If you have ever seen both pretense and pretence, you may have wondered whether one of them is wrong.
The good news is that both spellings are correct. The difference is mainly about British English and American English.
This small spelling difference can confuse English learners because the two words have the same meaning and almost the same pronunciation.
You may see pretence in a British English book and pretense in an American English article. That does not mean one writer made a spelling mistake.
Both words describe a situation in which someone acts as if something is true when it is not, or behaves as though they have a feeling, ability, or reason that they do not really have.
For example, if a person acts as if they are very interested in a conversation when they are actually bored, we can say they are putting on a pretence or putting on a pretense.
The important thing is to know which spelling belongs to which form of English. You should also understand how the noun is used in real sentences, because learners sometimes confuse it with verbs such as pretend.
By the end of this guide, you will know the difference between pretense and pretence, when to use each spelling, how to remember the difference, and how native speakers use the word in everyday English.
What Does “Pretense” Mean?
Pretense is the American English spelling of the noun. It means an attempt to make other people believe that something is true when it is not, or an act of pretending.
The word is often used when someone is not being completely honest about their real feelings, intentions, identity, or situation.
For example:
He made a pretense of being interested in the meeting.
This means he acted as if he was interested, but he probably was not.
Another example is:
She visited him under the pretense of asking for advice.
Here, asking for advice was the stated reason for the visit, but it was not the person’s real reason.
When should you use “pretense”?
Use pretense when writing in American English. It is especially common in American books, newspapers, websites, and other forms of American writing.
The word is a noun, so it usually names the act or appearance of pretending.
Common expressions include:
- under the pretense of…
- on the pretense of…
- make a pretense of…
- without pretense
- a mere pretense
For example:
He left the office under the pretense of making a phone call.
The sentence suggests that making a phone call was only an excuse.
Grammar rule for “pretense”
Because pretense is a noun, it can be used after articles and adjectives.
For example:
- a pretense
- the pretense
- a false pretense
- a clever pretense
- a simple pretense
It can also appear after a preposition:
She spoke under the pretense of being helpful.
Remember that pretense is not the verb. The verb is pretend.
You say:
He pretended to be sick.
Not:
He pretense to be sick.
Examples with “pretense”
- He made a pretense of being happy.
- She came to my house under the pretense of borrowing a book.
- There was no pretense that everything was perfect.
- He made a pretense of listening to his teacher.
- The meeting was held under the pretense of discussing a new project.
- She saw through his pretense immediately.
- He continued the pretense because he did not want to hurt her feelings.
- They made a pretense of friendship for many years.
A common learner confusion
Many learners see pretense and think it is related to pretend in exactly the same way that a regular noun is formed from a verb. It is related in meaning, but the forms are different.
Pretend is a verb:
Tom pretended to be asleep.
Pretense is a noun:
Tom’s pretense was obvious.
A simple way to remember this is:
pretend = action
pretense = the act or appearance of pretending
What Does “Pretence” Mean?
Pretence has exactly the same basic meaning as pretense. The only important difference is the spelling.
Pretence is the spelling normally used in British English and is also common in other varieties that follow British spelling.
So if you are writing for a British English audience, pretence is usually the spelling you should choose.
For example:
He made a pretence of being busy.
This means he acted as if he was busy, although he was not really busy.
Another example is:
She visited him under the pretence of checking on his health.
The phrase tells us that checking his health was presented as the reason for the visit, but there may have been another reason.
When should you use “pretence”?
Use pretence when following British English spelling.
This is particularly useful if you are writing for readers in the United Kingdom or in settings where British spelling is expected.
You may see other British spellings that follow a similar pattern, such as:
- defence
- offence
- licence
- pretence
American English often uses:
- defense
- offense
- license
- pretense
However, spelling patterns are not always identical across every word, so it is better to learn each word rather than assume that every word follows exactly the same rule.
Grammar rule for “pretence”
Just like pretense, pretence is a noun.
It can be used with articles:
It was a pretence.
The pretence continued for several weeks.
It can also be used with adjectives:
His false pretence was easy to notice.
And it commonly appears in expressions such as:
under the pretence of…
make a pretence of…
without pretence
Examples with “pretence”
- He made a pretence of being calm.
- She arrived under the pretence of asking for help.
- His pretence of confidence did not fool anyone.
- They continued the pretence for the sake of their children.
- She quickly saw through his pretence.
- He made a pretence of reading the report.
- The invitation was only a pretence for starting a conversation.
- There was no pretence that the situation was easy.
A common learner confusion
The biggest mistake is thinking that pretence and pretense have different meanings.
They do not.
