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 whether you use US or UK 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 history of the Capitol.
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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Ryan, E. (2023, March 14). Learnt vs. Learned | Difference & Example Sentences. Scribbr. Retrieved November 3, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/us-vs-uk/learnt-vs-learned/
