Confusing Words: Check (noun or verb) and Cheque (noun)
Meaning:
Check (examine something in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something.)
Cheque (a bill of exchange in which one party orders the bank to transfer the money to the bank account of another party)
Check vs Cheque Clarification: Both words are grammatically correct. Although they are pronounced the same way, the two words carry completely different meanings.
Check vs Cheque – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?
The two versions of English language, American and British English, often create confusions among writers and speakers. Especially, the fresh English learners are the most confused ones. For instance, American and British English use different spellings to describe the same word.
There is no difference in the pronunciation of check and cheque. Also, you cannot find out any differences in meaning and function.
Check
It is used as a noun or a verb within sentences. As a noun, check is used to refer a written document that directs the banks to pay a certain amount of money; an inquiry, examination or a verification of a situation; or a situation in chess in which the opponent may capture another player’s king.
1. I will pay you by check because I don’t have cash right now.
2. Let me give these documents a final check.
3. My opponent said ‘check’, which made me confused; I had to take out my King from danger.
As a verb, it means to examine or to inspect something; or to slow down a progress.
1. I have to check the possibilities that are needed to launch the project.
2. The diseases have been checked by the senior doctors.
Cheque
It is not a spelling-error. This particular word is only used in British English.
In British English, cheque is used as a noun within sentences but only as a financial term, which means a written document that directs the banks to pay a certain amount of money.
Below are the examples that are taken from the British publications.
1. Charity cheque comes from an unlikely place – The crew from Shoreham RNLI Lifeboat Station was donated £550 from afar – from a charity fundraising event in Scotland. (Shoreham Herald)
2. However, a recent study suggests that a fat pay cheque may be influenced by more than just physical attractiveness or the lack of it, dispelling the ‘beauty premium’ theory which says beautiful people earn more while those who are not so gorgeous are paid less. (NDTV)
From the above discussion, it is clear that check and cheque are two different spellings of the same word. However, you have to be very careful of the intended audiences. You should always choose check when you are writing for American readers.
On the other hand, choose cheque for British readers. In this case, cheque is only used in financial context (i.e. as a bank draft) otherwise; you should choose check (in British texts) for the rest of the circumstances (see the above definition of ‘check’).
Check Out: Difference Between Course and Coarse.
What Did You Learn?
It is concluded that check is the dominant spelling than cheque. One of the meanings of check is a written document that directs the banks to pay a certain amount of money.
If you want to refer this particular meaning in British English, then you must use the spelling ‘cheque’ instead of ‘check’. Beside this, use check for the rest of the contexts.