The difference is mainly spelling based on the variety of English being used.
If you write British English, choose pretence.
If you write American English, choose pretense.
Difference Between Pretense and Pretence
The easiest answer is this:
Pretense = American English
Pretence = British English
They have the same meaning, same pronunciation in normal use, same grammatical function, and same general usage.
The main difference is simply the letter s versus c.
| Point | Pretense | Pretence |
|---|---|---|
| Main variety | American English | British English |
| Meaning | Act of pretending | Act of pretending |
| Part of speech | Noun | Noun |
| Pronunciation | Essentially the same | Essentially the same |
| Meaning difference | None | None |
| Example | He made a pretense of being busy. | He made a pretence of being busy. |
American English vs British English
Imagine two teachers correcting the same sentence.
An American English teacher might write:
She made a pretense of being surprised.
A British English teacher might write:
She made a pretence of being surprised.
Neither teacher is wrong.
The difference is a spelling preference connected to the variety of English.
Meaning comparison
Both words can describe false behaviour or an appearance that is not genuine.
Consider:
He made a pretense of confidence.
and:
He made a pretence of confidence.
Both sentences mean that he acted as if he were confident, even though his real feelings may have been different.
Sentence structure
The sentence structure does not change when you change the spelling.
You can say:
She made a pretense of being interested.
Or:
She made a pretence of being interested.
You can also use the common pattern:
under the pretense/pretence of + noun or -ing form
For example:
He entered the room under the pretense of looking for his phone.
British English:
He entered the room under the pretence of looking for his phone.
The grammar stays exactly the same.
“Pretend” is different
This is an important point for learners.
Pretend is a verb.
She pretended to be asleep.
Pretense/pretence is a noun.
Her pretense/pretence was convincing.
Do not replace one with the other.
Incorrect:
He pretense to know the answer.
Correct:
He pretended to know the answer.
Correct:
His pretense was obvious.
Grammar Rules You Must Remember
Rule #1: Pretense is American English
When using American English, write pretense with an s.
He made a pretense of being busy.
If your writing follows American spelling, this is the normal choice.
Rule #2: Pretence is British English
When using British English, write pretence with a c.
He made a pretence of being busy.
If your website, school, workplace, or audience follows British English, this is usually the better choice.
Rule #3: Both words are nouns
Neither pretense nor pretence is a verb.
The verb is pretend.
Compare:
She pretended to understand.
Her pretence of understanding was obvious.
This difference is very useful because learners sometimes try to use pretense as a verb.
Rule #4: Do not change the spelling in the middle of one style
If you are writing an article in British English, use pretence consistently.
If you are writing in American English, use pretense consistently.
For example, avoid writing one paragraph with pretence and another with pretense unless you are specifically discussing the spelling difference.
Consistency makes your writing look cleaner and more professional.
Common Mistakes Students Make
Mistake 1: Thinking one spelling is wrong
A learner may see pretense and assume it is a spelling error because they learned pretence.
That is not correct.
Both spellings are accepted. The choice depends mainly on the variety of English.
Correction tip:
Remember:
American → pretense
British → pretence
Mistake 2: Using “pretense” as a verb
Incorrect:
He pretense to be a doctor.
Correct:
He pretended to be a doctor.
Here, the action needs a verb, so pretended is correct.
Mistake 3: Confusing “pretence” with “pretend”
These words are related, but they do different jobs.
She pretends to be busy.
Here, pretends is a verb.
Her pretence of being busy was obvious.
Here, pretence is a noun.
Mistake 4: Changing the meaning
Some learners think pretense means something different from pretence. It does not.
For example:
He made a pretense of being happy.
and:
He made a pretence of being happy.
Both sentences communicate the same idea.
Mistake 5: Mixing spelling styles without a reason
Mixing British and American spelling is not always a serious grammar error, but it can make formal writing look inconsistent.
If you choose British English, use pretence.
If you choose American English, use pretense.
Easy Trick to Remember the Difference
Here is a very simple memory trick:
C = British, S = American.
So:
pretence → British English
pretense → American English
You can connect the C in pretence with other familiar British spellings such as defence and offence.
For American English, remember the S in pretense, just as American English commonly uses defense and offense.
Another helpful trick is to think about your reader.
Ask yourself:
“Who am I writing for?”
If your readers are mainly in the UK, choose pretence.
If your readers are mainly in the US, choose pretense.
If you are simply learning English and see both spellings, do not worry. You are looking at two accepted spelling forms of the same noun.
The meaning does not change.
A quick classroom trick is:
British = C
American = S
Write that in your notes, and the difference becomes much easier to remember.
