Learnt vs. Learned | Difference & Example Sentences
Learnt and learned are two different spellings of the past tense of the verb “learn,” which means “gain knowledge or skill” or “come to be able to do something.” The spelling tends to vary based on the version of English:
- In UK English, “learnt” is standard.
- In US English, “learned” is more common.
In school, I learnt/learned how to speak French.
Jamie hasn’t learnt/learned how to dance yet.
The students learnt/learned about the Great Depression.
Table of contents
“Learned”: Adjective
Learned can be used as an adjective meaning “knowledgeable” or “scholarly.” When learned is used in this way, it’s pronounced with two syllables, with emphasis placed on the first: [lur-nid]. For this meaning, the spelling is always learned, even in UK English.
You cannot become learned if you don’t study a lot.
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Sources in this article
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This Scribbr articleRyan, E. (October 10, 2022). Learnt vs. Learned | Difference & Example Sentences. Scribbr. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/us-vs-uk/learnt-vs-learned/
