Is It Favour or Favor? | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Favour and favor are two ways of spelling the noun used to refer to an act of kindness or to mean “approval.” It can also be used as a verb to mean “prefer.” The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In British English, “favour” is standard.
- In American English, “favor” is correct.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
My manager seems to favour/favor innovative projects that impact the organization.
The politician promised to work in the public’s favour/favor.
Favourable or favorable
The same spelling difference applies to the adjective favourable or favorable and the noun or adjective favourite or favorite.
- In British English, “favourable” and “favourite” are correct.
- In American English, “favorable” and “favorite” are correct.
Of all dogs, Cooper is my favourite/favorite.
The movie was a big hit, becoming a favourite/favorite among audiences of all ages.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Five important differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or.
In British English, these same words end in -our. |
Behavior or behaviour Labor or labour Favor or favour Favorite or favourite Color or colour Honor or honour |
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er.
In British English, these same words end in -re. |
Theater or theatre Center or centre Meter or metre Liter or litre Saber or sabre Fiber or fibre |
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize.
In British English, these words end in -yse or -ise. |
Realize or realise Recognize or recognise Analyze or analyse Organisation or organization Minimize or minimise Finalize or finalise |
| -ed vs -t | In American English, most verbs are regular and form their past tense with the suffix -ed.
In British English, some of these verbs are irregular and form their past tense with the suffix -t. |
Learned or learnt Burned or burnt Kneeled or knelt Dreamed or dreamt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt |
| Single vs double consonant | In American English, many words are spelled with a single consonant.
In British English, these same words are spelled with a double consonant. |
Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling Canceled or cancelled Labeled or labelled Buses or busses Focused or focussed |
Frequently asked questions about favour and favor
- Is it favor or favour in Canada?
-
Favor and favour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “favor.”
- In British English, you use “favour.”
Canadian English mainly follows British English guidelines, so favour is the correct spelling.
The same distinction applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favorite or favourite,” “behavior or behaviour,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it do me a favour or favor?
-
Favor and favour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “do me a favor.”
- In British English, you use “do me a favour.”
The same distinction applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favorite or favourite,” “behavior or behaviour,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
A QuillBot grammar check can help ensure you’re using either American or British English consistently.
