British and American spelling

British and American English spell some words differently. The words mean the same thing: ⟦colour⟧ and ⟦color⟧, ⟦centre⟧ and ⟦center⟧. Use one spelling and keep to it. British schools (and most of the world) use British spelling; American schools use American spelling.

Key facts

  • British ⟦-our⟧, American ⟦-or⟧: ⟦colour⟧ / ⟦color⟧, ⟦favourite⟧ / ⟦favorite⟧, ⟦neighbour⟧ / ⟦neighbor⟧.
  • British ⟦-re⟧, American ⟦-er⟧: ⟦centre⟧ / ⟦center⟧, ⟦theatre⟧ / ⟦theater⟧, ⟦litre⟧ / ⟦liter⟧.
  • American English uses ⟦-ize⟧ and ⟦-yze⟧: ⟦organize⟧, ⟦realize⟧, ⟦analyze⟧. British English usually uses ⟦-ise⟧ and ⟦-yse⟧: ⟦organise⟧, ⟦analyse⟧.
  • British English doubles ⟦l⟧ before an ending; American English doesn't: ⟦travelled⟧ / ⟦traveled⟧, ⟦cancelled⟧ / ⟦canceled⟧, ⟦jewellery⟧ / ⟦jewelry⟧. But: ⟦fulfil⟧ / ⟦fulfill⟧, ⟦enrol⟧ / ⟦enroll⟧.
  • Other pairs: ⟦defence⟧ / ⟦defense⟧, ⟦catalogue⟧ / ⟦catalog⟧, ⟦grey⟧ / ⟦gray⟧, ⟦mould⟧ / ⟦mold⟧, ⟦pyjamas⟧ / ⟦pajamas⟧.

Worked examples

Example 1

Write the American spelling of ⟦behaviour⟧.

  1. ⟦behaviour⟧ ends in ⟦-our⟧.
  2. American English uses ⟦-or⟧: ⟦behavior⟧.

Answer: ⟦behavior⟧

Example 2

Write the British spelling of ⟦traveling⟧.

  1. British English doubles the ⟦l⟧ before ⟦-ing⟧.
  2. ⟦travelling⟧

Answer: ⟦travelling⟧

Example 3

Is this British or American? ⟦We met at the theater downtown.⟧

  1. ⟦theater⟧ ends in ⟦-er⟧.
  2. That is the American spelling; British is ⟦theatre⟧.

Answer: American