IELTS Guide Phil

One of the key challenges for IELTS candidates is mastering spelling conventions in English—especially because British and American spellings often differ. While IELTS accepts both forms, consistency is essential. This post outlines 100 commonly used words that differ in spelling between British and American English, organized by category for easy reference.

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1. -our vs. -or

British	American
Colour	Color
Honour	Honor
Favour	Favor
Labour	Labor
Neighbour	Neighbor
Humour	Humor
Flavour	Flavor
Vapour	Vapor
Rumour	Rumor
Behaviour	Behavior

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2. -re vs. -er

British	American
Centre	Center
Theatre	Theater
Metre	Meter
Litre	Liter
Fibre	Fiber
Spectre	Specter
Calibre	Caliber
Lustre	Luster
Manoeuvre	Maneuver
Sabre	Saber

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3. -ise vs. -ize

British	American
Realise	Realize
Organise	Organize
Recognise	Recognize
Apologise	Apologize
Analyse	Analyze
Criticise	Criticize
Authorise	Authorize
Memorise	Memorize
Advertise	Advertize
Civilise	Civilize

Note: British English often accepts both -ise and -ize endings, but -ise is more common in the UK.

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4. Double “l” vs. Single “l”

British	American
Travelling	Traveling
Cancelled	Canceled
Fuelled	Fueled
Labelled	Labeled
Enrolment	Enrollment
Counsellor	Counselor
Modelling	Modeling
Signalling	Signaling
Marvellous	Marvelous
Jewellery	Jewelry

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5. Different vowels or letter changes

British	American
Defence	Defense
Licence (noun)	License
Offence	Offense
Pretence	Pretense
Ageing	Aging
Tyre	Tire
Plough	Plow
Grey	Gray
Cheque	Check
Aeroplane	Airplane

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6. Miscellaneous Spelling Variants

British	American
Aluminium	Aluminum
Draught	Draft
Sulphur	Sulfur
Moustache	Mustache
Paediatric	Pediatric
Foetus	Fetus
Manoeuvre	Maneuver
Storey (building level)	Story
Sceptical	Skeptical
Catalogue	Catalog

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7. Words with Different Past Tense Spellings

British	American
Dreamt	Dreamed
Burnt	Burned
Learnt	Learned
Spelt	Spelled
Spoilt	Spoiled
Smelt	Smelled
Leapt	Leaped
Cleared	Cleared (Same)
Dwelt	Dwelled
Spilt	Spilled

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8. Compound and Hyphenated Word Differences

British	American
E-mail	Email
Co-operate	Cooperate
Re-enter	Reenter
Co-ordinate	Coordinate
Pre-school	Preschool
Co-owner	Coowner
Anti-clockwise	Counterclockwise
Non-existent	Nonexistent
Over-react	Overreact
Under-estimate	Underestimate

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Conclusion

Learning the spelling differences between British and American English is especially useful for IELTS test-takers aiming to maintain consistency in writing tasks. Whether you’re preparing an academic essay or writing a general letter, sticking to one form throughout your response is essential. Choose British or American English and stay consistent for maximum clarity and correctness.

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