diff --git a/metamorph/main.py b/metamorph/main.py
index 31af628..4aa7c01 100644
--- a/metamorph/main.py
+++ b/metamorph/main.py
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ def __main__():
 
     parser.add_argument("--colour",action='store_true' ,help="show coloured differences",default=True)
     parser.add_argument("-nc","--no-colour",dest='colour',action='store_false' ,help="don't show coloured differences")
+
+    parser.add_argument("--background-colour",action='store_true' ,help="show coloured deletions",default=True)
+    parser.add_argument("-nbc","--no-background-colour",dest='background_colour',action='store_false' ,help="don't show coloured deletions")
+
+
     parser.add_argument("-sd", "--show-diagrams", action='store_true', help="print all diagrams",default=False )
     parser.add_argument("-sdi", "--show-diagram-init", action='store_false', help="print the diagram translation flow",default=True)
     parser.add_argument("-hdi", "--hide-diagram-init", dest='show_diagram_init',action='store_false', help="don't print the diagram translation flow")
@@ -74,7 +79,7 @@ def __main__():
                 s = generate_alternatives(to_translate, conf)
                 for tmp_text in s:
                     if args.colour:
-                        print(get_edits_string(to_translate,tmp_text))
+                        print(get_edits_string(to_translate,tmp_text,args.background_colour))
                     else:
                         print(tmp_text)
                 print()
diff --git a/metamorph/util.py b/metamorph/util.py
index b8c3854..71f5869 100644
--- a/metamorph/util.py
+++ b/metamorph/util.py
@@ -1,17 +1,39 @@
 import difflib
 from termcolor import colored
 
-def get_edits_string(old, new):
+def get_edits_string(old:str, new:str, on_color :bool= True):
     """
     Colorize the differences between two strings.
     """
     result = ""
     codes = difflib.SequenceMatcher(a=old, b=new).get_opcodes()
+    reds = []
+    if on_color:
+        for code in codes:
+            if code[0] == "replace":
+                reds += list(range(code[1],code[2]))
+            elif code[0] == "delete":
+                reds += list(range(code[1],code[2]))
+    
+    li = 0
+
     for code in codes:
         if code[0] == "equal":
-            result += old[code[1]:code[2]]
+            for i in range(code[3],code[4]):
+                result += colored(new[i],color=None,on_color='on_red' if i in reds else None)
+            li=code[4]
         elif code[0] == "insert":
-            result += colored(new[code[3]:code[4]],'green')
+            for i in range(code[3],code[4]):
+                result += colored(new[i],color='green',on_color='on_red' if i in reds else None)
+            li=code[4]
         elif code[0] == "replace":
-            result += colored(new[code[3]:code[4]],'green')
+            for i in range(code[3],code[4]):
+                result += colored(new[i],color='green',on_color='on_red' if i in reds else None)
+            li=code[4]
+    
+    mr = max(reds) if len(reds) > 0 else 0
+    #print(mr, li, reds)
+    if li < mr:
+        result += colored(" "*(mr-li),color=None,on_color='on_red')
+
     return result
\ No newline at end of file