In American English, the verb rival is usually inflected rivaled and rivaling, with one l. Outside the U.S., the more traditional double-l forms, rivalled and rivalling, are standard. Rival is one of a class of l-ending verbs whose inflected forms have lost the second l in American English. This has happened in two waves. The first group of verbs, which includes travel, fuel, and label, permanently lost the second l in the early decades of the 20th century. The second group, which includes … [Read more...]
Modeling vs. modelling
In American English, the verb model becomes modeled and modeling. Outside North America, the preferred participles are modelled and modelling, with two l's. Canadians prefer the double-l forms, though the single-l forms appear about a third of the time. (In contrast, the double-l forms are almost nonexistent in 21st-century American writing, and the single-l forms are similarly rare outside North America.) These spelling preferences extend to modeler (U.S.) and modeller (outside the … [Read more...]
Labeled vs. labelled
In American English, label makes labeled and labeling, with one l. In Canada and in varieties of English from outside North America, the preferred forms are labelled and labelling. The distinction extends to labelers and labellers. Label has no other dictionary-recognized derivatives, so there are no exceptions to worry about. The single-l spelling is well established in American English (in contrast to the single-l spellings of the derivatives of cancel, which are still new). American … [Read more...]
Fueled/fueling vs. fuelled/fuelling
In American English, the verb fuel is inflected fueled and fueling---with one l. In all other main varieties of English, it becomes fuelled and fuelling---with two l's. The spelling difference extends to refuel, which makes refueled and refueling in American English and refuelled and refuelling everywhere else. It likewise extends to other, rarer derivatives such as fueler/fueller. Fuel is one of a large group of l-ending verbs whose inflected forms have lost the second l in American English. … [Read more...]
Shriveled/shriveling vs. shrivelled/shrivelling
In the U.S., the verb shrivel is inflected shriveled and shriveling. Outside the U.S., the older forms, shrivelled and shrivelling are still standard. The American forms are well-established, having gained prevalence in the middle of the 20th century. As with many of these l-ending verbs, the more traditional forms continue to appear regularly in the U.S., even if only a fraction of the time. The more American forms, meanwhile, have not made their way outside the U.S. … [Read more...]
Shoveled/shoveling vs. shovelled/shovelling
As a verb, shovel is inflected shoveled and shoveling in American English. Outside the U.S., it becomes shovelled and shovelling. Shovel is one of a large group of l-ending verbs whose inflected forms have lost the double l in American English. Different verbs have lost the second l at different times. Shovel was one of the early changers, with the single-l forms gaining prevalence in the U.S. around 1900. This means that the change is long established and never questioned. … [Read more...]
Canceled vs. cancelled
In American English, the verb cancel is usually inflected canceled and canceling---with one l. This is not a rule, however, and exceptions are easily found. In varieties of English from outside the U.S., including Canadian, British, and Australian English, cancelled and cancelling are the preferred spellings. The spelling distinction extends to cancelers and cancellers, as well as to cancelable and cancellable, but it does not not extend to cancellation, which everywhere is spelled with two … [Read more...]
Tunneled, tunneling vs. tunnelled, tunnelling
In American English, tunnel is inflected with one l---tunneled and tunneling. This has been the case since the early 20th century, when many -el-ending verbs went through a similar transition in American English. Outside North America, the older forms, tunnelled and tunnelling, still prevail by a large margin, and the American forms are likely to be seen as misspellings. Both the American spellings and the non-U.S. spellings are common in published Canadian writing from this century. Of … [Read more...]
Gaveled vs. gavelled
As a verb meaning to compel using a gavel, gavel makes gaveled and gaveling in the U.S., and gavelled and gavelling everywhere else. The single-l spelling in the U.S. follows many similar words with unstressed second syllables. Cancel and travel, for instance, make canceled and traveled in the U.S., and cancelled and travelled everywhere else. … [Read more...]
Traveled/traveling vs. travelled/travelling
In American English, the inflected forms of travel take one l---so, traveled, traveling, traveler, etc. In varieties of English from outside the U.S., these forms take two l’s---travelled, travelling, traveller, etc. Related Canceled vs. cancelled According to the ngram below, American English adopted the one-l forms in the early 20th century. Many other verbs ending in -el went through a similar transition around this time. Others, such as cancel, did not change until several decades … [Read more...]