'Smelled' & 'Smelt'

Question

What is the difference? Can give some examples? Thank you.

Nona the brit · Accepted Answer

Smelt is British English only.

Spectacled-Girl · Answer

Nona The BritSmelt is British English only.

I see...

So, I guess 'smelled' is used more frequently than 'smelt'?

Thanks again.

Philip · Answer

Spectacled-Girl
Nona The BritSmelt is British English only.
I see...

So, I guess 'smelled' is used more frequently than 'smelt'?

Thanks again.

You might say so. That is, if there are more peole who speak AmE than BrE. Another past participle that differs between the two is 'learned / learnt'. I'm sure there are more, but that one comes to mind.

MrPedantic · Answer

I find I use both, but in different contexts, e.g.

1. The milk smelt rather strange.

2. We smelled all the different kinds of tea.

3. Burnt toast.

4. The fire burned slowly.

5. Well, if I've learnt one thing today, it's that electric tweezers are a public menace.

6. He learned Latin from the age of two.

I don't know whether other people do the same, though.

MrP

Spectacled-Girl · Answer

Thank you, Philips and MrP <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

'Smelled' & 'Smelt'

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