Writing Practice: Moocs Academic and Business Writing Week 4 Spelling

Getting old, I noticed that spellings I learned unconsciously or by writing down easily slip my mind while those I learned by analyzing stay in my mind. By analyzing, I mean breaking down a word into segments based on the meaning or the sound. Sadly, I learned most spellings in the former way. Oh, and of course, the more often you use a word, the more you remember the spelling.

British and American spelling

There are several areas in which British and American spelling are different. These differences often come about because British English has tended to keep the spelling of words it has absorbed from other languages, such as French, while American English has adapted the spelling to reflect the way that the words actually sound when they are spoken. If you are writing for British readers, you should only use British spellings. In some cases, the American spellings are acceptable in British English as well. Above all, it’s important to stick to one style or the other throughout the same piece of writing.