Spell past tense

Meaning of spell

to name or write in order the letters constituting (a word).

Infinitive

Word: spell: /spɛl/

Examples:

1. She always spells her name wrong on purpose to see if people notice.
2. He spells out the instructions clearly so there's no confusion.
3. The way you spell that word is different from how I do it.

Past Simple

Word: spelled/spelt /ˈspɛld/, /spɛlt/

Examples:

1. She spelled my name incorrectly on the invitation.
2. He spelled out the instructions clearly so everyone could understand.
3. The child spelled the word butterfly correctly on her first try.

Past Participle

Word: spelled or spelt /spɛld/, /spɛlt/

Examples:

1. The ancient runes had been spelled out clearly on the stone tablet by the wise mage.
2. By the time the sorcerer arrived, the protective barrier had already been spelled around the castle.
3. The secret message was spelled backwards to conceal its true meaning from prying eyes.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app

Bare infinitive

To describe habits or general truths.
Example. 'He always spells his name correctly.'
Example. 'First, you spell your first name, followed by your last name.'
Example. 'The spelling bee competition takes place next week.'
To give instructions or directions.
Example. 'He always spells his name correctly.'
Example. 'First, you spell your first name, followed by your last name.'
Example. 'The spelling bee competition takes place next week.'
To express fixed arrangements, present or future.
Example. 'He always spells his name correctly.'
Example. 'First, you spell your first name, followed by your last name.'
Example. 'The spelling bee competition takes place next week.'

Past Simple

To describe completed actions at a specific time in the past.
Example. 'She spelled her name incorrectly on the form yesterday.'
Example. 'He wrote down his name, spelled it out loud, and then sat down.'
Example. 'We always spelled that word wrong in grade school.'
To narrate a series of completed actions or events in the past.
Example. 'She spelled her name incorrectly on the form yesterday.'
Example. 'He wrote down his name, spelled it out loud, and then sat down.'
Example. 'We always spelled that word wrong in grade school.'
To describe past habits or states.
Example. 'She spelled her name incorrectly on the form yesterday.'
Example. 'He wrote down his name, spelled it out loud, and then sat down.'
Example. 'We always spelled that word wrong in grade school.'

Past Participle

Perfect tenses. To describe actions that occurred at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important.
Example. 'He has finally spelled his name right.'
Example. 'She has been spelling her new surname correctly for a month now.'
Example. 'By the time she realized her mistake, she had already spelled her last name incorrectly on all the documents.'
Example. 'The difficult words were spelled correctly by all the contestants.'
Present perfect continuous. To describe the duration of an action that started in the past and continues into the present.
Example. 'He has finally spelled his name right.'
Example. 'She has been spelling her new surname correctly for a month now.'
Example. 'By the time she realized her mistake, she had already spelled her last name incorrectly on all the documents.'
Example. 'The difficult words were spelled correctly by all the contestants.'
Past perfect. To describe an action that was completed before some other past action.
Example. 'He has finally spelled his name right.'
Example. 'She has been spelling her new surname correctly for a month now.'
Example. 'By the time she realized her mistake, she had already spelled her last name incorrectly on all the documents.'
Example. 'The difficult words were spelled correctly by all the contestants.'
To form passive voice sentences.
Example. 'He has finally spelled his name right.'
Example. 'She has been spelling her new surname correctly for a month now.'
Example. 'By the time she realized her mistake, she had already spelled her last name incorrectly on all the documents.'
Example. 'The difficult words were spelled correctly by all the contestants.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'spelled' and 'spelt'

A common mistake involves the misconception that 'spelled' and 'spelt' are not both acceptable forms for the past simple and past participle of 'spell.' Learners often think that one form is correct and the other is not, or that they are used differently in terms of tense. In reality, both 'spelled' and 'spelt' are correct and interchangeable as both the past simple and past participle forms of the verb, with 'spelled' being more commonly used in American English and 'spelt' in British English. The error lies in enforcing a non-existent rule about their usage.

— 02

Assuming different meanings

Another mistake is believing that these two forms convey different meanings or should be used in different contexts, beyond the simple past and past participle distinction. Some learners might incorrectly assume that 'spelled' should only be used in certain sentences or that 'spelt' implies a different aspect of the action. This misunderstanding can lead to unnecessary confusion, with users trying to differentiate between 'spelled' and 'spelt' when no such distinction exists in terms of meaning.

— 03

Incorrect doubling consonant

English language learners might incorrectly apply the spelling rule that involves doubling the final consonant of a verb before adding '-ed' or '-t' to form its past simple and past participle forms. Since 'spell' ends in a single 'l' preceded by a vowel, and is a short, stressed syllable, it follows the rule in British English by becoming 'spelt.' However, learners may mistakenly believe this rule should create a form like 'spellled' or 'spellt' because they overapply the principle without recognizing the correct forms. This error is a result of misunderstanding the specific spelling rules that apply to verbs in their past forms.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'spell'?

The past simple form of 'spell' is 'spelled' or 'spelt'. Both forms are correct, but 'spelled' is more commonly used in American English, while 'spelt' is more prevalent in British English. For example, you can say 'I spelled the word correctly on my test' or 'I spelt the word correctly on my test.'

What is the past participle form of 'spell'?

The past participle form of 'spell' is the same as its past simple form, which means it can be either 'spelled' or 'spelt'. This form is used in perfect tenses. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'I have spelled all the words correctly' or 'I have spelt all the words correctly.'

How do I use 'spelled' or 'spelt' in a sentence?

When using 'spelled' or 'spelt' in a sentence, it's important to remember the tense you're working with. For past simple, you're talking about an action that was completed in the past. For example. Past Simple. 'Yesterday, I spelled/spelt the word 'encyclopedia' without any mistakes.' Present Perfect. 'I have never spelled/spelt 'receive' correctly on the first try.'

Can 'spelled' and 'spelt' be used interchangeably in all English-speaking regions?

While both 'spelled' and 'spelt' are understood in all English-speaking regions, usage preferences vary. In the United States, 'spelled' is the preferred form for both the past simple and past participle. In contrast, both 'spelled' and 'spelt' are used in the UK, with 'spelt' being more traditional. It's advisable to stick to the variant most common in the region of your audience to avoid confusion. However, in academic or formal writing, consistency with either form is key.