Foundations
Voice & Language
Writing conventions for anyone communicating on behalf of, or in reference to, Great Britain and British brand assets.
British voice is
- Direct and precise — say what you mean without filler
- Authoritative without being pompous — confidence earned, not asserted
- Understated — let the substance speak; do not oversell
- Formal in structure, accessible in tone — write for the reader, not the writer
- Specific — use exact values, named sources, documented references
- Consistent — one voice, one spelling convention, one set of rules throughout
British voice is not
- Enthusiastic or exclamatory — no hyperbole, no exclamation marks
- Ironic or self-deprecating at the expense of clarity
- Verbose — padding is weakness, not sophistication
- Casual or colloquial in formal contexts
- Vague — avoid weasel words, hedging and approximation where precision is available
- Americanised — spelling, vocabulary and idiom follow British conventions throughout
Spelling Conventions
| British | Not | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Color | All -our endings: honour, favour, neighbour |
| Centre | Center | All -re endings: theatre, metre, litre |
| Organise | Organize | -ise endings standard in British usage |
| Programme | Program | Except in computing contexts |
| Licence (n.) | License (n.) | Licence = noun · License = verb |
| Travelling | Traveling | Double-l in -elling, -illing, -ulling |
| Cheque | Check | Financial instrument only |
| 'Single quotes' | "Double quotes" | Single marks preferred in British style |
These represent widely accepted conventions in British English. Style guides vary — the Oxford Style Manual and New Hart's Rules are the authoritative references.