Acknowledgement vs. acknowledgment—which one is correct? The truth is, in the English-speaking world, they are both right! If the difference between the two spellings of this common word has ever confused you, read on to find out why both versions are technically correct.
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What is Acknowledgement?
Acknowledgement (or acknowledgment) is a noun. We use it to describe the idea of accepting that something is true. In short, it is an admission. Depending on the context, it can also mean to show appreciation or expression of gratitude.
You can probably recognize the word “knowledge” sandwiched in the middle of this word. But where does the rest of this word come from?
When you write the word acknowledgment, you are combining the root word “know” with the prefix “ack” and two suffixes—“ledge” and “ment.”
As a result, you are creating a word that means “the act of acknowledging.”
The word “acknowledge” is a blend of the two Middle English words.
The first is “aknow,” which means to show knowledge, and the second is “knowlechen,” which means to admit.
Put together, the word “acknowledgement” means the act of admitting one’s knowledge.
Examples:
- His acknowledgment of the pain his actions had caused was appreciated.
- She didn’t give any acknowledgment when I told her I liked her outfit.
- I have added an acknowledgment in my mail.
- I have received acknowledgment from the travel agent about our booking.
- She was given a certificate as acknowledgment for her charitable work.
- Thank you for your acknowledgment of my hard work this year.
- I think you deserve some acknowledgment at the end of the meeting.
- He didn’t respond to her question with words, but his silence was its own acknowledgment.
When and How to Use?
Use the word acknowledgment when you are trying to describe somebody who admitted that they know something is true. For instance, if you win an argument, your conversation partner might be forced to give an acknowledgment that you are right.
You can also use “acknowledgment” to describe a situation where somebody is taking notice of something. For instance, if you’re telling a story, your friends might show acknowledgment of your words by nodding their heads.
What’s the Correct Spelling?
If you’ve ever seen this word spelled two different ways (acknowledgement vs. acknowledgment), you’re not going crazy. They are both technically correct because different countries use different spellings.
“Acknowledgement” is the British English spelling of the word. “Acknowledgement” is also more common in Australia. On the other hand, “acknowledgment” (without an extra “e”) is the preferred spelling in Canada and the United States.
If you have your computer’s language set to American English, then your online writing tools might recognize British spellings of words as incorrect, even if they are technically a valid spelling of the word.
Examples of other words that have alternate British spellings that writing tools often flag are:
- Centre vs center
- Judgement vs judgment
- Apologise vs apologize
- Behaviour vs behavior
- Flavour vs flavor
- Licence vs license
Trick to Remembering the Correct Spelling
Next time you’re having trouble remembering how to spell acknowledgment correctly for American English, use these quick tips to jog your memory:
- Associate the word with other words that follow similar spelling rules. Recall that the correct US spelling of “judgment” does not have an extra “e.” If you know the correct spelling of this word, you may find it easier to remember that “acknowledgment” also takes out this vowel before “ment.”
- Remember that British spellings often include extra letters than American spellings.
- If fun examples help you remember spellings better, then think about this: imagine the letter “e” falling off of a big, scary ledge. Picture this image in your mind whenever you spell the word “acknowledgment.” The “e” fell off the “ledge,” so now, you should just write “ledg” before finishing the word with “ment”.
Final Thoughts
Both “acknowledgement” and “acknowledgment” are correct spellings. However, you should use the first form if you are using British English and the second one when using American English. If you are trying to remember the difference between acknowledgement vs. acknowledgment, remember that the American spelling (and most countries outside North America) drops the additional “e” to form a slightly shorter word overall.
