smell burning

[jasonlulu_2000]

About ten minutes later, we smelt burning. I opened the oven to find my daughter's cake on fire and it was all my fault.

Is the underlined part grammatically correct? Should I add "something" between smelt and burning?

thanks for your help!

Jason

 

[5jj]

It's fine as it is.

 

[Kray Cherry]

It's fine as it is.

mm, I would say yes ok but for perfection smelt "somthing" burning as at the time you didnt know it was the cake. ;-)

 

[Rover_KE]

Mm, I would say 'yes, OK' but for perfection 'smelt "something" burning' as at the time you didn't know it was the cake. ;-)

Welcome to Using English, Kray Cherry.

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Rover

 

[Barb_D]

I, too, would write "I smelled something burning."

 

[emsr2d2]

This might be another AmE vs BrE difference. "Can anyone smell burning?" or "Yesterday, I smelt burning" etc are absolutely fine in BrE.

 

[SoothingDave]

This might be another AmE vs BrE difference. "Can anyone smell burning?" or "Yesterday, I smelt burning" etc are absolutely fine in BrE.

It's certainly understandable without, but I would put a "something" in there as well.