Is It Smelled or Smelt? | Spelling, Difference & Examples
Smelled and smelt are two ways of spelling the past tense of the verb “smell,” which means “to produce an odor” or “to detect something’s scent.” The spelling depends on the variant of English you use.
- In American English, “smelled” is standard.
- In British English, “smelled” and “smelt” are both used.
Examples: Smelled or smelt in a sentence
The books I found in the attic smelled/smelt musty.
The burned food smelled/smelt so bad!
The dog smelled/smelt something interesting and ran off into the woods.
The books I found in the attic smelled/smelt musty.
The burned food smelled/smelt so bad!
The dog smelled/smelt something interesting and ran off into the woods.
Other uses of smelt
Smelt is not just the past tense form of the verb “smell.” It’s also:
- The present tense or infinitive form of the verb “to smelt,” meaning “to melt ore to extract metal from it.”
- A noun to refer to a specific type of small fish.
Examples: Smelt in a sentence
You need a blast furnace to smelt copper or other metals.
Smelts are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.
You need a blast furnace to smelt copper or other metals.
Smelts are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.
Smell as a regular or irregular verb
Smell can be considered either an irregular verb or a regular verb, depending on the chosen spelling of the past tense form.
- 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 smelled or smelt
Is the past tense of smell smelled or smelt?
Smelled and smelt are two spellings of the same verb. The usage depends on the variant of English.
- In British English, both “smelt” and “smelled” may be used.
- In American English, “smelled” is standard.
It´s important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Is it smelled or smelt in Canada?
Smelled and smelt are two spellings of the same verb, the past tense of “smell.” Usage depends on the variant of English. In Canada, smelled is the standard spelling, the same as in American English.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.