Use the word learnt in a sentence

Sentence Examples

in 1965 Ray-Jones returned home to see how lessons learnt in America could be applied here.

Doctor Waldman, I learnt a great deal from you at the university about the violet ray, the ultraviolet ray, which you said was the highest colour in the spectrum-

«Sister, finally I learnt the unhitch method you taught me.»

It has learnt me good. The «Big Stiff».

I have learnt something embarrassing.

Those French gunners must’ve learnt their trade in England.

Long ago,Jean, I learnt that life is to give and not to take.

And then, as he learnt more about civilization he’d realize he was dependent on his rich wife.

This morning I learnt all about the Revolution.

Yes, I learnt something about it in a girl guide.

You learnt that slapping trick in the guides too?

No, I learnt that from riding in cars with detectives.

Man and babes who haven’t yet learnt to talk.

Come and dance that polka. I’ve just learnt it.

That sounds rather like something you learnt from a book.

/Everything I ever learnt as/ /a small boy came from my father,/ /and I never found anything he ever told me/ /to be wrong or worthless./

You’ve learnt something, my dear.

When I learnt the horrible truth…

Well, I ain’t never learnt, Sergeant.

I learnt French, Italian, singing, and music.

No, I’m not. I’ve learnt a lot from Dr. Tower, though.

Then what? Make a detour. Bill Purvis, he learnt me all the dodges.

I learnt it all perfectly and I broke the strings.

and having learnt German, to return to England where my German…

I learnt from the channel.

The Admiralty has learnt that the new German battleship, the Brandenburg, is about to leave Bremerhaven for her trials in the Baltic.

The truth is that as soon as he learnt of the Allied landings…

We live and learn, and I have learnt how right you were that day.

The words came pouring out of me all the words that I had learnt and written down and never spoken.

You and me sitting here studying… and all those books and everything I have ever learnt from those books, and from you… was lighted up, lika a magic lantern.

We learnt that Caesar is coming also in hot pursuit of his foe… and that Ptolemy has slain Pompey. Nay, more.

In the centres, the liberated learnt that their new freedom entailed new responsibilities.

He has read it to me so many times that I’ve learnt it by heart.

I’ve learnt some stuff over this last year.

I never learnt how to play it!

You haven’t learnt it yet.

As we became to be used to one another, Miss Havisham asked me questions as to what I had learnt and what I was going to be.

He was a little afraid, when he learnt that we are bound to our Order only by yearly vows.

For several years, while I learnt me trade.

learnt a lot of new words, ain’t you?

I’ll show you a game… I learnt it in Russia, in Spring… 1737.

It would be better if you learnt it from me than from others.

Well, yesterday we learnt about Kaiser.

I afterwards learnt that Jennie was in the habit of sailing out everyday alone to a little cove near an abandoned lighthouse.

Yes, and when Marc Anthony learnt that Caesar was approaching did he free himself from the arms of Cleopatra?

The only thing I learnt was that the guy who’d murdered Buckley… wasn’t the only killer loose in Superstition.

Main Learnt vs. Learned Takeaways:

• Both learnt and learned are acceptable forms of the verb learn in past participle and past tense.
• Learnt is more common outside of North America, especially in British English.
• Wherever you are, when used as an adjective, only learnedis correct.
• Sometimes learned is used as an adjective, but learnt is always a verb.

What’s the Meaning of Learned?

As a verb, learned means that you completed the process of acquiring or retaining knowledge. It’s how we conjugate the verb learn in both past tense and past participle. However, as an adjective, learned describes a knowledgeable or well-educated person. You also pronounce learned differently depending on whether you use it as a noun or a verb. For example, learned the verb sounds more like one syllable while learned the adjective sounds more like two.

Let’s dig a bit deeper into this difference in pronunciation.

You don’t fully pronounce the second “e” when you use learned in reference to information previously acquired. You know you’re saying the verb correctly when the word sounds more like it only has one syllable.

Here are some examples of when you would use this pronunciation of learned:

Conversely, you emphasize the second “e” when you use learned as an adjective to describe a person. You know you’re saying the adjective correctly when the word sounds more like two distinct syllables.

Here’s an example of when to use this pronunciation of learned:

Learnt vs. Learned: Which one is Correct?

As a verb,both learned and learnt are correct. They both mean that you completed the process of acquiring or retaining knowledge. And, they are both accepted ways of conjugating the verb learn in past tense and past participle. Learnt is exactly the same thing, just the more common way of spelling the verb outside of North America. However, as an adjective, learned describes a knowledgeable or well-educated person. When used this way, only learned is correct, no matter your location. In short, you cannot use learnt as an adjective.

At the end of the day, you can typically use learnt or learned in a sentence without introducing a grammatical error. The only difference is that learned is more common in the U.S. and Canada, while learnt is often preferred outside of North America.

Interestingly, the -ed variant for past tense verbs is becoming more common in British English. That means learned may eventually replace learnt as the preferred spelling for English speakers in countries that use British English.

When used as verbs that indicate the past tense of learn, learnt and learned are interchangeable. But, you cannot use learnt as an adjective, as this function is reserved for learned.

