Certified vs Certificated

Certified vs Certificated – What’s the Difference?

Vocabulary / By

In the English language, there are so many different words that seem similar but are different. In some cases, the words might even seem like a misspelling, but they are accurate. Certificated might seem like a misspelling of certified, but it is actually a word used in British English.

Certified

“Certified” is a past tense verb and an adjective. As a past tense verb, it means that someone has obtained proof of a certain qualification previously. As an adjective, it means that someone is actually qualified to perform a job.

If you are certified, this means you have received a certification in a specific subject. For example, mechanics will need to be certified before they have the ability to work on your car. This ensures that the mechanic knows what they are doing and has appropriate knowledge of the subject.

Certified can also mean that something is guaranteed or endorsed. You might notice that used cars are often referred to as certified. That means the cars have been through an extensive quality check, and they are safe to be driven.

If something or someone is certified, this means they have met certain requirements. For example, you will be better off working with a certified public accountant than working with one that has not been certified.

Examples
I just bought a certified used car for an amazing price.

If you aren’t certified yet, you can help out by filing paperwork.

I recently finished all of my courses to become a certified teacher.

You should consider hiring a certified exterminator to make sure the job is done right.

Certificated

Certificated is a word used in British English and not in American English. This is why it is often considered to be a misspelling. The word is an adjective and comes from both certified and certificate. Like certified, certificated is used to describe someone’s qualifications.

Certificated is used to refer to someone that has an official document for proof that something has been done. For example, teachers are considered to be certificated in British English instead of certified.

Examples
My class was taught by a certificated teacher.

I can only buy stocks in a certificated form.

All of my employees are certificated in accounting.

Our school district consists of mostly certificated teachers, with some substitutes in the process.

Certified vs Certificated

Certified comes from the verb certify, while certificated comes from the noun certificate. Certify has been in our language much longer than certificate has. Certify was first used to describe something that is being made certain, and a certificate is a document that confirms that certainty.

If you are talking about someone who has a certificate to show their qualifications, you will use certified in American English. For example, plumbers are certified to work on the plumbing in your home.

Certificated is typically only used in British English, not American English. It has about the same meaning as certified, but it won’t be as accepted in America as it would in other countries.

Summary
It can be hard to determine when you should use certified or certificated. Luckily, it is much easier to figure out the appropriate usage than you think. Certified is mostly used in American English and certificated is mostly used in British English.

Both words refer to someone or something meeting a certain set of expectations or qualifications. For example, a used car is considered certified if it meets all of the proper criteria. In British English, a teacher or professor would be called certificated because they completed the proper qualifications to enter that profession.

Conor
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