Yesterday, perhaps, you pleaded or pled guilty to not knowing the answer. Today, though, it’s time for that to change.
While “pled” is growing in popularity, “pleaded” remains the accepted past tense and past participle version of the verb “to plea.” Ask any lawyer or any stylebook, and they’ll agree.
So all those tv shows, movies, and songs (I’m looking at you Incubus and System of a Down) that use “pled” aren’t using the right word. But now you know the difference.
This is a word that comes up often enough that you should make sure you’re using the correct form. Whether you’re writing legal thrillers or discussing current events, you’ll sound savvier if your vocabulary is made up of real words.
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