How do you use Learnt in a Sentence?

You can use learnt any time you need the past tense of the verb learn. Let’s review some examples of learnt and learned in sentences.

In the sentences above, learned and learnt are interchangeable words. However, it’s important to remember you can only use learned as an adjective, not learnt.

You may have heard of learned behavior or learned attitude.

You can’t go wrong using learnt vs. learned as a verb, regardless of your location. Learnt is more common outside of North America, but it’s still an acceptable word for U.S. and Canadian speakers. You can even use it in Scrabble!

Test Your Learnt vs. Learned Skills With This Quick Quiz

Read More: Toward Vs. Towards: Which One Should You Use?

What is the difference between learnt vs. learned ?

If you’re learning English for the first time, the easiest grammar lesson to learn is that if a word has two spellings, it’s likely because of American English vs. British English. Learning the difference between learnt and learned is no different, although it appears to be a topic of hot debate. 

The words learnt and learned are the past tense forms of the verb ‘to learn,’ which means ‘to gain or acquire knowledge.’ Both spellings are correct, but “learnt” is more common outside of the United States (and particularly in the United Kingdom). 

The only time “learnt” is undeniably wrong is when “learned” is an adjective that describes someone as educated or smart. So, unless you’re trying to be ironic, avoid using “learnt” for descriptions.

Learned vs. learnt = American English vs. British English

The main differences in spelling between learned and learnt involve ‘standardized’ forms of the English Language. Dictionaries in the United Kingdom declare “learnt” as the standard spelling, while American dictionaries prefer “learned.” 

Noah Webster, the co-founder of Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, played a significant role in the standardization of American English in the early 19th century. The Word Counter covered similar spelling misnomers, including: 

• Canceled vs. cancelled? 
• Flier or flyer?
• Toward vs. towards?

Another confusing trait about learned vs. learnt is that “learn” is an irregular verb. An irregular verb is a word with different tense forms than you’d logically expect. For example, most verbs conjugate to past tense forms that end with -ed. Irregular verbs follow their own rules, though, and most English speakers have to memorize these tense forms early on. 

Irregular verbs with similar spelling differences to learned vs. learnt include: 

• Burned and burnt 
• Dreamed and dreamt
• Dwell and dwelt
• Kneeled and knelt
• Leaped and leapt
• Spelled and spelt 
• Smelled and smelt
• Spilled and spilt
• Spoiled and spoilt

Note how one form ends with -ed while the other ends with -t? Depending on geography and local dialects, English speakers may choose to use one verb form over the other. English speakers in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, or Australia tend to use the -t form of words, while Americans trend toward the -ed form (but not always). 

There are instances in English when the -t endings always top the -ed endings. For instance, “sleeped” and “keeped” are incorrect versions of “slept” and “kept.” Additional irregular verbs with -t endings include: 

• Build = built, not “builded.” 
• Deal = delt, not “dealed
• Leave = left, not “leaved.”
• Meet = met, not “meeted.”
• Send = sent, not “sended.”
• Shoot = shot, not “shooted.”
• Weep = wept, not “weeped.”

The adjective “learned” is never “learnt”

It’s not uncommon for Americans to believe that “learnt” is informal or that it sounds 

uneducated. The perceived informality is likely due to the adjective form of “learned,” which we use to describe someone as informed or expertly in a skill, study, or experience. 

As an adjective, we can use the spelling of learned for the adverb learnedly and the noun learnedness, but we’d never use learnt for “learntly” or “learntness” (in the English Language, anyways). Therefore, it’s safe to say that we shouldn’t use “learnt” as an adjective. 

Non-American English grammar guides take the adjective and verb spellings into account when deciphering the correct use of learnt vs. learned. For example, The ABC Style Guide (an Australian media group) states that either spelling is okay as long there’s no confusion between “learned” as an adjective and verb. 

What does learned mean?

The word learned is an adjective and the past participle of the verb “learn,” which means: 

1. To develop a skill or knowledge of a subject through studying, observation, mentorship, or life experience; or,
2. To teach someone a skill or subject (archaic). 

Sentence examples with the verb learned include:

“Today, we learned about the solar system.”
“I learned how to speak French.”
“Have you learned your lesson yet?”
“He’s learned nothing.” 
“She’s going to learn you to mind your own business” (archaic). 

As an adjective, the word learned describes something as educated or acquired through learning. Similar terms include the adverb learnedly or the noun learnedness. 

Sentence examples with the adjective learned include:

“Stephen Hawkings was a learned man.”
I wouldn’t call the class enlightened, but it is a group of learned students.”
“Constant apologizing is a learned behavior and response.” 
“Some people develop learned helplessness as a coping mechanism.”

Synonyms

Verb: Absorb, assimilate, digest, discover, familiarize, grasp, hear, master, memorize, retain, understand. 

Adjective: Academic, bookish, educated, erudite, esoteric, intellectual, knowledgeable, lettered, literate, polished, scholarly, well-read. 

Antonyms

Verb: Disregard, forget, ignore, lose, miss, misunderstand, neglect, overlook.

