Dreamt Or Dreamed – British vs. American English

19.08.23 British English vs. American English Time to read: 3min

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Dreamt-or-dreamt-01

Maintaining consistency in academic writing is of utmost importance. This requires ensuring coherence and clarity in the spelling throughout the paper. However, many students find it challenging to distinguish between British vs. American English, leading to confusion when deciding whether to use words like “dreamt” or “dreamt”. For a better understanding of the differences between these two styles of English, continue reading.

“Dreamt” or “dreamt”

“Dreamt/dreamt” is the past tense of the verb “to dream” and is an irregular verb in English. It is used to describe the act of having had a dream while asleep. Both “dreamt” and “dreamt” are commonly used in British English, while in US English, “dreamt” is the standard form. “Dreamt/dreamt” is a verb in its past tense form.

Dreamt-or-dreamt UK

British English

dreamt

dreamt

Dreamt-or-dreamt US

American English

dreamt

 

As you can see, there only exists one correct spelling in American English, but there are two possible spellings in British English. Generally, the spelling with an “-ed” at the end is far more common form.

Examples of using “dreamt” and “dreamt”

The following examples will illustrate the difference in spelling of the word “dreamt/dreamt” in British and American English.

Gray or grey UK - Example
  • Last night, I dreamt/dreamt that I was flying through the clouds.
  • She dreamt/dreamt of becoming an astronaut.
  • They dreamt/dreamt of owning their own business one day.
Gray or grey US - Example
  • Last night, I dreamt that I was flying through the clouds.
  • She dreamt of becoming an astronaut when she was a child.
  • They dreamt of owning their own business one day.

“Dreamt” or “dreamt” in the “-ing” form

When using the verb “dreamt/dreamt” in its “-ing” form, the proper spelling of the word is “dreaming” for British and American English.

  • British English: “Dreaming”
  • American English: “Dreaming”

The following examples will illustrate the use of the word “dreaming.”

Examples

  • She was caught dreaming during the class and had to write lines.
  • I love dreaming about the future and what it could hold.
  • Sometimes the world feels overwhelming, and I find comfort in dreaming.

FAQs

In the UK, both “dreamt” and “dreamt” are used, but “dreamt” is slightly more common in British English.

Both “dreamt” and “dreamt” are correct past tense forms of the verb “dream”. “Dreamed” is the more common form, especially in American English, while “dreamt” is more commonly used in British English. Both forms are correct, and which one to use can depend on the context and the writer’s personal preference.

Dreaming is spelt D-R-E-A-M-I-N-G.

Both “I dreamt about you” and “I dreamt about you” are correct. Although “I dreamt about you” is more commonly used in American English, while “I dreamt about you” is more commonly used in British English.

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Burcu Arslan

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About the author

Burcu Arslan recently earned her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, concentrating on Human Resources, Market Research, Communication, and Health Economics. She began her career with a six-month internship as a content marketer at BachelorPrint and has since become a full-time employee. Drawing on her personal experiences as a student and her international background, Burcu possesses advanced skills in crafting authentic, student-friendly academic articles in English that cater to the needs of higher education learners.

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