同一个单词在英式英语和美式英语中的拼法很可能不同。除个别特例之外，二者在拼法上的区别还是有规可循的。最常见的例子有，英国人把“纤维”这个单词写作 fibre，而美国人写为  fiber；“组织、机构”在英式英语里是 organisation 而在美式英语中则是 organization 等。试做本集《英语小测验》，挑战你对两种拼写方法的掌握程度。

1. An American English speaker spells it ‘maneuver’. How would a British English speaker spell it?

a) maneuver

b) maneuvre

c) manoeuver

d) manoeuvre

2. Words that end in –ense (defense, license, offense, pretense) in American English are spelled how in British English?

a) They are the same

b) They lose the last ‘e’: defens, licens, offens, pretens

c) They are spelled with -ensse: defensse, licensse, offensse, pretensse

d) They are spelled with –ence: defence, licence, offence, pretence

3. An American English speaker spells it ‘mustache’. How would a British English speaker spell it?

a) moustache

b) musdash

c) moostash

d) moustashe

4. Which of these words is spelled incorrectly in American English, but correctly in British English?

a) behavior

b) armour

c) candor

d) dishonorable

5. The illness which causes a person to visit the toilet many times is spelled how in British English and American English?

a) British: diarrhea
American: diarrhoea

b) British: diarrhoea
American: diarrhea

c) British: dieuhrear
American: dierear

d) British: dieuhrear
American: dierear

6. The words analog, catalog and dialog are spelled in American English. How would a British English speaker spell them?

a) analoge, cataloge and dialoge

b) analogue, catalogue and dialogue

c) analogh, catalogh and dialogh

d) analogn, catalogn and dialogn

答案

1) d, 2) d, 3) a, 4) b, 5) b, 6) b.