Adjective: Benighted, dark, ignorant, illiterate, lowbrow, semiliterate, uncivilized, uneducated, unlearned, unscholarly.

What does learnt mean?

The word learnt is another past tense form of the verb learn, except it’s more common for British English. But unlike the word learned, British English doesn’t use “learnt” as an adjective to describe someone as educated. 

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, British English only uses the word learnt as the past simple and past participle of learn. More specifically, the British definition of learnt conveys the act of obtaining or discovering information.

Sentence examples with the verb learnt include: 

“I fear that I haven’t learnt much of anything.” 
“There were many lessons learnt along the way.”
“She learnt a lot about the planet Venus.”

Synonyms

Ascertain, determine, discern, gather, gain, grasp, hear, master, memorize, pick-up, read, receive, see, study, uncover, understand.

Antonyms

Ignore, lose, miss, misunderstand, neglect, overlook, pass, release. 

A brief history of learnt and learned

The words learnt and learned each come from the verb learn, which entered the English Language via Old English (circa 500 to 1100 CE). At the time, the Old English term leornian meant “to get knowledge” or “to study, read,” and “think about.” 

English speakers of the 13th century used the verb learned to mean “teach,” but modern English speakers hardly use the verb in this form. According to Lexico, this archaic use of learned fell out of favor around the 19th century. 

How to use learnt vs. learned in a sentence?

To use learnt and learned in a sentence correctly, it’s important to realize how both words are past tense of the verb “learn.” By itself, “learn” and “learns” occurs in the present tense, while the act of “learning” presides in past, present, and future continuous tenses. 

The words learned and learnt represent the past participle of learn, so we only use them to actions of the past. More specifically, we use learned and learnt for the simple past tense and the present, future, and past perfect tenses. 

<Simple past tense

The simple past tense describes any action that occurred before the present moment. 

“I learned how to use Grammarly.” 
“I learnt about the influence of American English.” 

Present perfect tense

The present perfect tense describes actions that occurred at an unknown or indefinite past time. 

“I’ve learned my lesson the hard way.” 
“She has learnt much through BBC News.”

Present perfect formula: have/has + learned/learnt.

Future perfect tense

The future perfect tense describes future actions that will end before another future point.

“You will have learned English grammar by then.” 
“By the time you reach middle school, you will have learnt basic grammar rules.”

Future perfect formula: will have + learned/learnt.

Past perfect tense

The past perfect tense (or pluperfect) describes completed actions that ended before another past event. 

“Thankfully, I had learned how to use irregular verbs by then.” 
“I was glad to hear that students had learnt to avoid common spelling errors.”

Past perfect formula: had + learned/learnt.

How to pronounce learned vs. learnt?

Another big difference between learnt and learned involves pronunciation and, believe me, it’s not as simple as you’d like it to be. Several online dictionaries feature different pronunciations of learnt and learned, and they appear to depend on user dialect, word form, and the word’s approximate definition. 

How to pronounce learned as an adjective?

The adjective learned always contains two syllables, but it’s pronunciation changes by region. Americans pronounce learned as “ler-ned” or “ler-nid” (lɜːrnɪd), while British speakers say “lur-nid” (lɜːnɪd). 

There appears to be one exception, however. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, Americans also pronounce the adjective form of learned with one syllable as “lurnd” (ˈlərnd, ˈlərnt). The single syllable seems confusing at first, but it makes sense when you realize that people use verb definition as an adjective. For example:

• “A learned man.” = learned (two syllables)
• “Learned behavior.” = learned (one syllable)

How to pronounce the verbs learned and learnt?

According to Lexico, English speakers tend to pronounce the verb learned with one syllable. Americans pronounce learned as “lurnd” (ləːnd), and British speakers pronounce learnt as “lurnt” (ləːnt). However, if an American said “learnt,” it would sound like “lernt.”

FAQs: Related to learned vs. learnt

Is learnt informal?

If you live in the United States or Canada, the word learnt might sound informal because it’s less common than learned. If you live in the United Kingdom, the word learnt is the formal past tense form of the verb learn.

Is learnt a valid scrabble word?

According to Merriam-Webster’s Scrabble Word Finder, learnt is a valid Scrabble word. In addition to learnt, you can play learn, learned, and learning with 83 playable words. 

Test Yourself!

Ready to take your grammar skills abroad? Test how well you understand learnt vs. learned with the following multiple-choice questions. 

1. ______________ is the past tense of learn. 
   a. Learning
   b. Learnt
   c. Learned
   d. A and B
2. For British English, “learnt” is the ______________ of learned.
   a. Irregular form
   b. Common form
   c. Future tense form 
   d. Continuous tense form
3. What is the opposite of a “learned person”?
   a. A person who likes to read.
   b. Someone with a lot of knowledge. 
   c. A student in college.
   d. A person that refuses to learn. 
4. Which of the following is not an irregular verb?
   a. Burned
   b. Dreamed
   c. Need
   d. Smelled
5. Which of the following sentences uses “learned” or “learnt” incorrectly? 
   a. “I’m a learnt scholar.” 
   b. “He learned about Pokemon.” 
   c. “Harry learnt much at Hogwarts.” 
   d. “She’s a charming and learned diplomat.” 

