NINE Spelling Differences Between British

and American English

• On paper, the most obvious difference between British and
American English is the spelling (just as when speaking, the most
obvious difference is pronunciation).
• On paper, the most obvious difference between British and
American English is the spelling (just as when speaking, the most
obvious difference is pronunciation).
• Further spelling differences came when Noah Webster (founder of
Webster’s Dictionary) attempted to simplify English spellings in
America. 
1) -ae- v –e-
Many words that come from Ancient Greek have an –ae– in British English but
only –e- in US English. Most of these words are scientific, medical, or technical
words.

British American
aeon eon
aesthetic esthetic
Anaemia anemia
anaesthesia anesthesia
gynaecologist gynecologist
paediatrician pediatrician
2)  Doubled consonants
Sometimes British spelling requires a doubled consonant, for example in the past
participle of certain verbs, where American spelling omits it. In other places, it is US
English that has the doubled consonant; in certain verbal infinitives, or to preserve
the root word of certain adjectives.

British American
appal appall
carburettor carburetor
counsellor counselor
dishevelled disheveled
distil distill
enrolenroll
fulfil fufill
instalmentinstallment
instil instill