American English versus British English

There are some variations in American and British English spellings which sometimes confuse readers who are not aware of this fact. The British (and those of the Commonwealth countries) spell words as they have always been spelling them. The Americans, on the other hand, tend to spell words as they sound… often by omitting some [...]

Quotes on Spelling

*  My spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.  ~  A. A. Milne *  I don’t give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.  ~  Mark Twain *  When our spelling is perfect, it’s invisible. But when it’s flawed, [...]

The Correct Word – Learned or Learnt

I have often been asked this question: Which is the correct past tense of learn – learned or learnt? Well, the answer is simple. Both are correct. Yes, both learned and learnt may be used as the past of learn depending on which form of English you’re using. Learned is used in American English, and [...]

Perfect Writing?

(courtesy CartoonStock.com)

Words Ending With –ance and –ence

While writing the previous post, ‘The Importance of Perseverance’, I was reminded of the question my students often ask me – When do words end with –ance and when do they end with – ence. For example, the words importance and perseverance both end with –ance, but the words essence and affluence end with –ence, [...]