There are many words in American and British English that people often confuse, as the two varieties of the language can be quite different. Here are a few examples of words that are commonly confused, which will usually throw up an error in your Word document or email!
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It’s important to be aware of these spelling differences, as they can cause confusion if you are writing or reading in a different variety of English. It’s also worth noting that there are many other words that are spelled differently in American and British English, so it’s always a good idea to double-check if you are unsure.
Color/colour: In American English, the spelling is “color,” while in British English it is spelled “colour.”
Gray/grey: The spelling “gray” is used in American English, while “grey” is used in British English.
Center/centre: In American English, the spelling is “center,” while in British English it is spelled “centre.”
Defense/defence: In American English, the spelling is “defense,” while in British English it is spelled “defence.”
Favor/favour: In American English, the spelling is “favorite,” while in British English it is spelled “favourite.”
Labor/labour: In American English, the spelling is “labor,” while in British English it is spelled “labour.”
Theater/theatre: In American English, the spelling is “theater,” while in British English it is spelled “theatre.”
Traveled/travelled: In American English, the past tense is spelled “traveled,” while in British English it is spelled “travelled.”
Aluminum/aluminium: In American English, the spelling is “aluminum,” while in British English it is spelled “aluminium.”
Canceled/cancelled: In American English, the past tense is spelled “canceled,” while in British English it is spelled “cancelled.”
Enrollment/enrolment: In American English, the spelling is “enrollment,” while in British English it is spelled “enrolment.”
Jewelry/jewellery: In American English, the spelling is “jewelry,” while in British English it is spelled “jewellery.”
Levelling/leveling: In American English, the spelling is “leveling,” while in British English it is spelled “levelling.”
Mold/mould: In American English, the spelling is “mold,” while in British English it is spelled “mould.”
Neighbor/neighbour: In American English, the spelling is “neighbor,” while in British English it is spelled “neighbour.”
Rumor/rumour: In American English, the spelling is “rumor,” while in British English it is spelled “rumour.”
Honor/honour: In American English, the spelling is “honor,” while in British English it is spelled “honour.”
Kilometers/kilometres: In American English, the spelling is “kilometers,” while in British English it is spelled “kilometres.”
