The simple past of "learn" is "learned" in American English and "learnt" in British English. Both forms are correct, though "learned" appears more frequently in written American English (78% vs. 22% for "learnt," according to the Corpus of Contemporary American English).
"Learned" and "learnt" function identically in sentences. The past participle form ("has learned/learnt") also accepts both spellings. This irregular verb breaks the pattern of adding "-ed" to regular verbs like "walk" (walked) or "jump" (jumped).
| Form | American English | British English |
|---|---|---|
| Simple past | learned | learnt |
| Past participle | has learned | has learnt |
Use the simple past of "learn" to describe actions completed in the past. For example: "She learned French last year" or "They learnt about the project yesterday." The choice between "learned" and "learnt" depends on regional preferences, not grammar rules.
Some writers confuse "learned" with the adjective meaning "scholarly" (e.g., "a learned professor"). To avoid confusion, use "learnt" for the past tense in British English. In American English, context usually clarifies meaning. Another mistake is mixing tenses: "She learns Spanish when she learned/learnt it in school" is incorrect because it combines present and past tenses without proper conjunctions.
I once proofread a research paper where the author alternated between "learned" and "learnt" without consistency. The key was to pick one spelling and stick with it throughout the document, which aligned with the journal's American English style guide.
Original sentence: "After he learn about the new policy, he change his approach." Corrected version: "After he learned about the new policy, he changed his approach." The correction fixes both the verb tense and subject-verb agreement.