Answers

1. C
2. B
3. D
4. C
5. A

Photo sources:

1. Photo by Victoria Heath
2. Photo by Element5 Digital 

Sources

1. Harper, Douglas. “Learn (v.).” Online Etymology Dictionary, Etymonline, 2020. 
2. “Learn.” Lexico, Oxford University Press, 2020.
3. “Learned, learnt.” The ABC Style Guide, ABC, 2020. 
4. “Learned.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2020.“Learned.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2020.
5. “Learn•ed.” Webster’s New World College Dictionary, AP Stylebook, 2020. 
6. “Learnt.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2020.
7. “Learnt.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2020.
8. “Learnt or Learned?” Lexico, Oxford University Press, 2020. 
9. “To learn.” Reverso Conjugation, Reverso-Softissimo, 2020.

Many words are spelled differently in American and British English, even if they fulfill the same function in a sentence.

Learnt and learned are two different spellings of the same verb. One is accepted in British English, but not in American English.

Depending on where you are writing, you might choose learnt or learned. But, which is it?

Continue reading to find out.

What is the Difference Between Learnt and Learned?

In this post, I will compare learnt vs. learned. I will use each spelling in an example sentence to demonstrate its proper context. Plus, I will show you a mnemonic to help you decide whether you should use learned or learnt.

When to Use Learned

What does learned mean? Learned can be an adjective or a verb.

As an adjective, learned is a synonym of knowledgeable and sometimes describes to a person who is highly educated. The sentences below demonstrate the usage of learned as an adjective.

• The learned astronomer told me that Pluto is not a planet, but I will always disagree.
• When I became a learned man, I saw the world in a different way.

As an adjective, learned is pronounced with two syllables. The first syllable is stressed, much the same way as the word perfect (ler-ned)

Of course, learned is also the past tense form of the verb learn, which means to acquire knowledge. See the following sentences for examples.

• When I was young, I learned to ride a bicycle.
• The snowman learned not to spend too much time in greenhouses.
• Thone introduced her to roller skiing about 12 years ago. He had learned about it from other coaches and elite Nordic skiers, who were using it for off-season training. –The Wall Street Journal

When to Use Learnt

What does learnt mean? Learnt is an alternative spelling of the same word. It rhymes with burnt. It is only used as a past tense verb, and only in British English, like in these sentences:

• “My big brother learnt his math at Cambridge,” the little orphan boy lied.
• Fifty years ago he used a fairly minor motorcycle accident as an excuse to step away from the spotlight. But the end of the “perfect” Dylan – the one who fused what he had learnt from Woody Guthrie and the symbolist poets with the energy of rock’n’roll, and who mocked the world from behind impenetrable shades – did not mean the end of his creativity. –The Guardian

As you can see in the chart below, which graphs the appearance of the phrases “he learned” and “he learnt” in British English books since 1800, learnt is less common even in that corpus.

This chart is not scientific or infallible, since it only tracks word use in books written in English, ignoring all other sources. Still, it helps visualize a clear long-term trend.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Here is a helpful trick to remember learned vs. learnt, and it is a pretty simple one.

You should probably never use learnt. It is only common in British English as a past tense verb, and even in that context, it is overshadowed by learned.

In situations where you want to capture the way some speakers of English might actually talk, it could be helpful to choose learnt over learned. At all other times, choose learned instead.

You can remember to choose learned over learnt since learnt rhymes with burnt. Just like you wouldn’t want to eat a burnt cookie if there were other cookies available, you wouldn’t want to use learnt if there were other words available.

There is another word available; that word is learned.

Summary

Is it learnt or learned? Learnt and learned are variant spellings of the past tense form of the verb learn, which means to acquire knowledge.

• As an adjective, learned is the only appropriate spelling, and it is pronounced with two syllables.
• Learnt is more common in British English than American English but is still overshadowing by learned.

You should always choose learned, especially in formal writing. It is more common even as a British English verb, the one context where learnt is accepted.

You can remember to avoid learnt since it rhymes with burnt, and most people also seek to avoid things that are burnt.

Sentences ending with learnt

• There were better swordsmen in England than he, but his skill was various, and he knew tricks of the trade which this primitive Norman could never have learnt. [11]
• It certainly is not a true instinct, for every language has to be learnt. [1]

Sentences containing learnt two or more times

• If I never learnt nothing else out of pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way. [5]

