Common English Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. Mistake #3: Inconsistency in spelling style (UK/US English)
The subtle spelling differences between British
English (BrE) and American English (AmE) spelling can be difficult for learners
to spot. It is important, however, that you write in the appropriate spelling
style for your audience and that you remain consistent.
A common issue found
in English writing is for the author to interchange between UK and US English spelling,
i.e. they spell some words in the British form and others in the American. The
most frequent instances are:
- –our (BrE) and -or (AmE)
as in “colour” and “color”
- –ise (BrE) and -ize (AmE)
as in “organise” and “organize”
Practical tip: this issue can
easily be solved by ensuring that you have MS Word’s spellcheck on the
appropriate spelling setting.
