Canadian spelling and word forms

The Canada.ca Content Style Guide says Government of Canada content must reflect Canadian writing conventions in English and French. It also says its techniques work together with Writing Tips Plus, a searchable Government of Canada tool for English grammar, punctuation, and writing conventions. If you are not sure how to spell a workplace word in Canadian English, look it up there rather than copying a spelling from another country.

This course teaches only word forms we could open on official pages this session (November 2026). The Canada.ca Content Style Guide says:

• its shows possession (belonging to it). it’s means it is. Do not mix them up.
• they’re means they are. their shows possession.
• Write email (not e-mail), website (not web site), web page (not webpage), and online (not on line).
• Do not write a whole word in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Common Canadian spellings (from Writing Tips Plus, a Government of Canada tool, checked November 2026):

• cheque is the Canadian spelling for the bank order. Check is the U.S. spelling.
• practice (with a c) is the noun: "hockey practice." practise (with an s) is the verb: "I practise every day."
• colour: Canadians generally prefer the -our ending in words like colour, not -or (color).
• centre, fibre, theatre: Canadian spelling uses -re for these nouns. Center, fiber, theater are American.
• metre is the unit of length. A meter is a measuring device.

A computer spell checker may suggest a U.S. spelling. If your workplace follows Canadian English, check the official tool.