Smell Past Tense: Smelled or Smelt? Rules, Uses & Examples 2026

Have you ever wondered    if the past tense of smell is smelled or smelt? You may see both forms in English, which can make this simple verb confusing. For example, you might read, “I smelled something strange,” while another sentence says, “I smelt something strange.”

The good news is that both “smelled” and “smelt” can be correct past forms of smell. The main difference is regional and stylistic. Smelled is especially common in American English, while smelt is widely used in British English and some other varieties of English.

Understanding these forms is useful when you are writing sentences about food, flowers, smoke, perfume, bad odors, or anything else you can detect with your nose.

This guide explains the past tense of smell, its sentence structure, formation, rules, examples, common mistakes, and the difference between smelled and smelt.

By the end, you will know exactly when and how to use both forms correctly.

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Quick Answer

The past tense of smell can be smelled or smelt.

Form	Past Tense	Past Participle
smell	smelled / smelt	smelled / smelt

Smelled is very common in American English, while smelt is common in British English. Both can mean that someone noticed an odor in the past.

Examples:

• I smelled fresh bread this morning.
• I smelt fresh bread this morning.
• She smelled the flowers yesterday.
• She smelt the flowers yesterday.

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What Is the Past Tense of Smell?

The past tense of smell is smelled or smelt. Both forms describe an action or experience involving smell that happened in the past.

The verb smell means to notice an odor with your nose or to produce a particular odor.

For example:

• The soup smelled delicious.
• The soup smelt delicious.
• I smelled smoke in the kitchen.
• We smelt fresh flowers in the garden.

The verb smell is interesting because it can be used in two ways.

First, it can describe using your sense of smell:

I smelled the perfume.

Second, it can describe having a particular odor:

The perfume smelled wonderful.

In the simple past, both meanings can use smelled or smelt.

Smell: V1, V2, and V3

The main forms are:

• V1: smell
• V2: smelled / smelt
• V3: smelled / smelt
• V ing: smelling

Examples:

• I smell the flowers.
• I smelled the flowers yesterday.
• I have smelled this perfume before.
• She is smelling the flowers.

Because smelled and smelt can both function as the past tense and past participle, the correct choice often depends on the variety of English being used.

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Structure of Sentences of the Past Tense of Smell

The simple past uses different sentence patterns depending on    if the sentence is affirmative, negative, or interrogative.

Affirmative Sentences

For a positive sentence, use:

Subject + smelled/smelt + object or complement

Examples:

• I smelled the flowers.
• She smelt the smoke.
• They smelled something unusual.
• The room smelt fresh.

Negative Sentences

For a negative sentence, use:

Subject + did not + smell + object or complement

The important point is that after did not, use the base form smell, not smelled or smelt.

Examples:

• I did not smell anything.
• She didn’t smell the smoke.
• They did not smell the flowers.
• He didn’t smell anything strange.

Interrogative Sentences

For a question, use:

Did + subject + smell + object or complement?

Examples:

• Did you smell the smoke?
• Did she smell the perfume?
• Did they smell anything unusual?
• Did he smell the flowers?

Notice that the main verb returns to smell after did.

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Formation of the Past Tense of Smell

The verb smell has two accepted past forms: smelled and smelt.

Smelled

Smelled is formed by adding  ed to smell.

smell → smelled

Examples:

• smell → smelled
• smell → smelled
• smell → smelled

It is especially common in American English.

Smelt

Smelt is an alternative past form of smell.

smell → smelt

It is particularly common in British English and is also used in other varieties of English.

V1, V2, V3, and V ing Forms

Verb Form	Word
V1 – Base form	smell
V2 – Past tense	smelled / smelt
V3 – Past participle	smelled / smelt
V ing – Present participle	smelling

Examples:

• I smell the coffee.
• I smelled the coffee yesterday.
• I have smelt the coffee before.
• I am smelling the coffee.

Contractions

Negative simple past sentences commonly use didn’t.

Examples:

• I didn’t smell anything.
• She didn’t smell the smoke.
• We didn’t smell the food.

Remember that didn’t already carries the past tense. Therefore, use smell, not smelled or smelt, after it.

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How to Use the Past Tense of Smell

The past tense of smell is used when the smelling action, experience, or condition happened in the past.

1. To Describe Something You Detected by Smell

Use smelled or smelt when you noticed an odor in the past.

Examples:

• I smelled smoke last night.
• We smelt fresh bread when we entered the bakery.
• She smelled perfume in the hallway.
• They smelt something burning.

2. To Describe How Something Seemed by Its Odor

Smell can also describe the quality of an odor.

Examples:

• The cake smelled delicious.
• The milk smelt sour.
• The flowers smelled wonderful.
• The room smelt clean.

Here, the subject is the thing producing the smell.

3. To Talk About a Past Experience

You can use the past tense when talking about something you experienced earlier.