More example sentences with the word learnt in them

• He learnt everything without any trouble and at the same time worked as hard as a poor man’s son. [10]
• Mr Sampson Brass, who no doubt had his reasons for looking sharply about him, soon learnt to distinguish the pony’s trot and the clatter of the little chaise at the corner of the street. [12]
• You, our Ann, who have already learnt to be so good a mother in the Sisters’s school? [10]
• To me she was never anything but a pretty plaything; still, there were moments when I believed—poor soul!—I first learnt what love meant through you, how great and how sacred it is!—Now you know all; this, indeed, is the truth! [10]
• Dontchuknow, Archy could ‘ve learnt something if he’d had the nous to stand by and take notice of how that man works the system. [5]
• You have learnt to sing, and there is no better school for a woman’s soul than music and singing. [10]
• Hadrian had refused to see it when he learnt that the death by drowning had terribly distorted the lad’s features. [10]
• Antinous had learnt to regard everything crippled or defective with aversion, as a monstrous failure of nature’s plastic harmony, but to pity it tenderly; but now he felt quite differently. [10]
• He was accustomed to listen to all that was said in the Emperor’s presence, and year by year he had learnt to understand more of what he heard. [10]
• They’ve been learnt to haul little carriages in harness, and go this way and that way and t’other way according to their orders; yes, and to march and drill like soldiers, doing it as exact, according to orders, as soldiers does it. [5]
• They’ve been learnt to do all sorts of hard and troublesome things. [5]
• We belong to those who have learnt to ‘look upwards’—there goes the ball, up again!—and who find comfort in doing so. [10]
• So he learnt the trade, and then he was all right—but it was a close call. [5]
• You are not the less welcome, friend, for her sake, or for this old man’s; nor the worse teacher for having learnt humanity. [12]
• The writer of the beautiful obituary article on «the death of Currer Bell» most likely learnt from herself what is there stated, and which I will take the liberty of quoting, about Jane Eyre. [14]
• Cyrus decided, by the advice of the dethroned king of Lydia, (as we learnt afterwards, through some prisoners of war) on meeting us in our own land and defeating us by a stratagem. [10]
• They had learnt that life was as nothing to either of them without the other, and their hearts meseemed were henceforth as closely knit as two streams which flow together to make one river, and whose waters no power on earth can ever sunder. [10]
• Birds can be taught various tunes, and even the unmelodious sparrow has learnt to sing like a linnet. [1]
• Mistress Ursula for sure knew not till then that Junker Kunz was in Alexandria, and so soon as she learnt it she began to question me. [10]
• This straight-backed and stiff necked man, who had never bowed his head save only in church and before the holy images of the saints, learnt now to stoop and bend. [10]
• Her reply, after she had learnt something of the character of her future critic, and while awaiting his criticism, must not be omitted. [14]
• The self-control which she had learnt from Nitetis gave way, and her old impetuosity burst forth again with double vehemence. [10]
• The governor’s granddaughter, pretty little Mary, had learnt to speak Greek fluently and correctly before she spoke Coptic, but when Paula had first arrived she could not as yet write the beautiful language of Greece with due accuracy. [10]
• I have been permitted to trifle with love unpunished so often, that at last I have learnt to under-estimate its power. [10]
• He has learnt our language in a wonderfully short time, but it flowed from his lips like honey. [10]
• The pike went on thus for three months, but at last learnt caution, and ceased to do so. [1]
• These preliminaries disposed of, he applied himself to teaching her the game, which she soon learnt tolerably well, being both sharp-witted and cunning. [12]
• From the conversation of two Ionian mercenaries behind him he learnt that the family of Amasis had been to the temple to pray for the dying king. [10]
• When I think of the moment when he learnt Nefert’s breach of faith I turn hot and cold. [10]
• At the house of Rufinus he now learnt the fate that had fallen on Paula. [10]
• Been to one o’ them fashionable schools,—I ‘ve heerd that she ‘s learnt to dance. [6]
• But there is nothing anomalous in the musical faculties lying dormant in man: some species of birds which never naturally sing, can without much difficulty be taught to do so; thus a house-sparrow has learnt the song of a linnet. [1]
• But this was not so; I learnt now that she had marked everything, and had heard the men’s light talk about the dashing youth whom the dark-eyed hussy had been so swift to choose from among them all. [10]
• Katharina, meanwhile, did not go home at once to her mother; on the contrary, she went straight off to the Bishop of Memphis, to whom she divulged all she had learnt with regard to the inhabitants of the convent and the intended rescue. [10]
• And oh, how much I have learnt already from those two old men, of which I had no idea before! [10]
• It is a more remarkable fact that the dog, since being domesticated, has learnt to bark (49. [1]
• Simoetha has learnt many spells and charms from an Assyrian, and she tries them all. [10]
• Dureau de la Malle’s dog likewise learnt from the kittens to play with a ball by rolling it about with his fore paws, and springing on it. [1]
• This was a little old gentleman, who lived in the parsonage-house, and had resided there (so they learnt soon afterwards) ever since the death of the clergyman’s wife, which had happened fifteen years before. [12]
• He sank down limp and half lifeless with fright, his strength gone; but he muttered with a deep joy: «He has learnt me! [5]
