Spellings Part 3 – Some You Might Not Know

Just like last time, when we had any more written as two words in UK English, but as one word in US English, this week highlights another couple of differences between the two.

1. cost–benefit solution = an EN dash, not a hyphen

2. per cent = two words (but percent = one word in US English)

3. trackbed = one word (as in rail trackbed)

4. floodplain = one word

5. cross section = two words when used as a noun. However, when used as a verb, it’s hyphenated = cross-section

6. re–establish (and re-establishment) = hyphenated

7. at first hand = no hyphen (the OED differs to the New Oxford Style Manual here as it says that both at first-hand and at first hand are possible). However, first-hand is hyphenated when used as an adjective (based on compound adjective rules).

8. programme = double “m” and an “e”, except if you are referring to software, in which case it’s a computer program (US English = program all the time, or at least that’s what many dictionary sources would have us believe).

9. forklift = one word

10. antifreeze = one word

This post was first published on 1/4/2014 on my previous blog.

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Bite-sized Tips No. 3: Spellings Part 2 – Ten You Should Know

Bite-sized Tips No. 5: Spanish Place Names