Dreamed or Dreamt?

Our Story

Dreamed or Dreamt?

Should I write "dreamed" or "dreamt"?

The quick answer is use "dreamed."

The slightly longer answer is that "dreamed" and "dreamt" are both acceptable past forms of "to dream." In the US, however, "dreamt" is so rarely used, it is often considered a spelling mistake.

Of note, "dreamed" and "dreamt" are used as both simple past tense and the past particle. For example:
  • I dreamed/dreamt all night long.
    • (This is an example of the simple past tense.)
  • I have dreamed/dreamt about this situation before.
    • (Here, dreamed/dreamt is a past participle.)
dreamed or dreamt (UK)
The graph shows that "dreamed" is approximately twice as popular as "dreamt" in the UK. In the US, "dreamt" is far rarer. The graph is similar for the terms "have dreamed" and "have dreamt," proving that Brits do not distinguish between the past tense and the past participle with the past forms of "to dream."
Got it? Take a quick test.

More about "Dreamed" and "Dreamt"

The verb "to dream" means "to experience a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in your mind during sleep." "To dream" is one of those verbs with both an irregular form and a regular form.
VerbPast SimplePast Participle
dreamdreamed OR dreamtdreamed OR dreamt

Americans Demand "Dreamed"

In America, "dreamed" dominates. The use of "dreamt" as the past tense or past participle is considered a spelling mistake by many.

Brits Also Prefer "Dreamed"

Outside America, "dreamed" is more common, but "dreamt" is generally accepted. In British English, "dreamed" is twice as common as "dreamt." [evidence]

Verbs with Irregular and Regular Forms

The following verbs (like "to dream") can be regular or irregular:
VerbPast SimplePast Participle
burnburned OR burntburned OR burnt
dreamdreamed OR dreamtdreamed OR dreamt
smellsmelled OR smeltsmelled OR smelt
spellspelled OR speltspelled OR spelt
Read also about "hanged" and "hung."
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

Help Us To Improve Grammar Monster

  • Do you disagree with something on this page?
  • Did you spot a typo?
Please tell us using this form.

See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? Ms., Miss, or Mrs? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? dived and dove e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? hanged and hung imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? spelled and spelt tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are verbs? What are regular verbs? What are regular verbs? What is the past tense? What are past participles? What are nouns? List of easily confused words