• Nothingness—well, you have learnt to think; are you capable of defining the meaning of the word—a monster that has neither head nor tail, neither front nor back—can you, I say, define the idea of nothingness? [10]
• The sooner she learnt that she had nothing to expect from their son, the better for her. [10]
• All this I learnt not till some time after, inasmuch as folks would not add new cause of grief to my present sorrow. [10]
• Song was the language of her heart, and she had learnt by experience that it was a language which even the heathen could both use and understand. [10]
• If I’d a knowed this was all, I’d a learnt long ago. [5]
• Never should those knavish rogues have learnt from me what I have gladly revealed to thee who are full of goodness and beauty! [10]
• By the time it was growing dark he was once more standing outside the little gate-house, and there he learnt from Doris that the Roman and her son had not yet returned. [10]
• This they explained in fear and trembling, and they then learnt that the Arab government had that very evening taken possession of the residence. [10]
• She asked me in a low, clear voice, though hardly above a whisper, how old I was, what was my name, and what I had learnt already. [10]
• Terror had loosened his tongue; in that dreadful hour Gyges learnt once more to speak, and I, who but the moment before had been cursing the gods, bowed down before their power. [10]
• Gorgo had met him with a doubtful and embarrassed air; but when she learnt of the blow that had fallen on him and his parents, she clung to him caressingly and tried to comfort him. [10]
• There stood all her chattel, so neat as only she could make them; and I learnt from Susan that Ann had gone down, some time since, into Aunt Jacoba’s chamber. [10]
• Now all naturalists have learnt by dearly bought experience, how rash it is to attempt to define species by the aid of inconstant characters. [1]
• From him he had learnt where to find the suffering Selene, of whom he could not help thinking incessantly and wherever he might be. [10]
• Ere long she had learnt that Verus also had encountered Mastor, that her husband was residing at Lochias, that he had taken part in the festival in disguise, and had exposed himself to grave danger outside the house of Apollodorus. [10]
• But the listener had learnt enough. [10]
• But, as I had compassion on his infirmities, and thought he might have learnt no better, I have managed to bring him back to you. [12]
• I learnt their grin, it suits my style of beauty. [11]
• I learnt a great deal from him, and I will not hide from you that even then he drew my attention to dangers that threaten you now. [10]
• Before I had gained my fourteenth year I had learnt that them that would explore a cunt stop’d not to consider the spelling o’t. [5]
• She had learnt from the porter that her young mistress had been admitted with her companion, but she herself had been forbidden to enter the grounds. [10]
• I have learnt from my own experience, and from Paula’s good friends, to strive untiringly after what is right, and to find my own weal in that of others. [10]
• The Prophet’s truest friend, the wise and powerful ruler, fell by the assassin’s hand, and the world now learnt that the Vekeel had been one of the chief conspirators and had been spurred on to the rashest extremes by his confidence of success. [10]
• But if Sir Franz knew not already that he, to whom he spoke as roughly as though he were a froward serving man, was in truth son and heir of a right noble house, he learnt it now. [10]
• They never pined for the turmoil of a pleasure-seeking world or its dazzling show, for they had learnt to cherish in their own hearts all that is fairest in life. [10]
• I saw her everyday, and learnt, my friends, that love is stronger than a man’s will. [10]
• He had learnt, even before coming in, whom he would find here, a prisoner; and the Arabs, to whom the leech was known, allowed him to join the pair, though at the same time they came a little nearer, and their leader understood Greek. [10]
• Turning now to domesticated and confined birds, I will commence by giving what little I have learnt respecting the courtship of fowls. [1]
• Nor did she delay attending to the last wishes of old Hekt, and Bent-Anat easily persuaded her father, when he learnt how greatly he had been indebted to her, to have her embalmed like a lady of rank. [10]
• Ann, in her compassion and thankfulness, had truly learnt to love her, and she now led me to perceive that she was in many ways a right wise and good woman. [10]
• I was a changed man, and by degrees learnt ever more and more to subdue the rage and indignation which yet from time to time would boil up again within my soul, rebellious against my fate and my noble enemies. [10]
• I had learnt by experience that it was within my power to be mistress of any heart’s griefs, and I could tell myself that dull sufferance of woe would have ill-pleased him whose judgment I most cared for. [10]
• He who would be beautiful must before all things be able to control himself and to be moderate—as I learnt in Rome before I ever saw Athens, and have remembered well. [10]
• Orion has at any rate learnt how far he may venture. [10]
• It has learnt and done much, both in me and for me; a hundred times, face to face with my own finished works I have asked myself: ‘Is it possible that you—Hadrian—your mother’s son-can have achieved this? [10]
• Soon he learnt all that had happened, and wrathfully he cried: «You are too honest for those wise gentlemen in the House of Seti, and too pure and zealous for the rabble here. [10]
• I learnt by accident that you were an Alexandrian, and had been a heathen, and had suffered much for the faith, and with that I was satisfied. [10]
• This time, however, a lesson had been learnt, and the toad was seized by one leg, withdrawn, and then swallowed in triumph. [1]
• It was of a gipsy mother that I learnt it; she sang it to a man in despair—in despair for your sake, Ann—in the forest of Fontainebleau. [10]

