Spelt Or Spelled – British vs. American English

In any type of academic writing, language and spelling are paramount. Whether you’re drafting an essay, novel, or dissertation, ensuring your spelling remains consistent throughout your writing is vital. Yet, one of the predominant dilemmas for writers derives from the different spelling of words between British English vs. American English. Whether it is “spelt” or “spelled” is a common example and frequently leads to confusion, resulting in inconsistencies. Gain a clear understanding of these two different spellings in this comprehensive guide.

“Spelt” or “spelled”

The word “spelt/spelled” refers to the verb “to spell” in its past tense and past participle, which means to write or speak out the letters of a word or words in their correct order.

In British English, “spelt” and “spelled” are acceptable ways of spelling the word. However, in American English, it is standard to only use “spelled”.

Examples of using “spelt” and “spelled”

The following provides example sentences of the word “spelt/spelled” in British and American English.

“Spelt” or “spelled” in the “-ing” form

The verb “spelt/spelled” in its “-ing” form is “spelling” in both British and American English. I.e., regardless of whether you use “spelt” or “spelled” for your paper, the present participle (the “-ing” form) for both variations is always “spelling”.

• British English: “Spelling”
• American English: “Spelling”

The following will provide example sentences using the present participle form of “spelt/spelled”.