BRITISH - AMERICAN ENGLISH - SPELLING RULES

British English	American English				Example (British - American)
words ending in -re	change to -er				centre - center metre - meter
words ending in -our	change to -or				colour - color
words ending in -ogue	change to -og				catalogue - catalog
words ending in -ise/ize	ending only in -ize				realise/realize - realize
final -l doubled after short vowel	- l not always doubled after a short vowel				travelled - traveled modelling - modeling
words ending in -ence	change to -ense				defence - defense licence - license
British English		American English
K
kilometre				kilometer
kitchen roll paper				paper towel
knickers				panties
L
label			tag

labour		labor
Ladies		ladies' room
ladybird		ladybug
lager		beer
to lay the table		to set the table
lead		leash
letterbox		mailbox
life jacket		life vest
lift		elevator
liquidizer		blender
litre		liter
lorry		truck
lost property		lost and found
luggage		baggage, luggage
M
mackintosh		raincoat
main road		highway
maize		corn
managing director		president (business)
mashed potato		mashed potatoes
match		game
mate		buddy
maths		math
mean		stingy
medicine		drugs,medicine
mince meat		hamburger meat, ground beef
mixer		blender
mobile (phone)		cellular, cell
motorbike		motorcycle
motorway		freeway, interstate
multi-storey car park		parking garage
mum		mom
N
nappy			diaper
national insurance number			social security number
neighbour			neighbor
newsagent's			newspaper store
normal			regular
note			bill
notice board			bulletin board
number plate			license plate
British English				American English
P
a pack of cards					a deck of cards
a packet of cigarettes					a package of cigarettes
pants					shorts
paper knife					letter opener
paraffin					kerosene/kerosine
parliament					congress
pavement					sidewalk
pay rise					pay raise
pedestrian crossing					crosswalk
pepper					bell pepper
personnel department					human resources department
petrol					gas
phone box					phone booth
pickled cucumber					dill pickle
platform					track
plug hole					drain
polo neck					turtle neck
porridge					oatmeal
post					mail
post code					zip code
postman					mailman
primary school					elementary school grade school
prison					jail
programme					program
pub					bar
pupil					student
to put sb. through					to connect sb.
Q
quarrel				argument
to quarrel				to argue
to queue				to line up
quid				buck
R
railway	railroad
reception	front desk
redundant	laid off
to ring	to call
road surface	pavement
roundabout	traffic circle
row	argument
rubber	eraser
rubbish	garbage
S
school report	report card
secondary school	high school
semi-detached house	duplex
share	stock
shop	store
shop assistant	sales clerk
single ticket	one-way ticket
skipping rope	jump rope
sledge	sled
solicitor	lawyer
Sorry.	Excuse me.
spanner	wrench
sports day	fields day
state school	public school
stock	inventory
store	superstore
storey	story
subway	underpass
sultana	raisin
to suppose	to guess
sweet shop	candy store
T
tap	faucet
taxi	cab, taxi
taxi rank	taxi stand
technical college	vocational school
telephonist	telephone operator
term	semester
terraces	bleachers
test	quiz
theatre	theater
till	cash register
timetable	schedule
tin	can
tissue	Kleenex
to think	to guess
toilet, loo	bathroom, rest room
torch	flashlight
tortoise	turtle
town centre	downtown
tracks	track
traffic lights	stop lights
trainers	sneakers
tram	streetcar
travelled	traveled
trolley	cart
trousers	pants
tumble dryer	clothes dryer
tyre	tire

British English	American English
U
underground, tube	subway
underlay	carpet pad
underpants	shorts
undertaker	funeral director
V
van	station wagon
vest	undershirt
video	VCR
W
wage cut	salary cut
waistcoat	vest
wallet	billfold
wardrobe	closet
to wash	wash up
wash up liquid	dish washing liquid
washing up powder	laundry soap
wellington boots	rubbers
wholemeal bread	brown bread
windscreen	windshield
wing	fender
Z
zebra crossing	crosswalk
zip	zipper