Examples:

• I smelled that perfume at the store yesterday.
• We smelt the ocean air during our trip.
• She smelled fresh roses for the first time.
• He smelled something unusual on his way home.

4. With Time Expressions

Past time expressions often appear with smelled or smelt.

Common expressions include:

• yesterday
• last night
• last week
• this morning
• an hour ago
• a few minutes ago
• when I arrived
• when we entered

Examples:

• I smelled smoke last night.
• She smelt something strange when she arrived.
• We smelled fresh bread this morning.

5. With “Did” in Questions

When asking about a past smell, use did + smell.

Correct:

Did you smell the flowers?

Incorrect:

Did you smelled the flowers?

The first verb, did, already marks the sentence as past tense.

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Structure or Verb Pattern Table

Sentence Type	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	Subject + smelled/smelt	She smelled smoke.
Negative	Subject + did not + smell	She did not smell smoke.
Question	Did + subject + smell?	Did she smell smoke?
Short negative	Subject + didn’t + smell	She didn’t smell smoke.
Past participle	have/has/had + smelled/smelt	She had smelled the perfume before.

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Real Life Examples

Here are practical examples showing how the past forms of smell work in everyday English.

Affirmative Examples

1. I smelled fresh coffee when I entered the kitchen.
2. She smelt smoke coming from the garage.
3. The bread smelled wonderful.
4. The flowers smelt sweet.
5. We smelled something burning.
6. He smelt the perfume on her jacket.
7. The room smelled clean after the windows were opened.
8. They smelt fresh grass after the rain.

Negative Examples

9. I didn’t smell anything unusual.
10. She didn’t smell the smoke at first.
11. We did not smell the flowers from outside.
12. He didn’t smell the spoiled milk.

Interrogative Examples

13. Did you smell the coffee?
14. Did she smell something strange?
15. Did they smell smoke?
16. Did he smell the roses?

Formal Examples

17. The inspector smelled a strong chemical odor in the room.
18. The technician smelt something unusual near the equipment.
19. The investigators smelled smoke before entering the building.

Informal Examples

20. I smelled something weird in the fridge.
21. Did you smell that?
22. The kitchen smelt amazing!

Both smelled and smelt can be used correctly. Your choice may depend on the variety of English you are writing in.

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Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using “smelled” after “did”

Incorrect:

Did you smelled the smoke?

Correct:

Did you smell the smoke?

After did, always use the base form of the main verb.

Mistake 2: Using “smelt” after “didn’t”

Incorrect:

I didn’t smelt anything.

Correct:

I didn’t smell anything.

The correct structure is:

didn’t + smell

Mistake 3: Thinking “smelt” is always wrong

Some learners believe that smelt is incorrect because they are more familiar with smelled.

That is not true. Smelt is a recognized past form of smell, particularly common in British English.

Mistake 4: Thinking only “smelt” is correct

The opposite mistake also happens.

Incorrect assumption:

“Smelled” is not a real past tense.

In fact, smelled is a standard past form and is especially common in American English.

Mistake 5: Confusing “smell” with “smelling”

Incorrect:

Yesterday, I am smelling smoke.

Correct:

Yesterday, I smelled smoke.

Use the simple past when describing a completed smelling experience in the past.

Mistake 6: Using “smelled” and “smelt” randomly in formal writing

Although both are correct, consistency is helpful. If your article, assignment, or publication follows American English, smelled may be the more natural choice. If it follows British English, smelt may be more natural.

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Key Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Both “smelled” and “smelt” are past forms of smell

Examples:

• I smelled smoke.
• I smelt smoke.

Both are grammatically possible.

Rule 2: “Smelled” is especially common in American English

If you are following American English conventions, smelled is generally the form you will see more often.

Example:

She smelled the flowers.

Rule 3: “Smelt” is especially common in British English

British English frequently uses smelt as the past form.

Example:

She smelt the flowers.

Rule 4: Use “smell” after did or didn’t

Examples:

• Did you smell it?
• I didn’t smell it.
• She did not smell the smoke.

Do not use smelled or smelt immediately after did or didn’t.

Rule 5: The past participle can also be smelled or smelt

Both forms can appear after auxiliary verbs such as have, has, and had.

Examples:

• I have smelled this perfume before.
• She has smelt the flowers.
• We had smelled something unusual.

Rule 6: The pronunciation of “smelled” is usually one syllable

Smelled is generally pronounced like “smeld.”

Smelt is also one syllable.

This makes both forms short and easy to use in conversation.

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Comparisons with Similar Grammar Forms

Smell vs. Smelled vs. Smelt

Form	Tense/Form	Example
smell	Base form	I smell smoke.
smelled	Past / past participle	I smelled smoke.
smelt	Past / past participle	I smelt smoke.
smelling	ing form	I am smelling smoke.

Smelled vs. Smelt

The main difference is usually regional preference, not meaning.

Smelled:

I smelled something strange.

Smelt:

I smelt something strange.

