NIGHTMARY
VERB CONJUGATION: LEARNED / LEARNT ? "Learned" or "Learnt" ? Why this verb has these 2 different past forms? I don't know what is the most correct or common way to write the past conjugation of this verb. It's the same with "burned" or "burnt"... Are there other verbs in which the same thing happens? ------ If ever one can spread a little happiness, one way is to please correct all my errors.
19 août 2011 15:18
Réponses · 8
3
Here are a few more examples of British and American spellings of verbs: Past Simple/Past Participles The following verbs have two acceptable forms of the past simple/past participle in both American and British English, however, the irregular form is generally more common in British English (the first form of the two) and the regular form is more common to American English. • Dream dreamt OR dreamed • Lean leant OR leaned • Learn learnt OR learned • Smell smelt OR smelled • Spell spelt OR spelled • Spill spilt OR spilled •Spoil spoilt OR spoiled
19 août 2011
1
Learnt is not a word so in that case you always use learned. Burnt is an adjective and burned is a verb. I can't think of any other words right now, but if you think of some just let me know.
19 août 2011
1
Yes, there are several verbs and nouns that have different spellings, but mean the same thing. The differences are between British spelling and American spelling. The British spelling is the original spelling, but many of the changes made by the Americans seem to make better phonetical (the sound when pronounced) sense. Here is a great Oxford website that explains, in simple terms, the differences between the two systems of spelling: http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/spellingbritamericanspell/british-and-american-spelling
19 août 2011
1
"Learned" and ''learnt" are both past participles of "to learn." In the US we almost always use "learned." I think ''learnt" might be common British usage. They are both interchangeable. As to the verb "to burn," "burned" and ''burnt are both past participles of that verb. In my part of the country I have always heard "burned" used as the past tense of the verb and ''burnt" used as an adjective.
19 août 2011
When using burned, it applies that (Someone) or (Something) has done the action of "Burning". When using burnt, it simply means that (Something) or (Someone) is burnt To simplify, He burned his arm or We burned the planks to start a fire The sentences consist of a Subject, Object and Verb. But to use burnt, it would only need a Subject and Verb For example The toast is burnt My skin is burnt from the sun If you still are confused, I can explain more briefly. This can also be applied to learned or learnt, and any verb similar. Though Learnt and Burnt don't register to the English language, it's moreover a slang word.
3 septembre 2019
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