Is It Kneeled or Knelt? | Spelling, Difference & Examples
Kneeled and knelt are two ways of spelling the past tense and past participle of the verb “kneel,” which means “to place one or both knees on the ground.” People often kneel to respect or worship an entity, which makes it similar to genuflecting.
- In American English, “knelt” and “kneeled” are both used, but “knelt” is preferred.
- In British English, “knelt” is standard.
Examples: Kneeled or knelt in a sentence
Damian kneeled/knelt to pick up the wallet that someone dropped.
Elif kneeled/knelt before the king.
I kneeled/knelt before the altar to worship God.
Damian kneeled/knelt to pick up the wallet that someone dropped.
Elif kneeled/knelt before the king.
I kneeled/knelt before the altar to worship God.
Kneel as a regular or irregular verb
Kneel can be considered either an irregular verb or a regular verb, depending on the chosen spelling of the past tense verb:
- Verbs that form their past tense by adding “-ed” are regular verbs.
- Verbs that form their past tense by adding a different suffix are irregular verbs.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Five important differences are:
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Frequently asked questions about kneeled or knelt
Is it kneeled or knelt down?
Kneeled and knelt are two spellings of the same verb. “Knelt” is most common in all versions of English, but in British English it’s considered standard, wherease “kneeled” is also acceptable in American English.
- I kneeled down and I knelt down are both common in American English.
- I knelt down is standard in British English.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Is it had kneeled or had knelt?
Kneeled and knelt are two spellings of the same verb. They’re both common, but “knelt” is the only standard spelling in British English, whereas “kneeled” is an acceptable variant in American English.
- I had kneeled and I had knelt are both common in American English.
- I had knelt is standard in British English.
It’s important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.