British or American Spelling: Which Should You Use in the IELTS Exam?
IELTS, a widely recognised test for English proficiency, poses an intriguing question for test-takers: Should they use British or American spelling? This choice, might seem unimportant but spelling mistakes can lower your score, affecting your performance even if your language skills are really good. Examiners pay attention to these details, so mastering spelling is a game-changer.
Differences in Spelling
Before we decide whether to use British or American spelling, let's take a closer look at the differences between the two. English evolved differently in the UK and the US, resulting in spelling variations. Here are some examples:
ou/o: British English uses ‘ou’ in words like ‘favourite’, ‘colour’, ‘neighbour’. American English uses just ‘o’ so the words are spelled ‘favorite’, ‘color’ and ‘neighbor’.
re/er: Words ending in ‘re’ in British English, such as ‘centre’ and ‘metre’, are spelled with ‘er’ in American English (‘center’ and ‘meter’).
l/ll: In British English, when we add 'ed' or 'er' to verbs that end in a vowel plus 'l,' we double the 'l.' For example, 'cancel' becomes 'cancelled,' and 'travel' turns into 'travelled' or 'traveller.' On the other hand, in American English, only a single 'l' is used, so it's 'canceled' and 'traveled/traveler
ise/ize: In British English we can use both spellings for words like ‘realise/realize’ and ‘organise/organize’. American English only uses ‘ize’ (‘realize’, ‘organize’).
ence/ense: British English spells some nouns with ‘ence’ such as ‘defence’ and offence’, whereas American English spells these words ‘defense’ and ‘offense’.
Choosing the Right Spelling for IELTS
When it comes to the IELTS exam, the good news is that both British and American spellings are accepted. However, you can’t mix British and American spelling in your Writing and Listening exam. You must pick one form of spelling and stick to it (for the Reading exam, you must write the word exactly as it appears in the reading passage).
Where you live might help you decide what form of spelling to use. If you're closer to the UK, British English might feel right. If you're nearer to America, you might be used to American spelling.
So, the choice between British or American spelling in the IELTS exam depends on your comfort and familiarity. Both variations are acceptable, but maintaining consistency is crucial. Paying attention to spelling can improve your performance in the IELTS assessment.