Daily Life Examples
The word is not as common in casual conversation as pretend, but you may still find it in books, news reports, formal writing, and serious conversations.
Here are some easy examples.
Example 1
A: Why did he come to your office?
B: He came under the pretence of asking about the project.
In American English, pretense would be used instead.
Example 2
A: Was she really interested in the meeting?
B: No. She only made a pretence of listening.
She acted as if she was listening.
Example 3
A: Did Tom really know how to fix the car?
B: No. His pretence of confidence fooled us for a while.
He looked confident even though he did not really know what to do.
Example 4
A: Why did Sarah visit him?
B: She came under the pretense of returning a book.
The book was probably not her real reason for visiting.
Example 5
A: Did he seem angry?
B: No. He made a pretence of being calm.
He acted calmly even though he may have felt angry.
Example 6
A: Did they really want to help?
B: I think their offer was only a pretence.
The offer did not seem genuine.
Example 7
A: Did she believe his story?
B: No. She saw through his pretence immediately.
See through someone’s pretence means to understand that the person’s behaviour is not genuine.
Example 8
A: Why did he keep smiling?
B: He was making a pretense of being happy.
His smile did not show his true feelings.
Example 9
A: Did he really understand the instructions?
B: I don’t think so. He made a pretence of understanding.
He acted as if he understood.
Example 10
A: Was everything fine between them?
B: They acted normally, but there was no pretence that everything was perfect.
This means nobody tried to claim that the situation was completely good.
Practice Section
Choose the correct option in each sentence. Remember that both spellings are correct, but the choice depends on the variety of English.
1. British English
He made a ___ of being interested in the conversation.
A. pretense
B. pretence
2. American English
She made a ___ of being calm.
A. pretense
B. pretence
3. British English
They entered the building under the ___ of looking for a friend.
A. pretense
B. pretence
4. American English
His ___ of confidence was easy to notice.
A. pretense
B. pretence
5. Both varieties
Which statement is correct?
A. The two words have different meanings.
B. The two words have the same meaning but different regional spellings.
Answers
1. B — pretence
British English normally uses pretence.
2. A — pretense
American English normally uses pretense.
3. B — pretence
The question specifies British English.
4. A — pretense
The question specifies American English.
5. B — The two words have the same meaning but different regional spellings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pretense and pretence?
There is no important difference in meaning. Pretense is the spelling generally used in American English, while pretence is the spelling generally used in British English. Both are nouns meaning an act or appearance of pretending.
Is “pretense” American or British English?
Pretense is the usual American English spelling. If you are writing in American English, use pretense with an s. British English normally uses pretence with a c.
Is “pretence” British English?
Yes. Pretence is the standard spelling commonly used in British English. You may see it in British books, newspapers, educational materials, and formal writing.
Can I use “pretend” instead of “pretense” or “pretence”?
Not always. Pretend is a verb, while pretense and pretence are nouns.
For example:
She pretended to be asleep.
But:
Her pretence of being asleep was convincing.
The grammar changes because the words have different functions.
Is pretense formal or informal?
Pretense can sound more formal than the everyday verb pretend. It is common in writing and in expressions such as under the pretense of and make a pretense of. In casual speech, people often simply use pretend.
Is “pretense” spelled with an S or C?
Both spellings are correct.
Pretense is the usual American spelling.
Pretence is the usual British spelling.
The spelling does not change the meaning.
Which is correct: “under the pretense” or “under the pretence”?
Both are correct. Choose under the pretense for American English and under the pretence for British English.
For example:
He entered under the pretense of helping.
British English:
He entered under the pretence of helping.
Does pretense mean lying?
It can be connected to dishonest or false behaviour, but it does not always mean a direct lie. A pretense is an act or appearance that makes something seem true or genuine when it may not be. The exact meaning depends on the context.
Final Conclusion
The difference between pretense and pretence is much easier than it first appears. Both words have the same meaning and serve the same grammatical purpose. The main difference is spelling.
Use pretense when you are following American English. Use pretence when you are following British English.
Also remember that both forms are nouns. The related verb is pretend. So you can say, “He pretended to be busy,” but you can also say, “He made a pretense of being busy.”
If you are learning English, seeing both spellings should not worry you. Instead, pay attention to the type of English being used around you.
Once you connect C with British English and S with American English, the spelling becomes much easier.
The best way to remember the difference is to use the words in your own sentences. A little practice will make the choice feel natural.
I am Benjamin Clark, an English language writer passionate about simplifying grammar, vocabulary, and word meanings. I create clear, accurate, and practical content to help learners improve their English skills with confidence every day.
