As the English language is spread worldwide, there are several spelling and pronunciation variations. Aligning properly with these conventions is important for academic writing and reading fluency for students who are writing academic material. There are many variations in the English language; two of the most used variations include American and British English. To make the difference clear, this blog uses the terms ‘smelt’ and ‘smelled’.
What is the Difference Between Smelled and Smelt?
“Smelt” and “smelled are the past tense and past participle of the related verb “to smell.” ” Smell means to scent with the nose or to emit scents or odours. The spelling of this word can differ slightly depending on if you are using American or British English.
In British English, “smelt” is an irregular verb where the letters “l” and “t” are used at the end of the word. The verb is standard in American English to indicate the past tense or past participle. It is always spelt with two ‘l’s and ends with the suffix -ed. “ Moreover, the verb “smelt” also means a particular race of fish having a bad smell when referred to as a noun in both dialects.
“Smelled” is a universally recognised word, and it is also accepted as the past tense of “smell” in most English dialects. However, sticking with “smelled” eliminates any potential confusion about the intended meaning, especially in formal writing or communication.
| Smelled | Smelt | |
| Verb Form | Past tense of “smell” | Past tense of “smell” |
| Usage | American English | UK and Australia |
| Pronunciation | /smɛld/ | /smɛlt/ |
| Synonyms | ||
| Antonyms | ||
| Examples |
What are Other Meanings of Smelt or Smelled?
The difference between sniffed and smelt might be confusing because the word “smelt” acts both as a noun and a verb
“Smell as a Regular or Irregular 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.
Where there’s a choice between regular and irregular, the irregular forms are more common in British English. Other examples include dreamed or dreamt, kneeled or knelt, smelled or smelt, spelt or spelled, burnt or burned, and learnt or learned.
“Smelt” as a Noun
“Smelt” can be used as a noun to describe a particular kind of fish, even though it is primarily a verb. A smelt is any of the many small, anadromous, silvery marine, freshwater, or marine food items that belong to the Osmeridae family that are typically found in the Northern Hemisphere. These fish are widespread in Northern Europe’s lakes and seas, including the Great Lakes.
Here are some examples of “smelt” as a noun in sentences:
- John caught some smelt in the river today.
- This restaurant serves a delicious smelt appetiser for everyone.
Smelt as a verb
Smelt, as a verb, describes the act of heating or melting metal in order to remove it from its ore. A popular saying for ‘smelt’ is ‘Davenport does not smelt aluminium, but a lot of heat is still needed to turn virgin or recycled aluminium into a finished product.’ – Popular Mechanics.
The past tense of ‘to smelt’ is smelted.
- I smelt.
- I smelted.
Examples of using “smelt” and “smelled” as a verb
| “Smelt/smelled” (British English) | “Smelled” (American English) |
“Smelled” as an Adjective
The term “smelled” can also be used to characterise something as having a distinct smell.
For example, to say that “the flower smelled sweet” indicates that it has a pleasant aroma.
“Smelt” or “smelled” in the “-ing” Form – “Smelling”
The verb “to smell” has an ending in “-ing,” refers to a gerund or present participle. The proper form in both American and British English is “smelling.”
- British English: “Smelling”
- American English: “Smelling”
For Example
- He was smelling the freshly baked cookies in the kitchen.
- The dog was smelling the ground, searching for a scent.
- We were smelling the salty ocean breeze as we walked along the beach.
- She enjoyed smelling the aroma of her morning coffee.
- The children were smelling the different spices at the market.
The Trick to Remember the Difference
It’s understandable why people could be unsure about whether to use smelled or smelt. American English uses the word “smelled.” In British English, the word “smelt” is used. Here’s a tip to help you recall each word’s proper usage.
- Smelt, as in the example ‘she smelt the flowers,’ is commonly used in British English. Smelt and British both have the letter “T” in them.
- A mnemonic phrase to help remember which spelling to use for each dialect is ‘American English smelled, British English smelt.’
Common Idioms and Phrases
- “Smell a rat“: This idiom refers to suspecting that something is happening wrong or is suspicious. For Example: When the company’s financial records didn’t add up, Elsa started to smell a rat.
“The smell of success” refers to a situation in which one can sense or anticipate positive outcomes. For Example, after months of hard work, the team could finally savour the sweet smell of success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smelled and smelt are two different ways to spell the same verb, that is, “smell,” the past tense of the verb. The usage of either of the two depends on the variation of English used. The Canadian spelling of smelled is the same as the standard spelling of this word in American English.
The term ‘smelt’ is used in BE as the past tense of the verb ‘to smell’ and is used when narrating or describing a situation that involves an ability to smell something, though not necessarily just before using it. For example, ‘I smelt something burning last week’. It can also be used in a figurative context, such as in ‘I smelt a rat’.
“Smelt” and “smelled” are two right past tense forms of the verb “smell.” Depending on the dialects and usage, these two are interchangeable. “Smelled” is more frequently used by Americans, while “smelt” is commonly used by Australians, and it is used in the context of extracting metals. Both are widely understood.
In Australian usage, both ‘smelt’ and ‘smelled’ are acceptable, but it is more standard to use ‘smelled’. However, the verb ‘smelt’ is occasionally used, mainly in the context of the industrial process of extracting metal from its ore. The two forms are commonly used and readily understood in Australian English.
The word “smelt” is also an example of a word that can be used in its base form both as a verb and as a noun. In its adjectival form, it means a perceiving of odours, while as a verb, it means the past tense of ‘smell’. It can also refer to the operation of obtaining metal from an ore, while as a noun, it means a small silver-coloured fish.
The word “smelled” is the past tense of “smell. ” This means that it is in the past simple tense and describes the act of smelling in the past. In particular, ‘smelled’ refers to American usage, whereas ‘smelt’ is employed in British usage, reflecting differences in the language used in the respective regions.
In Oxford English, both ‘smelled’ and ‘smelt’ are the correct past tense for the verb ‘smell. ’ However, ‘smelled’ is more predominant in American English, while ‘smelt’ dominates in British English. Thus, both forms are correct, and people in the UK and other countries using Oxford English may use either of them.
“After the rain, the earthy scent of wet soil smelt refreshing and invigorating as I took a deep breath, reminding me of the beauty of nature’s renewal.”