Both sentences mean that the speaker detected something by smell.

In general, smelled is strongly associated with American English, while smelt is common in British English.

Smell vs. Stink

These verbs are related but are not interchangeable.

Smell is neutral:

The flowers smelled nice.

Stink usually means to have a very unpleasant smell:

The garbage stank.

The past tense of stink is stank, while the past participle is commonly stunk.

Smell vs. Sniff

Smell can mean detecting an odor naturally or intentionally.

I smelled smoke.

Sniff usually means deliberately breathing in through your nose to detect an odor.

I sniffed the perfume.

So, smell and sniff are related, but they describe slightly different actions.

Simple Past vs. Present Perfect

Use the simple past for a completed past event, often with a finished time.

I smelled smoke yesterday.

Use the present perfect when the past experience is connected to the present or when the exact time is not stated.

I have smelled this perfume before.

This distinction is useful when learning other English past tense forms as well.

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Exercises

Practice using smell, smelled, and smelt in the sentences below.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct form.

1. I ______ smoke yesterday.
2. She didn’t ______ anything unusual.
3. We ______ fresh bread when we entered the bakery.
4. Did you ______ the flowers?
5. The room ______ wonderful after cleaning.
6. He has ______ that perfume before.
7. They ______ something burning last night.
8. The milk ______ sour.

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Answer

What is the past tense of smell?

A. Smelling
B. Smelled or smelt
C. Smell
D. Smells

Which sentence is correct?

A. Did you smelled smoke?
B. Did you smelt smoke?
C. Did you smell smoke?
D. Did you smelling smoke?

Which form is especially common in American English?

A. Smelt
B. Smelled
C. Smelling
D. Smell

Which sentence is correct?

A. I didn’t smelled anything.
B. I didn’t smelt anything.
C. I didn’t smell anything.
D. I don’t smelled anything.

Exercise 3: Correct the Sentences

13. Did she smelled the perfume?
14. I didn’t smelt anything strange.
15. Yesterday, we smell smoke in the kitchen.
16. He have smelled that flower before.

Exercise 4: Rewrite the Sentences

Change each sentence into the simple past.

17. I smell fresh coffee.
18. She smells smoke.
19. They smell something unusual.
20. The flowers smell wonderful.

Answer Key

Exercise 1

1. smelled / smelt
2. smell
3. smelled / smelt
4. smell
5. smelled / smelt
6. smelled / smelt
7. smelled / smelt
8. smelled / smelt

Exercise 2

9. B. Smelled or smelt
10. C. Did you smell smoke?
11. B. Smelled
12. C. I didn’t smell anything.

Exercise 3

13. Did she smell the perfume?
14. I didn’t smell anything strange.
15. Yesterday, we smelled/smelt smoke in the kitchen.
16. He has smelled/smelt that flower before.

Exercise 4

17. I smelled/smelt fresh coffee.
18. She smelled/smelt smoke.
19. They smelled/smelt something unusual.
20. The flowers smelled/smelt wonderful.

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FAQs

What is the past tense of smell?

The past tense of smell is smelled or smelt. Both forms are correct.

Is “smelled” or “smelt” correct?

Both are correct. Smelled is especially common in American English, while smelt is common in British English.

Is “smelt” the past tense of smell?

Yes. Smelt is a standard past tense and past participle form of smell.

Is “smelled” a correct word?

Yes. Smelled is a correct past tense and past participle form of smell and is particularly common in American English.

What is the past tense of smell in American English?

Smelled is the common choice in American English.

What is the past tense of smell in British English?

Smelt is commonly used in British English, although smelled is also understood and used.

Should I say “Did you smell” or “Did you smelled”?

Say “Did you smell?”

After did, use the base form of the verb.

Correct:

Did you smell the smoke?

Incorrect:

Did you smelled the smoke?

What is the past participle of smell?

The past participle can be smelled or smelt.

Examples:

• I have smelled this perfume before.
• I have smelt this perfume before.

What is the V2 form of smell?

The V2, or simple past, form is smelled or smelt.

What is the V3 form of smell?

The V3, or past participle, form is also smelled or smelt.

Is “smelt” more British than “smelled”?

Yes. Smelt is particularly associated with British English, while smelled is especially common in American English.

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Conclusion

The past tense of smell has two accepted forms: smelled and smelt. Both forms can describe an odor that someone noticed in the past or describe how something seemed by its smell.

The main difference is regional preference, with smelled especially common in American English and smelt common in British English.

The most important grammar rule to remember is that after did or didn’t, you should use the base form smell. For example, say “Did you smell the smoke?” and “I didn’t smell anything,” not “Did you smelled” or “didn’t smelt.”

Once you understand this simple pattern, using smell, smelled, and smelt becomes much easier. Practice with everyday examples involving food, flowers, smoke, perfume, and other odors, and you will quickly become more confident using these forms in both speaking and writing.