American and British English: Differences in Vocabulary and Spelling

Expressions with prepositions and particles

A few words which are followed by a certain preposition or adverb particle in British English is followed by a different preposition or particle in American English.

Different from/than (American English); different from/to (British English)
Check something out (AE); check something (BE)
Do something over/again (AE); do something again (BE)
Live on (name) street (AE); live in (name) street (BE)
On a team (AE); in a team (BE)
Sunday through/to Saturday (AE); Sunday to Saturday (BE)

Spelling

A large number of words that end in -our in British English end in -or in American English. Some words end in -er in American English and -re in British English. Many verbs that end in -ize in American English can be spelt with either -ize or -ise in British English. Some of the commonest words with different spellings are given below:

Analyze (AE), analyse (BE)
Aluminum (AE), aluminium (BE)
catalog (AE), catalogue (BE)
center (AE), centre (BE)
check (AE), cheque (issued by a bank) (BE)
color (AE), colour (BE)
defense (AE), defence (BE)
honor (AE), honour (BE)
jewelry (AE), jewellery (BE)
labor (AE), labour (BE)
paralyze (AE), paralyse (BE)
program (AE), programme (BE)
theater (AE), theatre (BE)
tire (AE), tyre (on a wheel) (BE)
traveler (AE), traveller (BE)