Spelling conventions

Most English words are spelled one way, standardised throughout the world. However, some words vary in their spelling (e.g. between Australian and British usage). You will need to pay careful attention to these words and decide how they will be spelled in your text.

Being aware of words to look out for, and following some general spelling tips and guidelines, will help you to make sure your text is spelled correctly and consistently.

This section covers:

• Simple word endings
• Complex word endings
• Common 2-letter combinations
• Accented characters
• Australian, American and British spelling.

Take care with words that have similar spellings but different meanings (e.g. averse/adverse, discrete/discreet, hyperthermia/hypothermia).

The main way to ensure that your spelling is accurate is to check it against a dictionary or style guide.

It is easy to think that there is nothing to check. But a word may be wrong even when your word processor does not underline it. It may be wrong because it is misspelled as another word (e.g. The train was stationery/stationary) or because of regional variations (e.g. Australian versus British or American English). Finally, your publisher or organisation may have its own preferred spellings.

When to check spelling

Check:

• when the word is underlined in Word
• if you have noticed the word spelled differently elsewhere
• when similar words vary across your content
• if you are in any way unsure about the word.

Examples of spellings that commonly vary include:

• using z or s – such as -ize vs -ise
• using -re or -er – such as litre vs liter
• omitting u – such as color vs colour
• omitting a vowel from oe or ae – such as estrogen vs œstrogen vs oestrogen
• doubling consonants when adding an ending – such as labeled vs labelled
• dropping the last e when adding an ending – such as acknowledgement vs acknowledgment
• using -ed or -t for past tenses – such as spelt vs spelled
• using -ices or -ixes for plurals – such as appendices vs appendixes
• using -ae or -s for plurals – such as formulae vs formulas
• using -ic or -ical (in cases where the meaning is the same), such as botanic vs botanical.

How to check spelling

The steps to check spelling are:

1. Check for preferred spellings in any specified style information that you are using (style sheet, style guide, style manual). Some publishers provide a word list.
2. If the word is not there, check the dictionary prescribed by the organisation you are working for (e.g. government department, university). If no dictionary is prescribed, choose one and stick with it. All standard and variable spellings are covered in comprehensive dictionaries such as the Macquarie dictionary. Where there is a choice of spellings, the one listed first in the Macquarie dictionary is the most commonly used in Australia.
3. If you still cannot find a definitive spelling – perhaps because you are making up a word using a prefix or suffix – look at the rules below.
4. Record your decision and use these decisions to ensure consistency throughout the text.

Exceptions to spelling rules

Names of organisations and programs

Use the official spelling for the names of organisations and programs. It is best to check directly with the organisation itself or its website; check for both spelling and use of a possessive apostrophe. The spelling the organisation uses takes precedence over the entry in the Macquarie dictionary(Opens in a new tab/window):

All United Nations organisations use this spelling, and also ‘programme’ (eg United Nations Development Programme). But other international organisations may not; always check!

Quoted material

It is generally accepted editorial practice to use the original spelling of any quoted material; however, some discretion can be applied if an obvious inconsistency would be confusing for readers.