About This Quiz
You may have landed on this quiz because you are familiar with the subtle differences between British and American spelling, or you may have landed on this quiz just for fun. If you are familiar with the fact that the British, and some of the rest of the world, too, spell some words differently from those of us here in the United States, then this quiz is for you. But if you previously had no idea that there are, in fact, differences in spelling, don't let that scare you away. We're not talking about unidentifiable differences in language here, just a few... shall we say, "quirks," in spelling. In fact, once you see some of the differences, you'll not only likely be able to easily identify them, you'll also quickly remember that you have seen them before. So, of you've come across words such as "organisation," "colour," and "fibre," those aren't typos, they're just the British spellings of the words "organization," "color," and "fiber."
Whether you're a Yankee or a Brit, knowing about the differences across the pond will make you more culturally competent on its opposite shore. Take this quiz to find out if you can identify the difference between British and American spelling!
'Coloured" is the correct British spelling. British spelling, unlike American spelling, uses the letter 'u' in certain words. Other examples include 'labour' and 'humour.'
'Catalogue' is the correct British spelling of the word. In American English, the correct way to spell the word is 'catalog,' taking on the trend of American words using fewer letters.
'Judgement' is the correct British spelling of this word. The common American spelling is 'judgment' which has dropped the 'e.' The original spelling of the word was the British spelling.
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The correct spelling of the word is 'rubbish.' Rubbish is used as a word for 'trash.' An example of the word used in a sentence would be, 'This is a load of rubbish.'
'Cheque' is the correct British spelling of the word. In American English, the correct spelling is 'check.' The American spelling of the word tends to be more popular than the British spelling.
The correct spelling of the yeast spread brand is 'Marmite.' The spread is very popular in Britain, as well as in Australia, although a similar product down under, Vegemite, is more popular.
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This is true. 'Neighbour' is the correct British spelling of the word. In American English, the correct spelling would be 'neighbor,' without the 'u.' Both words mean the same thing.
'Knackered' is the correct British spelling of the word. The word is used in Britain to communicate that you are tired. You could say "I am extremely knackered."
This is true. The correct British spelling of the word is 'omelette.' American English spells the word in its typical shorter fashion as 'omelet,' dropping the extra 't' and 'e.'
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The correct spelling of the word is 'blimey.' The word originated from British English and it is often used when someone is surprised or impressed.
This is true. The correct British spelling of the word is 'yoghurt.' However, the American English spelling is more commonly used and it is spelled 'yogurt.'
'Travelled' is the correct spelling of the word, according to British English. When beside a vowel, British English calls for a double 'l', whereas American English calls for only a single 'l'.
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'Tyre' is the correct British spelling of the word. In America, as well as in Canada, the most common spelling of the word is 'tire.' British English takes on a 'y' instead of the 'i.'
The word is spelled 'trainers.' The word refers to shoes, much like our word in the United States for shoes, 'sneakers.' An example of the word in a sentence would be, "Let me get my trainers."
The correct spelling of the word is 'bloke.' It is a common slang word in Britain that is used to refer to a man. An example used in a sentence is "He is quite a nice bloke."
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This is false. 'Program' is the spelling of the word according to American English. British English calls for the spelling to be 'programme,' adding -me to the ending.
'Cancelled' is the correct British spelling of this word. In American English, a singular 'l' is used, making the correct American spelling to be 'canceled.'
The correct spelling of the word is 'gutted.' The word is used to describe sadness. An example of the word used in a sentence would be, 'I am absolutely gutted that we lost the game.'
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The correct spelling of the word is 'chuffed.' The word is slang for the word 'proud.' An example of its use in a sentence is "I am absolutely chuffed to have been hired.'
'Litres' is the correct British spelling of the word. In the United States, the correct spelling is 'liters.' The word has the same meaning no matter how it is spelled.
This is true. This is the correct spelling of the word 'grey' in British English. In American English, the word is spelled 'gray' instead. Although they are spelled differently, they both have the same meaning.
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'Playwright' is the correct spelling of the word. The word is used for someone who writes plays. The term for writing the play is spelled 'playwriting.'
'Encyclopaedia' is the correct British spelling of the word. In American English, the word is spelled 'encyclopedia.' These spellings are similar to the differences of the word 'pediatric' in both versions as well.
This is false. 'Plow' is the American spelling of the word. British English calls for the spelling of the word as 'plough,' following the trend of a longer spelling.
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The correct spelling of the word is 'tosh.' The word is slang that is commonly used in Britain. An example of the word being used is "That's a load of tosh."
The word is spelled 'scrummy.' The meaning of the word is yummy. An example of the word used in a sentence is, "These potatoes are scrummy!"
The correct spelling of the word is 'posh.' The word 'posh' was elevated to a world scale with the rise of the Spice Girls, and Posh Spice. A person can be described as 'posh.'
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'Paediatric' is the correct British spelling of this word. The American spelling of the word is 'pediatric.' Many American spellings have fewer letters than those of British English.
'Gobsmacked' is the correct spelling of this word. The word originated in British English and it is used to express that something is incredible or unbelievable.
The correct spelling of the word is 'lurgy.' The meaning of the word is sick or ill. It is typically used to describe common or mild illnesses.
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The correct spelling of the word is 'dodgy.' The word is used to talk about something suspicious. The use in a sentence would be, 'They were quite dodgy people.'
'Enrol' is the correct British spelling of this word. The United States spells the word as 'enroll.' Most words that use a double 'l' in American English take on the singular 'l' in British English.
'Manoeuvre' is the correct British spelling of the word. In American English, the spelling of the word is 'maneuver.' Britain's spelling is more widely used.
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'Deodorised' is the correct British spelling. British spelling has a rule of using the letter "s" rather than the United States' use of the letter "z."
'Groyne' is the correct British spelling of this word. In America, the correct spelling is 'groin.' This word has a few meanings in American English, but it is universally used to refer to a sea wall.