Have you ever wondering what the difference between a cheque and check was? Well, you’re about to find out.
- Cheque: the British English spelling (UK) of a written order for an amount of money
- Check: the American English spelling (US) of a written order for an amount of money
This difference in spelling only applies when the word means “a written order for an amount of money.” The spelling check is used when the word is used as a verb and as a noun when meaning one of the following:
- An examination of quality or condition
- A stopping or slowing of progress
- A means of control or restraint
- A move in chess when a piece attacks the opponent’s king
- Pattern of squares
- A bill at a restaurant
- A counter used as a stake in gambling
- Any other definition of check which is not “a written order for an amount of money.”
Origin
The spelling check is older than cheque, although the spelling of cheque appears more classical and older. The variant cheque was said to have come into use in the beginning of their the 18th or 19th century from the word check. The newer spelling cheque came from the French word for check, which is chèque.
Example sentences
Check out these examples to get an idea of how check and cheque are used in sentences. Both variants in spelling hold the same meaning, so you can replace one with the other without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Many restaurants these days do not accept cheques as forms of payment.
The orphanage owner was handed a giant check which was a larger copy of the actual check he would receive from the foundation.
The cheque was not valid because some parts of it were scratched out and it was not signed.
Not many people use traveller’s cheques anymore because there are now more convenient options of payment including international credit and debit cards.
My mom wrote a check to school to pay for the field trip to Washington D.C.
Most people in the US prefer using digital forms of payment over analog methods like cash and checks.
The CEO had to sign more than nine cheques today in the afternoon.
A check can be issued for either a checking or savings account according to the bank’s official website.
Some children in the younger generation have never seen a physical check before in their lives.
You must write neatly on a cheque to ensure the correct amount of money is issued to the correct receiver.
If you are a non-native speaker of English writing in either British or American English, you may get confused about which spelling to go with. Just remember that just like how the British queue up (with a Q) instead of line up, they use cheques (with a Q) instead of checks. Meanwhile, in the US, Americans use the same spelling for all meanings of check.
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