Organisation vs Organization | Spelling & Examples
Organisation and organization are two ways of spelling the same noun, which refers to a business, the act of organizing, or a systematic arrangement. The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In British English, “organisation” is standard, unless you follow Oxford style guidelines. In that case, you should use “organization.”
- In American English, “organization” is the only correct spelling.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
The organisation/organization provides aid to those affected by natural disasters.
As a manager, she oversaw the organisation/organization of the office.
The noun is often preceded by an adjective (e.g., “nonprofit organization/organisation”). The plural noun form is “organisations” or “organizations.”
Organised or organized
The spelling difference also applies to the past tense form of the verb organise or organize.
- In British English, “organised” is standard, unless you follow Oxford style guidelines. In that case, you should use “organized.”
- In American English, “organized” is correct.
Organised or organized can also be used as an adjective. In that case, it’s often preceded by an adverb that modifies it (e.g., “neatly organized/organised”).
The goal was to teach students how to keep their finances organised/organized.
The library was very organised/organized, making it easy to find your favorite books.
Organising or organizing
The same spelling difference also applies to the present participle and the identical gerund form organising or organizing.
- In British English, “organising” is standard, unless you follow Oxford style guidelines. In that case, use “organizing.”
- In American English, “organizing” is correct.
The library staff spent hours organising/organizing the books on the shelves.
Timothy was busy organising/organizing his closet when his grandmother called.
Organiser or organizer
The same spelling difference applies to the related noun organiser or organizer, which can either refer to someone who arranges an activity or something that’s used to keep things in order.
- In British English, “organiser” is standard, unless you follow Oxford style guidelines. In that case, use “organizer.”
- In American English, “organizer” is correct.
The wedding planner served as the chief organiser/organizer.
The kitchen organiser/organizer made it easy to keep pots and pans in order.
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 organisation vs organization
- Is it international organisation or organization?
-
Organisation and organization are two spellings of the same noun. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you write “international organisation,” unless you follow Oxford style guidelines. In that case, you write “international organization.”
- In American English, you write “international organization.”
The same difference applies to words ending in -ize or -yze, such as recognize or recognise, analyze or analyse, finalize or finalise, minimize or minimise, and organize or organise.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it organization or organisation in Canada?
-
Organisation and organization are two spellings of the same noun. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “organisation.”
- In American English, you use “organization.”
Canada largely follows the UK guidelines, but for words containing -iz-, they follow American guidelines. This means organization is standard.
The same difference applies to words that end in -ize or -yze, such as recognize or recognise, analyze or analyse, finalize or finalise, minimize or minimise, and organize or organise.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
