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Learned or Learnt?
Learned or Learnt?
What is the difference between "learned" and "learnt"?- If you're following US writing conventions, use "learned."
- If you're following UK writing conventions, use "learnt."



More about "Learned" and "Learnt"
The verb "to learn" means to acquire knowledge of, or skill in, something through study or experience."To learn" is one of those verbs with both an irregular form and a regular form.
Verb | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
learn | learned OR learnt | learned OR learnt |
Americans Demand "Learned"
In America, "learned" dominates. The use of "learnt" as the past tense or past participle of "to learn" is considered a spelling mistake by many. It will certainly annoy a fair proportion of your readers.Brits Prefer "Learnt"
Outside America, "learnt" is more common, but "learned" is generally accepted. (This is almost certainly a result of American influence spreading.)Verbs with Irregular and Regular Forms
The following verbs (like "to learn") can be regular or irregular:Verb | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
burn | burned OR burnt | burned OR burnt |
dream | dreamed OR dreamt | dreamed OR dreamt |
hang | hung also hanged | hung also hanged |
smell | smelled OR smelt | smelled OR smelt |
spell | spelled OR spelt | spelled OR spelt |
If You Mean "Educated," Use "Learned"
The word "learned" is used as an adjective meaning knowledgeable, wise or well-educated. It has two syllables and is stressed on the first one (i.e., LEARN + ed).A Video Summary
Here's a quick video summarizing this lesson on learned and learnt.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.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?