This page helps answer: how do I use the word learnt in a sentence? How do you use learnt in a sentence? Can you give me a sentence for the word learnt?
It contains example sentences with the word learnt, a sentence example for learnt, and learnt in sample sentence.

• #1

Which word is more used?

learned = learnt
proved = proven ???
showed = shown ???

<<Mod note,
This thread consists of several on this specific topic, now merged for convenience.
Panj>>

• #2

Since your question deals with English language usage, I’ll transfer your inquiry to the English-Only forum.

Saludos,
LN

• #3

For me, «learned» and «learnt» are interchangeable when used as the past tense of the verb «to learn». I have, however, never seen the latter used as an adjective.

As to the other two pairs, «proved» and «showed» are the past tense forms of the verbs «to prove» and «to show» respectively. «Proven» and «shown» are the past participles of these same verbs. The past tense and the past participle are distinct forms and cannot be used interchangeably.

• #4

«Learnt» is not used in standard English in the United States.

• #5

Thanks Wink Wink

• #6

It confuses the heck out of me…

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #7

Both are correct. «Learned» is more common in American English, «learnt» in British English.

• #8

elroy said:

Both are correct. «Learned» is more common in American English, «learnt» in British English.

I myslef have learnt that learnt is the one until I learnt that almost everyone has learnt to use learned instead…Anyway, that sounds fair! Thanks a lot

• #9

There was very recently a thread that contained a fine discussion of the above. Can anyone help me find it?

• #10

Hi Scotu,
Use the forum Search function. It works. There have been many threads on both this and other word pairs like spelled — spelt, spoiled — spoilt. Some go back to 2004.

• #11

cuchuflete said:

Hi Scotu,
Use the forum Search function. It works. There have been many threads on both this and other word pairs like spelled — spelt, spoiled — spoilt. Some go back to 2004.

Thanks, what a great tool I never noticed it!

• #12

Hi, everybody.

Should it be «Using the steps you have learned in Topic 3,… » or should it be «Using the steps you have learnt in Topic 3,… » ?

Which is the correct past participle of «learn» ??

Thanks for your replies.

Regards,
Makiyo

• #13

At school, I learnt that »learn» was an irregular verb, and that »learnt » was the correct past form

I think that I later noticed that native speakers use »learned» as well. So, I am not sure which one is correct right now.

Let’s wait for the opinion of a native speaker

• #14

I believe that «learnt» is the correct past participle of «learn» but my dictionaries lump «learned» and «learnt» together in every other way. I would find it odd to hear someone say «learnt» — it sounds very old-fashioned and everyone I know says «learned».

• #15

For the verbs that tend to go either way, I’ve never used the «-nt» ending. I always learned to write it like that. The water is spilled to me, not spilt. Though I don’t consider the other way wrong, I just completed prefer the «-ed.»

• #16

Is it possible that «learned» is used as an adjective ONLY?

Example: He is a learned person.

• #17

Is it possible that «learned» is used as an adjective ONLY?

Example: He is a learned person.

No.

• #18

Learned = American English
Learnt = British English (generally speaking)

• #20

Thanks to all who responded.

I learnt «learnt» in school, quite many years ago. I was just wondering whether the word / tense has changed now. Now I know: it hasn’t.

So I will stick with «learnt».

Thanks again to all who participated.

• #21

But here, too, are the less known, though no less extraordinary, such as Olaudah Equiano, an African enslaved from childhood, who learnt to write, and wrote an unforgetable tale.

When I read the above sentence I bump at learnt.
I will accept that it is probably correct English but it sounds so clumsy when the perfectly acceptable learned is available.
In the context of this sentence is there any difference between learned and learnt.

.,,

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #22

No.

«Learnt» is simply British and «learned» is American — but there is no difference.

I take it from your reaction that «learned» is more common in Australia?

• #23

Yes definately.. We use learned. This also looked really strange to me.. I guess just another annoying americanism

• #24

No, Pannadol, you can’t blame this one on the Yanks! As elroy explained, «Learnt» is simply British and «learned» is American.»

• #25

Yes definately.. We use learned. This also looked really strange to me.. I guess just another annoying americanism

So should I call inability to deal with variety just another annoying Australianism? Watch what you say lest it be construed as ignorance, and besides, you’re wrong.

• #26

I didn’t mean to start the old BE -v- AE -v- OZE. The quoted sentence is from the fly leaf of the Simon Schama A History of Britian I just purchased. It seems to be well accepted British English with an impeccable pedigree.

.,,

• #27

These «strong» forms are always under pressure to revert to the weak regular forms. I have no problem with «learnt» or «burnt» as I am quite used to them. I believe it’s just a matter of how often your ear is refreshed. As an example, I find no difficulty with «When he rode into the arena» or «When he strode into the room» I am happy with «When he had ridden into the arena», but not so happy with «When he had stridden into the room». I guess it’s right enough, but it hasn’t had sufficient reinforcement not to stop me in my tracks.
As an adjective, we would only ever use «My learned friend»

• #28

As one who wallows in the luxury of being able to use either learnt or learned at will, I would almost certainly have written … learned to write …
I suspect (rationalising) that I use the -ed for for the past tense and the -t form for the participle. I learned, and learned, and learned — until at last it was completely learnt.

Learned, adjective, is always -ed. But then it is pronounced differently as well.

I’ve added this thread to the compendium of learned v learnt threads from the past.

