British English Standards Skill
Language Standards
- •Always use British English spelling and grammar
- •colour, flavour, honour (not color, flavor, honor)
- •centre, theatre, metre (not center, theater, meter)
- •recognise, organise, analyse (not recognize, organize, analyze)
- •travelled, cancelled, labelling (double l)
- •programme (for TV/radio), program (for computer software)
Units of Measurement
- •
Temperature: Celsius (°C) and Gas Mark
- •Include Fahrenheit (°F) in brackets if helpful
- •Example: "180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4)"
- •
Weight: Grams (g) and Kilograms (kg)
- •Example: "250g flour", "1kg tomatoes"
- •
Volume: Millilitres (ml) and Litres (l)
- •Also use traditional UK measurements when appropriate: tablespoons (tbsp), teaspoons (tsp), cups
- •Example: "250ml vegetable stock", "1 tbsp olive oil"
- •
Length: Centimetres (cm), Metres (m)
- •Example: "5cm piece of ginger"
Date and Time Formats
- •
Date format: DD/MM/YYYY or "3rd February 2026"
- •Use ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th)
- •Month names in full or abbreviated (Feb, Mar)
- •Example: "03/02/2026" or "3rd February 2026"
- •
Time format: 24-hour clock or 12-hour with am/pm
- •Example: "14:30" or "2:30pm"
Terminology
- •Use "whilst" instead of "while" where appropriate
- •Use "amongst" instead of "among" where appropriate
- •"Courgette" not "zucchini"
- •"Aubergine" not "eggplant"
- •"Coriander" (the herb) not "cilantro"
- •"Rocket" not "arugula"
- •"Chickpeas" (acceptable in both UK and US)
- •"Spring onions" not "scallions"
- •"Cling film" not "plastic wrap"
- •"Kitchen roll" not "paper towels"
- •"Grill" (overhead heat) not "broil"
- •"Hob" not "stovetop"
Tone and Style
- •Professional yet approachable
- •Warm and inclusive
- •Use "you" to address readers directly
- •Avoid overly casual slang unless contextually appropriate
- •Be clear and concise