“Learned” and “Learnt” mean the same thing. The “t” ending is from the older English spelling while the “ed” ending is from the newer American spelling. Either are valid. They are both past tense of the regular form.
Another example is “dreamed” and “dreamt”. Verbs have a tendency to shift spelling to become more regular.
Which do you prefer? I shall be using the “t” ending exclusively from now on. Just because I can.
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The older version has a much nicer sound to it, in my opinion. Learnt. Burnt. Dreamt.
Hello Mr Frog!
Not sure if it’s English or Otherwise, but “The Learned Proffessor” is gramatically valid to describe someone as well educated, as opposed to using Learned to describe the process of learning.
Or have I totally confused myself?
Very true Matt. Although you used the word “nicer” which I loath.
Jason, “Proffessor”? I do enjoy the archaic sound of “ed” when you pronounce the “e”. You can’t use it all the time though.
Learnt. Defo.
I use learned more often and I use Dreamt. And I can see dreamt is not in wordpress dictionary. It’s underlined in red.
It thinkt It shallt bet usingt wordst endingt int Tt moret oftent.
Learnt, always learnt in my opinion.
It’s strange how it happened to some words and not others. If we have learned and dreamed, why not ‘meaned’?
I pity the fool that chooses “ED” over “MR T” 🙂
I prefer learned, but use learnt.
That’s me taughed then.
I always think that the ‘t’ ending sounds a bit posher you know. I dreamed or i drempt. Makes more sence.
I always use the ‘t’ ending. It confuses Americans on Facebook no end.
Would this then apply with smelled and smelt? I have students that insist on using the latter for the past tense of smell.
Absolutely.
Yes, yes, learnt for ever and ever. And dreamt also.