Burst or bursted? What’s the past tense of burst?
Irregular verbs come in various forms, but sometimes verbs show no change between the present, past and past participle verb forms. Such is the case with burst, and other irregular verbs like hurt, shut, bet and set.
The tire burst on the highway.
My throat had burst from all the shouting.
The old faucet bursted and flooded the kitchen.
She realized the zipper had bursted while she was running.
Verb forms of burst
| present | past | future | |
| simple | I burst | I burst | I will burst |
| continuous | I am bursting | I was bursting | I will be bursting |
| perfect | I have burst | I had burst | I will have burst |
| perfect continuous | I have been bursting | I had been bursting | I will have been bursting |
Let’s define the topic first. The verb burst, as defined by Collins Dictionary is understood as the following: “If something bursts or if you burst it, it suddenly breaks open or splits open and the air or other substance inside it comes out.” For example, you might say, ‘It is not a good idea to burst a blister.’
1. To burst is in the present tense: So is this burst of speed sustainable?
2. Burst is the simple past: A dam burst and flooded their villages.
3. Burst is also the past participle: She had burst with emotion at the news.
4. Bursting is the present participle: We were bursting with emotion at the news.
5. Bursts is third person singular present tense.
Past tense vs. past participle of burst
1. The balloon burst with confetti. (past simple)
2. The balloon had burst with confetti, which spilled all over the floor. (past perfect)
If we remember our tenses, we know that participles use auxiliary verbs, such as had in the past perfect tense. Since the second sentence pairs the auxiliary had with burst, this signals that it’s the past participle verb form being used rather than the simple past tense.
True to its name, the simple past tense really is simpler, and it’s often used in simpler sentences. The past perfect, on the other hand, is a more dynamic way to describe what took place at a past time. It conveys past actions that occur in succession, and highlights their correct sequence (order that they took place). If you want to emphasize past events and their correct order, the past perfect tense is how we do so.
Verbs with one present and past tense
| base verb | past tense | past participle |
| burst | burst | burst |
| bet | bet | bet |
| shut | shut | sunk |
| hit | hit | hit |
| set | set | set |
Examples of burst in sentences (present tense)
1. Every now and then you hear some bombs bursting. (present participle)
2. It is easier to cope with short bursts of activity than with prolonged exercise.
3. He burst into the room.
4. The hall was full to bursting. (present participle)
5. The roads are bursting with cars.
Examples of burst in sentences (past tense)
1. Monsoons caused the river to burst its banks.
2. The door burst open and an angry young nurse appeared.
3. Rachel burst out as the door was flung open again.
4. He burst onto the fashion scene in the early 1980s.
5. He almost burst with pride when his son John began to excel at football.
“burst” is like “hurt” or “shut”—its past tense stays “burst”.
Examples sentences of burst as a participle
1. The river had burst its banks and flooded nearby towns.
2. There was a danger that the engine would burst apart.
3. The pipe had burst and liquid leaked everywhere.
4. Radha used her bubble wand to fill the park with bubbles, which burst when they hit the banyan trees.
5. The balloon had burst with confetti which spilled all over the floor.
Synonyms of burst
- explode
- blow up
- erupt
- detonate
Origin of the verb burst
From etymology online on burst (v.):
Middle English bresten, from Old English berstan (intransitive) “break suddenly, shatter as a result of pressure from within”. The transitive sense (“to cause to break, cause to explode”) is from late 13c. The meaning “to issue suddenly and abundantly” is from c. 1300 (literal), mid-13c. (figurative). The meaning “break (into) sudden activity or expression” is from late 14c. Related: Bursting.
Other commonly confused verb tenses
- What’s the past tense of spread?
- What’s the past tense of lead?
- What’s the past tense of choose?
- What’s the past tense of fly?
- What’s the past tense of lay?
- What’s the past tense of drive?
- What’s the past tense of draw?
Learn more about grammar
- What are regular and irregular verbs?
- Transitive and intransitive verbs?
- What are verbs?
- What’re personal pronouns?
- Whose vs who’s?
Sources
- Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
- Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of burst.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/burst. Accessed 26 February, 2023.
Work Sheet
According to the blog post, what is the correct simple past tense of the verb “burst”?
What is the correct past participle form of the verb “burst”?
Which sentence correctly uses the past tense of “burst” as described in the post?
The blog post mentions other irregular verbs that have the same form for present, past, and past participle, just like “burst”. Which of these is one example from the list?
The form “bursted” is identified in the blog post as:
The water pipe _____ during the unexpected freeze.
He had _____ with laughter at the joke.
The dam _____ upstream, flooding the village.
By the time we arrived, the main balloon had already _____.
He _____ out laughing when he heard the news.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the past tense of burst?
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Is ‘bursted’ a correct word?
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Does burst change form for past tense?
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How is burst used in past simple?
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When is burst used as past participle?
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Yash, D. "Burst or Bursted: What’s the Past Tense of Burst?." Grammarflex, Jun 17, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/burst-or-bursted-whats-the-past-tense-of-burst/.
