British and American Spelling and Idioms

British and American Spelling and Idioms

By Sombra English Team

canceled

labeled

traveled

traveling ​

American English

cancelled

labelled

travelled

travelling ​

British English

Double Consonants

skillful

enroll

fullfil

installment​

American English

skilful

enrol

fulfil

instalment​

British English

Double Consonants

Multiple Choice

skilful

• British English

• American English

Multiple Choice

travelling

• British English

• American English

favorite

color

humor

neighbor ​

American English

favourite

colour

humour

neighbour

​

British English

Words with -our / -or

center

theater

liter

fiber ​

American English

centre

theatre

litre

fibre

​

British English

Words with -re / -er

Multiple Choice

center

• British English

• American English

Multiple Choice

favorite

• British English

• American English

apologize

organize

recognize

analyze ​

American English

apologise AND apologize

organise AND organize

recognise AND recognize

analyse

​

​

​

British English

Words with -ze / -se

Multiple Choice

I'd like to___for being late (American English)

• apologize

• apologise

• apologise OR apologize

Multiple Choice

We need to___the problem that has occured (British English)

• analyze

• analyse

• analyse OR analyse

Idioms

British and American Idioms - Match up

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​British English: to throw a spanner in the works

American English: to throw a (monkey) wrench in the works

​

Meaning: to cause something not go as planned

​

​The intern threw a spanner / a monkey wrench in the works by ghosting a client on Tinder.

​British English: to blow your own trumpet

American English: to toot your own horn

​

Meaning: to talk about your achievements with excessive pride

​

I don’t mean to blow my own trumpet / to toot my own horn but I read the Oxford dictionary three times before the age of five.

​British English: to flog a dead horse

American English: to beat a dead horse

​

Meaning: waste energy on a situation that cannot be changed

​

He keeps trying to get it published but I think he is flogging/beating a dead horse.

​British English: to take something with a grain of salt

American English: to take something with a pinch of salt

​

Meaning: to not believe

​

The more miraculous parts of his story should be taken with a grain/a pinch of salt.

​British English: swings and roundabouts

American English: ups and downs

​

Meaning: the positive and negative results of an action balance each other

​

In the UK they pay high taxes, but it's all swings and roundabouts/ups and downs because they have great healthcare system.

​British English: a drop in the ocean

American English: a drop in the bucket

​

Meaning: an amount that is so small that it does not make an important difference or have much effect

​

I saved a hundred dollars doing my shopping online, which is a drop in the ocean / bucket compared to what I need to save for a house deposit.

​British English: to cram

American English: to hit the books

​

Meaning: to study hard

​

I have an exam coming up. I am going to cram/to hit the books for the whole

​British English: to go pear-shaped

American English: to go south

​

Meaning: to fail, to go wrong

​

We started well, top of the table, but it all went pear-shaped/ went south and we lost five matches in a row.

Multiple Choice

The teacher was___a dead horse when he lectured the students about the dangers of too much technology – they were glued to their smartphones while he spoke. (British English)

• biting

• flogging

• hitting

Multiple Choice

My letter of protest was just a drop in the____ (American English)

• bucket

• sea

• south

Multiple Choice

He has seen lots of _____in his career but finally became richest person in the town. (American English)

• swings and roundabouts

• ups and downs

• toots and horns

Multiple Choice

Before elections, all parties make a lot of promises. They are best taken with a grain of salt. (British English)

• pound

• punch

• grain

Multiple Choice

You have to be humble and modest in your behaviour and for that, the first thing to do is to stop______ (British English)

• beating a dead horse

• blowing your own trumpet

• hitting the books

Multiple Choice

For this upcoming exam I really need to____(British English)

• cram

• punch the books

• beat the books

Multiple Choice

Let’s make sure that we get this done before Suzy comes along and changes her mind again. That will really throw a_____in the works. (American English)

• spanner

• monkey wrench

• pear

Multiple Choice

We'd planned to go away for the weekend, but it all went_____ (British English)

• pear-shaped

• north

• east