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Dreamed or Dreamt?

Should I Write "Dreamed" or "Dreamt"?

homesitemapA-Z confused words dreamed or dreamt?
In the UK, "dreamed" and "dreamt" are both acceptable past forms of "to dream." In the US, use "dreamed." (In the US, "dreamt" is so rarely used, it is considered a spelling mistake.)

More about "Dreamed" and "Dreamt"

In the UK, "dreamed" and "dreamt" can be used as both the simple past tense and the past particle of "to dream." This is not the case in the US, where "dreamed" dominates. For example:
  • I dreamed all night long. correct tick (small British flag) correct tick (small American flag)
  • I dreamt all night long. correct tick (small British flag) wrong cross (small American flag)
  • (In these examples, the highlighted words are the simple past tense.)
  • I have dreamed about this situation before. correct tick (small British flag) correct tick (small American flag)
  • I have dreamt about this situation before. correct tick (small British flag) wrong cross (small American flag)
  • (Here, the highlighted words are past participles.)
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."

Even 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."
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.

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