Learned vs Learnt
“LEARNED” VS. “LEARNT” Is there a difference? Yes and No. If the word “ learn ” is used as a verb , then there is no difference at all in the meaning and usage of the words “ learned ” and “ learnt “ in its past form. I honestly don’t know why the spelling is inconsistent. It’s not really true to say that one is US spelling while the other is UK. If you look up a good grammar textbook, you’ll find that both spellings are acceptable. Here are other examples: · burned – burnt · dreamed – dreamt, pronounced as /dremt/ · spelled – spelt · spilled – spilt On the other hand, “ learned “, as an adjective, has a somewhat different meaning, but it’s related to the word “ learn “. See this example: The Minister is a learned man, so he could speak on a variety of issues. In the above example, “ learned ” is pronounced as /learn-id/, which means very knowledgeable. Whichever spelling you choose, be consistent.¨
