Smell past tense

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Meaning of smell

to perceive or detect the odor or scent of something through the nose.

Infinitive

Word: smell /smɛl/
Examples:
  • 1. Flowers smell wonderful in the spring.
  • 2. Freshly baked bread always smells inviting.
  • 3. Perfume can smell too strong if overapplied.

Past Simple

Word: smelled / smɛld /
Examples:
  • 1. The flowers smelled wonderful in the spring garden.
  • 2. He smelled the aroma of coffee as he walked into the kitchen.
  • 3. The room smelled musty after being closed off for the winter.

Past Participle

Word: smelled /smɛld/
Examples:
  • 1. The cookies were smelled the moment they came out of the oven.
  • 2. The flowers have been smelled by everyone walking through the garden.
  • 3. The perfume had been smelled on her scarf long after she left the room.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habits or regular actions
    Example. He usually smells the flowers in his garden every morning.
    Example. Flowers smell wonderful in the springtime.
    Example. The phrase isn't typically used this way with 'smell', as smelling isn't an event that gets scheduled.
  2. General truths or facts
    Example. He usually smells the flowers in his garden every morning.
    Example. Flowers smell wonderful in the springtime.
    Example. The phrase isn't typically used this way with 'smell', as smelling isn't an event that gets scheduled.
  3. Scheduled or arranged events (in the near future, more common with verbs related to travel, but included for completeness)
    Example. He usually smells the flowers in his garden every morning.
    Example. Flowers smell wonderful in the springtime.
    Example. The phrase isn't typically used this way with 'smell', as smelling isn't an event that gets scheduled.

Past Simple

  1. Actions completed in the past at a specific time
    Example. She smelled the roses in the park yesterday.
    Example. He always smelled the ink before writing with a new pen.
  2. Past habits or states (habitual actions or states in the past)
    Example. She smelled the roses in the park yesterday.
    Example. He always smelled the ink before writing with a new pen.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses
    Example. The foul odor was smelled by everyone in the room.
    Example. This is a wellsmelled fragrance, indicating a popular and widely appreciated scent.
  2. Example (Present Perfect). I have never smelled anything as fragrant as this flower.
    Example. The foul odor was smelled by everyone in the room.
    Example. This is a wellsmelled fragrance, indicating a popular and widely appreciated scent.
  3. Example (Past Perfect). Before moving to the countryside, he had never smelled the fresh mountain air.
    Example. The foul odor was smelled by everyone in the room.
    Example. This is a wellsmelled fragrance, indicating a popular and widely appreciated scent.
  4. Example (Future Perfect). By the time you arrive, I will have smelled all the perfumes in the store.
    Example. The foul odor was smelled by everyone in the room.
    Example. This is a wellsmelled fragrance, indicating a popular and widely appreciated scent.
  5. Passive voice constructions
    Example. The foul odor was smelled by everyone in the room.
    Example. This is a wellsmelled fragrance, indicating a popular and widely appreciated scent.
  6. Adjectival use / Descriptive
    Example. The foul odor was smelled by everyone in the room.
    Example. This is a wellsmelled fragrance, indicating a popular and widely appreciated scent.

Common mistakes

— 01

Referring to wrong verb

Another mistake arises from the confusion between 'smelled,' which is the past simple and past participle form of 'smell', and 'smelt,' which is a completely different verb that means to melt or fuse ores. For example, saying 'I smelt the metal' when you mean 'I smelled the metal' can lead to misunderstandings unless the context makes the intended meaning clear.

— 02

Wrong Patterns

Some learners might mistakenly overapply the pattern of irregular verbs they have learned to 'smell,' thinking its past forms should be more irregular than they are. For example, they might try to apply the pattern from 'speak-spoke-spoken' to 'smell,' leading to incorrect forms like 'smell-smole-smolen.' Understanding that 'smelled' the past simple and past participle form for 'smell' requires familiarity with the verb's actual conjugation rather than assuming it follows the same pattern as other irregular verbs.

— 03

Mispronunciation

Another common error is the mispronunciation of the past simple and past participle forms. The correct pronunciation for 'smelled' is /smɛld/, but learners may incorrectly elongate the vowel sound or misplace the stress, affecting comprehension. Proper pronunciation is essential for clear communication, and mispronouncing verb forms can lead to misunderstandings or the impression of limited language proficiency.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'smell'?

The past simple form of 'smell' is 'smelled'. For example, you can say, 'Yesterday, I smelled something burning in the kitchen.'

What is the past participle form of 'smell'?

The past participle form of 'smell' is also 'smelled' similar to its past simple form. Many learners confuse it with 'smelt,' which is incorrect. 'Smelt' is a process in metallurgy, involving the extraction of a metal from its ore by heating and melting.

How do I use the past participle form of 'smell' in a sentence?

The past participle form of 'smell' is used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'I have always smelled the roses in my garden first thing in the morning.' In the passive voice, an example sentence could be, 'The cookies were smelled by everyone in the house because they were so fragrant.'

Can 'smelled' and 'smelt' be used interchangeably in all contexts?

No, because 'smelt' is a process in metallurgy, involving the extraction of a metal from its ore by heating and melting. 'To smell' refers to the ability to perceive odors or scents through the organs in the nose. It is one of the five senses and involves the detection of chemical compounds by the olfactory system.