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American English Reference for IELTS
This is a quick reference for commonly used American English spellings and vocabulary for IELTS Writing and Speaking. Use this to stay consistent with your American accent.
1. Spelling Differences (AmE vs BrE)
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| colour | color |
| favourite | favorite |
| honour | honor |
| organise | organize |
| realise | realize |
| centre | center |
| metre | meter |
| travelled | traveled |
| cancelled | canceled |
| defence | defense |
| licence (noun) | license |
| jewellery | jewelry |
| aluminium | aluminum |
| tyre | tire |
| programme | program |
| manoeuvre | maneuver |
| cheque | check |
| plough | plow |
2. Vocabulary Differences (AmE vs BrE)
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| flat | apartment |
| lift | elevator |
| holiday | vacation |
| boot (of car) | trunk |
| lorry | truck |
| biscuit | cookie |
| sweets | candy |
| tap | faucet |
| mobile phone | cell phone |
| petrol | gas / gasoline |
| car park | parking lot |
| timetable | schedule |
3. Useful Tips
- Be consistent: If you use American spelling, use it throughout your essay or answers.
- Vocabulary matters: Use common American terms in both Writing and Speaking.
- Pronunciation: Make sure your accent matches your vocabulary choice.
Note: Both American and British English are accepted in IELTS, but consistency improves clarity and avoids confusion.
- -our vs -or
BrE: colour, favour, honour
AmE: color, favor, honor
Rule: British English keeps the “u” in many words ending with -our.
- -re vs -er
BrE: centre, metre, litre
AmE: center, meter, liter
Rule: British English usually uses -re; American English switches to -er.
- -ise vs -ize
BrE: realise, organise, recognise
AmE: realize, organize, recognize
Note: Both spellings exist in BrE, but -ise is more common in the UK; AmE prefers -ize.
- -ll vs -l in verbs
BrE: travelled, labelled, cancelling
AmE: traveled, labeled, canceling
Rule: British doubles the consonant in some verb forms; American does not.
- -ogue vs -og
BrE: dialogue, catalogue, analogue
AmE: dialog, catalog, analog
- -ce vs -se
BrE: defence, licence (noun)
AmE: defense, license
Tip: In BrE, “license” is the verb; “licence” is the noun. AmE uses “license” for both.