Spelling differences

Spelling differences
Simplification
<BrE>

<AmE> Write what you pronounce

-our
colour
favour
labour

-or
color
favor
labor
-or: governor, pallor (spadsg)
-ogue <French origin>
-og
catalogue
catalog
analogue
analog
dialogue
dialog
-ae/-oe <Greek words>
-e
haemorrhage (vrzs)
hemorrhage
diarrhoea (hasmens)
diarrhea
mediaeval
medieval
-ise (only for verbs)
-ize
analyse
analyze analyze and analize both are correct
realise
realize
organise
organize
hospitalise
hospitalize
finalise
finalize
-ise
surprise, promise, exercise, advertise, revise (ismtel)
-yse
-yze
analyse
analyze
paralyse
paralyze
-eable
-able
likeable (valszn)
likable
-en
-in
enquiry
inquiry
ensure
insure
enclose (bezr, krbekert)
inclose
-ence
-ense
defence
defense
licence
license
offence
offense
pretence (fondorlat, ltszat)
pretense
-re
-er
centre
center
fibre (izomrost)
fiber
litre
liter
metre
meter
theatre
theater
-re
acre (hold fld), massacre (mszrls, vrfrd), cadre (terv, vzlat), mediocre (kzepes)
-dge
-dg
judgement
judgment
acknowledgement
acknowledgment

Informal spelling
<BrE>
high
doughnut
night
through
right
though

<AmE>
hi
donut
nite
thru
rite
tho
1

Spelling differences

low
cool
socks
Extremes:
you two
for
Roadsigns:
throughway
crossing

lo
kool
sox
U2
4
thruway
Xing

Doubling
Final consonant is doubled it the vowel is stressed: occurring
Final consonant is NOT doubled if the vowel is unstressed: entering

<BrE>

<AmE>

Word-final l, m, p are doubled even if the vowel is

unstressed after endings ed, -er, -ing
-ll
travelled
travelling
traveller
councellor
jeweller

-l
traveled
traveling
traveler
councelor
jeweler

-mm (unstressed vowel before endings)

programming
programmed
programmes
-pp
worshipping
worshipper
handicapped
kidnapper
-ss
biassed
focussed

If stressed:
-ll
controlled
installment
-m
programing
programed
programs
-p
worshiping
worshiper
handicaped
kidnaper
-s
biased
focused

The use of punctuation marks

<BrE>
Hyphen (rvid gondolatjel)
home-made
co-ordination
co-operate
re-elect
Full-stop (point)
No full stop after abbreviations:

AmE>

Mr Smith
Dr Brown

homemade
coordination
cooperate
reelect
(period)
Full stop when the abbreviation contains the last letter
of the abbreviated word:
Mr. Smith
Dr. Brown

vs

vs.

Time of the day

at 5.30

at 5:30 AM
2

Spelling differences

Comma
No comma is used between the last two items in a list: There is a comma before and.
He gave me a book, a pen and a pencil.
He gave me a book, a pen, and a pencil.
Colon
After the colon lower-case/small letters is used:
After the colon capital letter is used:
The conclusion is: seeing is believing.
The conclusion is: Seeing is believing.
Quotation
Single quotation marks, that is inverted commas
Prefers double quotation marks
Full-stop, comma are outside closing quotation marks. The full-stop and comma are placed inside.
The film was a success.
The film was a success.
The colon and semi colon go inside quotation marks.
Also when direct speech is reported punctuation marks are inside:
I was ill, Mary said.
I was ill, Mary said.

Dates, addresses and letter

<BrE>

<AmE>

Dates
3/10/99 3rd Oct. 1999. day-month-year
in letters with letters:
3 October, 1999
Pronunciation:
on October the third, 1999
Addresses
For formal letters:

10/3/99 3rd Oct. 1999. month-day-year

October 3, 1999

on the third of October, 1999.

on October third, 1999

Mary Smith
5 Oxford Street
Exeter
Devon
TK6 7TP

Mary Smith
6 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 92080

City and county in 2 lines

Titles
Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr Smith
Opening salutation
Dear X
Dear X,
Dear Sirs
Closing formulae
Yours faithfully

City and county in one line

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Smith
Dear X:
Dear X, informal
Dear Gentlemen
Sincerely
Sincerely yours
Yours truly