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The Verb "Burn" in English

Conjugation of "To Burn"

The verb "burn" is an irregular verb. (This means that "burn" does not form its simple past tense or its past participle by adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form.)

The Five Forms of "To Burn"

FormburnAlternative Name
Base FormburnInfinitive Form
The -S FormburnsThird Person Singular Form
Past Formburnt (also burned)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormburningPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formburnt (also burned)[no alternative name]

"To Burn" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "burn" conjugates in the past, present, and future tenses.

Past Tenses

PersonSimple PastPast Progressive TensePast Perfect TensePast Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • burnt (also burned)
  • burnt (also burned)
  • burnt (also burned)
  • burnt (also burned)
  • burnt (also burned)
  • burnt (also burned)
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was burning
  • were burning
  • was burning
  • were burning
  • were burning
  • were burning
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had burnt (also burned)
  • had burnt (also burned)
  • had burnt (also burned)
  • had burnt (also burned)
  • had burnt (also burned)
  • had burnt (also burned)
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been burning
  • had been burning
  • had been burning
  • had been burning
  • had been burning
  • had been burning
The past perfect progressive tense is for showing that an ongoing action in the past has ended.

Present Tenses

PersonSimple PresentPresent Progressive TensePresent Perfect TensePresent Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • burn
  • burn
  • burns
  • burn
  • burn
  • burn
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am burning
  • are burning
  • is burning
  • are burning
  • are burning
  • are burning
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have burnt (also burned)
  • have burnt (also burned)
  • has burnt (also burned)
  • have burnt (also burned)
  • have burnt (also burned)
  • have burnt (also burned)
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been burning
  • have been burning
  • has been burning
  • have been burning
  • have been burning
  • have been burning
The present perfect progressive tense is for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present (or finished very recently).

Future Tenses

PersonSimple FutureFuture Progressive TenseFuture Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • will burn
  • will burn
  • will burn
  • will burn
  • will burn
  • will burn
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be burning
  • will be burning
  • will be burning
  • will be burning
  • will be burning
  • will be burning
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have burnt (also burned)
  • will have burnt (also burned)
  • will have burnt (also burned)
  • will have burnt (also burned)
  • will have burnt (also burned)
  • will have burnt (also burned)
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been burning
  • will have been burning
  • will have been burning
  • will have been burning
  • will have been burning
  • will have been burning
The future perfect progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.

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