• #29

I’m very surprised to hear two Australians claiming that «learned» is the more common! At school I learnt that «learnt» was the only acceptable form, in fact I was completely unaware of the use of «learned» until I was exposed to more American language. I would have said that in Australia «learned» is only ever an adjective (i.e. pronounced learnèd).

I’d still say that Australian English favours the -t endings for all those verbs that take them. To those Australians who don’t favour -t endings, I’d like to ask what you think of the title of Bill Bryson’s book, In a Sunburned Country. It should sound abominable to Australian ears!

• #30

Unsurprisingly In a Sunburned Counry sounds fine.
I have been sunburned a few times and the word is common.

.,,

• #31

Reading this rehash of what I’ve learned about alternate participles, I think of one AE (Easy, boys and girls, not exclusively AE, just AE) term that uses the ‘nt form: burnt orange.

• #32

How do you know when to use the words ‘learned’ or ‘learnt’ in a sentence?

• #33

These are alternative forms of the past tense and past participle of the verb learn. Learnt is more common in British English, and learned in American English.

• #34

Hello,
I think that «learnt» is from the U.K. and «learned» from the U.S.A.
What do you think?

Bye.

• #35

I just read that «learnt» is an obsolete past form of learn! is that true? they said it has been replaced by ‘learned’

• #36

I’ve never seen «learnt» in the New York Times. It is always «learned».

Maybe it is OK in England; I don’t think it is acceptable in the USA.

• #37

thanks so much for the reply!! good to know

• #38

I have learnt/learned that «learnt» is British and «learned» American. My teachers don’t accept my using «learned» since we are supposed to speak British English here in Argentina.

• #39

excellent.. thanks a lot!

• #40

Yes, «learnt» is British English, so are «slept» and «dreamt.’ My American mother used to «correct» my sister and me for saying these words, but our Canadian father and would «correct» us back. The British forms sound better to me so I still use them! But I like to be different … if I were in England, I’d probably use «-ed!»

• #41

All three of the original examples and, I believe, the others mentioned in this thread are examples of differences between AE and BE.
I think «learned» and «learnt» are now both used in BE (perhaps the AE version (learned) is slowly replacing the BE version(learnt)).
However «show» is still an irregular verb in BE — «showed» in the simple past but «shown» is the past participle.

• #42

I think that, in AE, we tend to do what Panjandarum said he does, use the -ed form as the past tense, and -t as the past participle. In America, would wouldn’t never ask, for example, «have you sleeped well?» but «have you slept well?» (although it would be more common to ask, depending on the circumstances, «did you sleep well?»)

• #43

Both are correct: learnt/learned. Some people will choose one form over the other it is no big deal. Sorry, there is so many varieties of English that I don’t see how someone can say it’s wrong. You will find if someone can understand they aren’t going to say anything. If they say «well that’s wrong.» You can say it the other way and just ignore . Or you can have a long discussion of how people use the other form.

• #44

Here is another Australian perspective.

Despite the influence of American culture, I was taught that learned was the simple past and learnt the past partciple. The same went for the verbs to burn, to dream, to spell, to spill, to smell (among others).

He burned his finger badly yesterday, but he has been burnt worse.

There was a time when I dreamed of living by the beach, but I have dreamt all my life of living in the mountains.

I spelled the word the wrong way, but in the book it was spelt correctly.

You spilled your drink everywhere but don`t worry, it is no use crying over spilt milk.

He smelled awful yesterday, but he has smelt worse.

Note: The simple past and past participle are two distinct verb forms! In English these are often spelt the same way but not always. They should not be bundled together in the same group and labelled simply as the «past tense».

• #45

My father (British, born 1897, raised in Canada) always used «dreamt» as the past tense, not past participle. I’d always thought this was because of his British-Canadian upbringing, but I just heard a couple days ago that Teddy Roosevelt had tried to force the dictionary publishers to «simplify» our spelling by using the «t» ending instead of «ed» for the past tense — burnt, dreamt, learnt, etc. So maybe what my father was saying was not an old-fashioned Britishism but a modernism that never really caught on!

• #46

My father (British, born 1897, raised in Canada) always used «dreamt» as the past tense, not past participle. I’d always thought this was because of his British-Canadian upbringing, but I just heard a couple days ago that Teddy Roosevelt had tried to force the dictionary publishers to «simplify» our spelling by using the «t» ending instead of «ed» for the past tense — burnt, dreamt, learnt, etc. So maybe what my father was saying was not an old-fashioned Britishism but a modernism that never really caught on!

The list which Roosevelt ordered the US Government Printing Office to use can be seen here. Dreamt is not among the spellings listed, nor are burnt or learnt, likely because they were already standard spellings. All are in The Century Dictionary of 1895, although the Century says of learnt that it is «an occasional preterit and past participle of learn.» (The Century Supplement of 1909 has an entry «lern, lernd, lerning,» referring to them as simplified spellings, but they must have appeared in some other list.)

Roosevelt’s action was effectively reversed by the US Congress. They passed a law refusing to fund such a change.

Roosevelt’s list does include some other spellings where final ed is replaced by t.

Last edited: May 23, 2009