'Scent' is a smell or fragrance; 'sent' is the past tense of 'to send'.
Noun/verb. A pleasant smell or fragrance. A smell used as a trail for tracking. Also: to add fragrance to.
The scent of fresh coffee filled the office every morning.
The dog followed the scent of the missing hiker for three miles.
The perfume had a delicate scent of jasmine and sandalwood.
Verb. Simple past and past participle of "to send": to cause to go or be taken somewhere.
I sent the contract to the client first thing this morning.
She sent a follow-up email after the meeting to summarise the key points.
The report was sent to all department heads simultaneously.
Common mistake
"I scent the document yesterday" when meaning dispatched (correct: sent). Or "The sent of lavender" when meaning fragrance (correct: scent).
Trick to remember it
'Scent' has silent SC — like 'scene', 'science', 'scissors'. The hidden letters create mystery, like a scent trail. 'Sent' is the plain past of send — no silent letters, clean and direct.
Quick rule
Is it the smell or fragrance? 'Scent'. Is it the past of to send? 'Sent'.
Did you know?
Smell (scent) is the only sense wired directly to the brain's limbic system — the area controlling emotion and memory. A scent bypasses the thalamus entirely and goes straight to the amygdala and hippocampus, which is why a single smell can trigger vivid memories from decades ago. This is called the 'Proustian memory effect', after Marcel Proust's famous description of a madeleine's scent unlocking an entire childhood in a single moment.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The florist had carefully _____ the bouquet with rose water before delivering it.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The team leader _____ a summary of the discussion to all attendees within an hour.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it the smell or fragrance? 'Scent'. Is it the past of to send? 'Sent'.
"I scent the document yesterday" when meaning dispatched (correct: sent). Or "The sent of lavender" when meaning fragrance (correct: scent).
'Scent' has silent SC — like 'scene', 'science', 'scissors'. The hidden letters create mystery, like a scent trail. 'Sent' is the plain past of send — no silent letters, clean and direct.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy