Spelt or Spelled I Difference with Example

“Spelt” and “spelled” are two different forms of the past tense and past participle of the verb “spell.” The words spelt and spelled both are correct spellings and used interchangeably in different parts of the world as per their convenience. However, there are some differences in how they are used and preferred.

Meaning of Spelt

The word “Spelt” is the past tense and past participle form of “spell” which is more commonly used in British English and other varieties of English outside of North America. It is also the preferred form in some other countries such as Australia and New Zealand. “Spelt” can also refer to a type of wheat grain that is commonly used in health food products.

Example

1. He spelt his name wrong on the form.
2. I have spelt all the words correctly in my essay.
3. Gluten intolerant people should use spelt flour.

Meaning of Spelled

The word “Spelled” is the past tense and past participle form of “spell” that is more commonly used in American English. It is also used in Canadian English and some other varieties of English. “Spelled” can also mean “declared or proclaimed,” especially in legal or political contexts.

Example

1. She spelled her name wrong on the application.
2. The teacher spelled the word out loud to the class.
3. The judge spelled out the consequences of breaking the law.

Tabular Difference Between spelt and spelled

Differences	“Spelt”	“Spelled”
Usage	British English and other varieties of English outside of North America, Australia, and New Zealand	American English, Canadian English, and some other varieties of English
Meaning	The past tense and past participle form of “spell” and also refers to a type of wheat grain.	The past tense and past participle form of “spell” and can also mean “declared or proclaimed”.
Origin	Old English	Middle English
Frequency	Less common	More common
Spelling	“Spelt” is the correct spelling in British English and other varieties of English outside of North America, Australia, and New Zealand	“Spelled” is the correct spelling in American English, Canadian English, and some other varieties of English.
Pronunciation	/spɛlt/	/spɛld/
Etymology	From the Old English verb “spellan” meaning “to relate, narrate, talk about”.	From the Middle English verb “spellen” meaning “to tell, talk, speak”
Use in recipes	Spelt flour is used in some recipes as a healthy alternative to wheat flour .	Spelled is not used in recipes as a substitute for any ingredient.
Regional variations	Spelt is widely used in Europe and the UK for human consumption.	Spelled is widely used in the US, Canada, and some other countries for human consumption.
Legal contexts	Spelt cannot be used in legal or political contexts as a synonym for “declared or proclaimed”.	Spelled can be used to mean “declared or proclaimed,” especially in legal or political contexts.

Conclusion

Finally, “spelt” and “spelled” are two different kinds of the past tense and past participle of the verb “spell.” Both are correct spellings and can be used interchangeably in some situations. However, they are used and preferred differently in different parts of the world. “Spelt” is more generally used in British English and other non-North American variations of English, but “spelled” is more commonly used in American English and some other forms of English.