Is It Realise or Realize? | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Realise and realize are two ways of spelling the same verb, which means “become aware of” or “make (something) happen.” The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In British English, both “realise” and “realize” are acceptable. Oxford style requires “realize.”
- In American English, “realize” is the only correct spelling.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
After two months, Logan started to realise/realize how much he loved his girlfriend.
Debbie went to Scotland to realise/realize her dream of petting a Highland cow.
Realised or realized
The spelling difference also applies to the simple past tense or past participle form realised or realized.
- In British English, both “realised” and “realized” are acceptable. Oxford style requires “realized.”
- In American English, “realized” is the only correct spelling.
Cooper realised/realized that it was raining outside.
After hours of studying, he suddenly realised/realized the solution to the problem.
Realising or realizing
The same spelling difference applies to the gerund and present participle realising or realizing.
- In British English, both “realising” and “realizing” are acceptable. Oxford style requires “realizing.”
- In American English, “realizing” is the only correct spelling.
Over time, Bert found himself realising/realizing the value of simplicity in art.
He felt a sinking feeling, realising/realizing that he had been scammed.
Realisation or realization
The spelling difference is also true for the related noun realisation or realization.
- In British English, both “realisation” and “realization” are acceptable. Oxford style requires “realization.”
- In American English, “realization” is the only correct spelling.
I came to the realisation/realization that I didn’t like my major.
After hours of reflection, she had a realisation/realization about her true calling.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Some differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour Color or colour Favor or favour Flavor or flavour Favorite or favourite Honor or honour Humor or humour Labor or labour Neighbor or neighbour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Center or centre Fiber or fibre Theater or theatre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Analyze or analyse Organization or organisation Realize or realise Recognize or recognise |
| In British English, these words end in -yse or -ise. | ||
| -ed vs -t | In American English, most verbs are regular and form their past tense with the suffix -ed. | Burned or burnt Dreamed or dreamt Kneeled or knelt Learned or learnt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt Spilled or spilt |
| In British English, some of these verbs are irregular and form their past tense with the suffix -t. | ||
| Single vs double consonant | In American English, many words are spelled with a single consonant. | Buses or busses Canceled or cancelled Counselor or counsellor Focused or focussed Labeled or labelled Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling |
| In British English, these same words are often spelled with a double consonant. | ||
| Dropping vs retaining the “e” | In American English, “e” is often dropped when forming a noun from a verb | Acknowledgment or acknowledgement Aging or ageing Judgment or judgement |
| In British English, the “e” is often retained. | ||
| Different verb and noun spellings | In American English, most words have identical verb and noun spellings. | License or licence Practice or practise |
| In British English, some words have different spellings for the verb and noun forms. | ||
| Other spelling differences | There are many other spelling differences between the two English variants. | Airplane or aeroplane Aluminum or aluminium Check or cheque Cozy or cosy Defense or defence Dependent or dependant Enrollment or enrolment Fulfil or fulfill Gray or grey Jewelry or jewellery Karat or carat Mold or mould Offense or offence Pajamas or pyjamas Program or programme Skeptical or sceptical Tire or tyre |
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If you want to know more about job applications, research, or idioms, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
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Frequently asked questions about realise or realize
- Is it realise or realize in India?
-
Realise and realize are two spellings of the same verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “realise.”
- In American English, you use “realize.”
Indian English generally follows the UK guidelines for spelling, so realise is standard.
The same difference applies to similar words, such as recognize or recognise, analyze or analyse, finalize or finalise, minimize or minimise, and organize or organise.
It’s important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it realise or realize in Canada?
-
Realise and realize are two spellings of the same verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “realise.”
- In American English, you use “realize.”
Canadian English usually follows the UK guidelines for spelling, but for words ending in -ize or -yze, it follows American guidelines. This means realize is standard.
The same difference applies to similar words, such as recognize or recognise, analyze or analyse, finalize or finalise, minimize or minimise, and organize or organise.
It’s important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
