Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
What IDP says
IDP answers the question directly: you can use British or American spelling, as long as you spell the words correctly and stick to one or the other (IDP). A separate IDP article says both forms of vocabulary, spelling and grammar are accepted on the IELTS test (IDP).
| British | American |
|---|---|
| colour | color |
| metre | meter |
| litre | liter |
| favourite | favorite |
| theatre | theater |
| travelled | traveled |
| organise | organize |
Listening, Reading and Writing
In Listening and Reading, an answer is right or wrong, and IDP says spelling errors are marked incorrect (IDP). A correct American spelling is not an error. In Writing, IDP says mixing styles is not a spelling error as such but is stylistically inconsistent, so choose one style for the whole response.
The recordings use a range of accents, including North American ones (ielts.org), but the accent you hear does not decide which spelling you must use.
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Practice and practise
IDP points out one trap: in British English practice is the noun and practise the verb (likewise licence and license), while American English uses practice and license for both (IDP). If you use British spelling, use the right form for the part of speech.
Frequently asked questions
Is 'color' marked wrong in IELTS Listening?+
No. IDP says American spelling is accepted if the word is spelt correctly.
Can I mix British and American spelling?+
IDP advises against it. It is not a spelling error as such, but it is inconsistent.
Does IELTS prefer British English?+
No. IDP says both British and American vocabulary, spelling and grammar are accepted.
Do I need to match the spelling in the Reading passage?+
Answers must be words from the text, so copying the spelling used there is the safest choice.
Keep reading
Related
- Does spelling count in IELTS Listening and Reading?
- Which accents are used in IELTS Listening?
- Do spelling mistakes count in IELTS Writing?
- All 3112 guides
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