American and British Spelling of Words

While discussions surrounding the correct spelling of words can generally be cleared up by
checking their spelling here at YourDictionary.com, many people find themselves confused
regarding the difference between American and British spellings.

Common Differences Between American and British

Spelling
Although the differences between American and British spellings are often subtle, they are
still significant. For example (American spelling - British spelling):

analyze - analyse
apologize - apologise
behavior - behaviour
canceling - cancelling
center - centre
check - cheque
color - colour
encyclopedia - encyclopaedia
favorite - favourite
fiber - fibre
fulfill - fulfil
gray - grey
humor - humour
labor - labour
license - licence
jewelry - jewellery
theater - theatre

To further complicate matters, some words have a slightly different meaning in American and
British English. For example (American word - English word):

pacifier - dummy

lawyer - solicitor
period - full stop
pharmacist - chemist
rent - hire
soccer - football
cookie - biscuit
eraser - rubber

Spelling Rules to Remember

If you must frequently work with both American and British spellings, you may find it
helpful to keep in mind these spelling rules:

Words ending in RE in British English have been changed to ER in American

English.
Words containing the silent letters OUGH in British English have been changed in
American English to be spelled phonetically.
Words ending in OUR in British English have been changed to OR in American
English.
Words ending in IOUR in British English have been changed to IOR in American
English.
Many words ending in YSE or ISE in British English have been changed to YZE or
IZE in American English, although there are exceptions.
Many words ending in YSED or ISED in British English have been changed to YZED
or IZED in American English, although there are exceptions.
Many words ending in ISATION in British English have been changed to IZATION
in American English, although there are exceptions.

Which Spelling is Correct?

Technically, both American and British spellings are correct. However, American spellings
are gaining an advantage in many circumstances because Microsoft Word is set to default its
spell check feature to American spellings. Thus, all British spellings will appear as incorrect
when using this program.
If you are a student preparing a research paper, ask your teacher which spelling he or she
prefers. If your instructor has no preference, simply choose either American or British
spellings and be consistent throughout the piece.

British and American Punctuation Differences

Writers who are interested in spelling differences between American and British English may
also find it useful to remember a few simple punctuation tips:

While British English often favors hyphenated compounds, such as counter-attack,

American English discourages the use of hyphens where there is no compelling
reason.

In British English, writers typically use two spaces after a semi-colon. American
English encourages writers to use just one space.
Although American English typically calls for commas and periods to be included
inside the quotation marks, even if they are not part of the quoted sentence, British
English shows clearly whether or not the punctuation is part of the quoted phrase.

An Ongoing Debate
The debate over the correct spelling of words first began when Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
of the English Language was published in 1755, followed by Noah Webster's An American
Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. While people in England preferred Johnson's
spellings, Webster's simplified variations became increasingly popular in the United States