DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH SPELLINGS (PART 2)

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH SPELLINGS (PART 2)

          In Part 1, we considered two guidelines on the differences between British (U.K.) English spellings and American English spellings, and also listed many words for exemplification.  

          Let us now consider more guidelines in this part with lists of some exemplifying words.

Third (3^rd) Guideline:   Words which end with singular l in present tense form and double l in past tense or past participle tense or present continuous tense in British (U.K.) English, have only singular l  in past tense or past participle or present continuous tense in American English.

List of some commonly used words which end with singular l in present tense form and double l in past tense or past participle tense or present continuous tense in British (U.K.) English, but have only singular l in past tense or past participle tense or present continuous tense in American English:

BRITISH	AMERICAN
cancelled counsellor equalled fuelling fuelled grovelling jeweller jewellery levelled libelled marvellous modelling panelled quarrelling revelled woollen	canceled counselor equaled fueling fueled groveling jeweler jewelry or jewelery leveled libeled marvelous modeling paneled quarreling reveled woolen

Exception:

While the guideline above applies to most words in that category, there are some few words which are exceptional, with singular l in present tense form in British (U.K.) English, but double l in present tense in American English.

List of exceptional words with singular l in present tense form in British (U.K.) English, but double l in present tense in American English:

BRITISH	AMERICAN
appal distil enrol enthral fulfil instil skilful willful	appall distill enroll enthrall fulfill instill skillful willful

Fourth (4^th) Guideline:           Words which have ae or oe following each other in British (U.K.) English have only e or o at such position in American English:

List of some words which have ae or oe following each other in British (U.K.) English, but have only e  or o at such position in American English:

BRITISH	AMERICAN
diarrhoea oestrogen foetus manoeuvre mementoes anaemia caesarean gynaecology haemorrhage leukaemia palaeontology paediatric	diarrhea estrogen fetus maneuver mementos anemia cesarean gynecology hemorrhage leukemia paleontology pediatric

Exception of Some Words Ending With re Which Do Not Differ In Spelling Between British and American English.

Some words do not follow the pattern of changing re endings in British English to er endings in American English (as discussed in our last edition).  Such words include the following:

BRITISH	AMERICAN
acre massacre mediocre ogre	acre massacre mediocre ogre