burn
Base form
burn
/bɜːn//bɜːrn/
Past simple
burnt / burned
/bɜːnt/ /bɜːnd//bɜːrnt/ /bɜːrnd/
Past participle
burnt / burned
/bɜːnt/ /bɜːnd//bɜːrnt/ /bɜːrnd/
MeaningA2
to be on fire, or damage something with fire
to burn the midnight oil
In use
- Negative · Form 1Don’t burn the garlic or the whole sauce will taste bitter.
- After a modal verb · Form 1You could burn your hand on that hot pan.
- Past simple · Form 2Last night I burnt the pizza while I was on the phone.
- Past simple · Form 2Last summer the forest fire burnt for three days.
- Present perfect · Form 3I’ve burnt my tongue on this hot soup.
- Passive · Form 3Their garden shed was burnt down by vandals last year.
Watch out
Burnt and burned are both right; British English uses burnt more, especially before a noun: burnt toast. Burnd and burnted are wrong.
Same pattern
A — B — BForms two and three are the same
Irregular VerbsLearn all three forms for good
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