor |
| fervour | fervor |
| flavour | flavor |
| glamour | glamour or glamor |
| harbour | harbor |
| honour | honor |
| humour | humor |
| labour | labor |
| mould | mold or mould |
| neighbour | neighbor |
| odour | odor |
| parlour | parlor |
| rancour | rancor |
| some meanings rigour | rigor |
| rumour | rumor |
| saviour | savior or saviour |
| savour | savor |
| smoulder | smolder or smoulder |
| splendour | splendor |
| succour | succor |
| tumour | tumor |
| valour | valor |
| vapour | vapor |
| vigour | vigor |
-ae- and -e-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| aesthetic | aesthetic also esthetic |
| anaemia | anemia |
| anaesthesia | anesthesia |
| archaeology | archaeology or archeology |
| Caesarean section | cesarean section |
| caesium | cesium |
| faeces also feces | feces |
| gynaecology | gynecology |
| haematology | hematology |
| hypoglycaemia | hypoglycemia |
| leukaemia | leukemia |
| orthopaedic | orthopedic |
| paediatrics | pediatrics |
| palae(o)- or pale(o)- | pale(o)- |
-oe- and -e-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| amoeba | amoeba or ameba |
| apnoea | apnea |
| diarrhoea | diarrhea |
| gonorrhoea | gonorrhea |
| manoeuvre | maneuver |
| oesophagus | esophagus |
| oestrogen | estrogen |
-ph- and -f-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| sulphur | sulfur |
| sulphate | sulfate |
| sulphite | sulfite |
| sulphuric | sulfuric |
-pp- and -p-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| worshipping | worshiping or worshipping |
| worshipped | worshiped or worshipped |
| worshipper | worshiper or worshipper |
-ll- and -l-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| counselling | counseling or counselling |
| equalling | equaling or equalling |
| labelling | labeling or labelling |
| signalling | signaling or signalling |
| totalling | totaling or totalling |
| cancelled | canceled or cancelled |
| fuelled | fueled or fuelled |
| levelled | leveled or levelled |
| libelled | libeled or libelled |
| modelled | modeled or modelled |
| tunnelled | tunneled or tunnelled |
| counsellor | counselor or counsellor |
| traveller | traveler or traveller |
| jewellery | jewelry |
| tranquillize or tranquillise | tranquilize |
| woollen | woolen or woollen |
-l- and -ll-
| British | American |
|---|---|
| distil | distill |
| enrol | enroll or enrol |
| fulfil | fulfill or fulfil |
| instalment | installment |
| instil | instill |
| enrolment | enrollment |
| fulfilment | fulfillment |
| skilful | skillful |
| wilful | willful or wilful |
-c and -k
| British | American |
|---|---|
| leucocyte or leukocyte | leukocyte etc. |
| sceptic | skeptic |
| sceptical | skeptical |
| scepticism | skepticism |
-qu and -ck
| British | American |
|---|---|
| (bank) cheque | check |
| chequer | checker |
-xion and -ction
| British | American |
|---|---|
| inflection or inflexion | inflection |
-ce and -se
| British | American |
|---|---|
| defence | defense |
| a licence, to license | license or licence |
| offence | offense or offence |
| a practice, to practise | practice or practise |
| pretence | pretense or pretence |
-re and -er
| British | American |
|---|---|
| calibre | caliber or calibre |
| centre | center |
| fibre | fiber or fibre |
| goitre | goiter |
| litre, millilitre etc. | liter |
| lustre | luster or lustre |
| manoeuvre | maneuver |
| meagre | meager or meagre |
| some meanings metre | meter |
| measuring device meter | meter |
| mitre | miter or mitre |
| sabre | saber or sabre |
| sceptre | scepter |
| sepulchre | sepulchre or sepulcher |
| theatre | theater or theatre |
| titre | titer |
Long and short endings
| British | American |
|---|---|
| analogue | analogue and analog |
| computing analog | analog |
| catalogue | catalog or catalogue |
| gram or gramme etc. | gram |
| programme | program |
| computer program | program |
Other differences
| British | American |
|---|---|
| aluminium | aluminum |
| autumn | fall or autumn |
| some meanings draught | draft |
| grey | gray |
| maths | math |
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