Mastering ‘Burst out’ for IELTS Success: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Definition and Explanation

The phrasal verb “burst out” is a powerful and expressive term that can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. It typically means to suddenly and forcefully express an emotion or action, often in an uncontrolled manner.

Main meanings:

1. To suddenly start laughing or crying
2. To suddenly say something loudly
3. To suddenly leave a place quickly

Synonyms for “burst out” include “erupt,” “explode,” or “break out,” depending on the context.

2. Usage in Context

“Burst out” is versatile and can be used in various situations:

• Informal: “When I told the joke, everyone burst out laughing.”
• Formal: “The witness burst out with new information during the trial.”
• Writing: “The author skillfully uses ‘burst out’ to convey sudden emotional reactions in her novel.”
• Speaking: “I couldn’t help but burst out in tears when I heard the news.”

3. Grammatical Analysis

“Burst out” is an inseparable phrasal verb, meaning the two parts always stay together. It’s often followed by a gerund (-ing form) or a prepositional phrase.

Structure: Subject + burst out + (in/into/with) + noun/gerund

Examples:

• She burst out crying.
• They burst out into song.
• He burst out with the truth.

4. Application in IELTS

In IELTS Speaking:

“Burst out” can add vividness to your responses, especially when describing emotional reactions or sudden actions.

Example question: “Describe a time when you received surprising news.”

Sample answer: “When I found out I had been accepted to my dream university, I burst out cheering. I couldn’t contain my excitement and immediately burst out with the news to my parents.”

In IELTS Writing:

While “burst out” is more commonly used in spoken English, it can add a dynamic element to your writing, particularly in narrative or descriptive tasks.

Example: “As the comedian delivered the punchline, the audience burst out laughing, filling the theater with joyous sounds.”

Audience bursting out laughing at comedy show

5. Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Break out (of) /breɪk aʊt/ – to escape from a place
   Example: The prisoners broke out of jail last night.

2. Blurt out /blɜːrt aʊt/ – to say something suddenly without thinking
   Example: She blurted out the secret before she could stop herself.

3. Blow up /bləʊ ʌp/ – to explode or become very angry
   Example: The bomb blew up, causing significant damage.

4. Bring out /brɪŋ aʊt/ – to produce or publish something
   Example: The company is bringing out a new smartphone next month.

5. Come out /kʌm aʊt/ – to become known or to be published
   Example: Her new book is coming out next week.

6. Let out /let aʊt/ – to make a sudden noise or to release
   Example: He let out a sigh of relief when he heard the good news.

7. Speak out /spiːk aʊt/ – to express one’s opinion publicly
   Example: Many citizens spoke out against the new policy.

8. Stand out /stænd aʊt/ – to be easily noticed because of being different
   Example: Her bright red hair made her stand out in the crowd.

9. Turn out /tɜːn aʊt/ – to happen in a particular way or to produce a result
   Example: Despite our worries, the party turned out to be a great success.

10. Work out /wɜːk aʊt/ – to exercise or to solve a problem
    Example: I try to work out at the gym three times a week.

6. Practice Exercises

Fill in the blanks:

1. When the comedian told the joke, the audience __ __ laughing.
2. She couldn’t contain her emotions and __ __ crying.
3. The protesters __ __ in anger when they heard the announcement.
4. As soon as the bell rang, the students __ __ of the classroom.
5. He __ __ with the truth during the interrogation.
6. The singer __ __ into song in the middle of the interview.
7. When the fireworks started, the crowd __ __ cheering.
8. She __ __ in a cold sweat after the nightmare.
9. The volcano __ __, spewing ash and lava.
10. The defendant __ __ in protest during the trial.

Sentence Transformation:

1. She suddenly started singing loudly.
   She __ __ __.

2. The children began laughing unexpectedly.
   The children __ __ __.

3. He suddenly revealed the secret without thinking.
   He __ __ __ the secret.

4. The audience suddenly applauded enthusiastically.
   The audience __ __ __.

5. She unexpectedly started crying during the speech.
   She __ __ __ during the speech.

6. The protesters suddenly shouted their slogans.
   The protesters __ __ __ their slogans.

7. The students quickly left the room when the fire alarm sounded.
   The students __ __ of the room when the fire alarm sounded.

8. He suddenly expressed his disagreement loudly.
   He __ __ __ his disagreement.

9. The crowd suddenly cheered when the goal was scored.
   The crowd __ __ __ when the goal was scored.

10. She unexpectedly started dancing in the middle of the street.
    She __ __ __ in the middle of the street.

Answers and Explanations:

Fill in the blanks:

1. burst out
2. burst out
3. burst out
4. burst out
5. burst out
6. burst out
7. burst out
8. burst out
9. burst out
10. burst out

Sentence Transformation:

1. burst out singing
2. burst out laughing
3. burst out with
4. burst out applauding
5. burst out crying
6. burst out with
7. burst out
8. burst out with
9. burst out cheering
10. burst out dancing

Explanation: In all these examples, “burst out” is used to describe a sudden, often uncontrolled action or expression of emotion. It’s important to note that “burst out” is always followed by a gerund (-ing form) when describing an action, or “with” when followed by a noun.

7. Memorization Tips

To remember “burst out,” visualize a balloon suddenly popping and its contents rushing out. This image captures the sudden, forceful nature of the phrasal verb.

Create a mnemonic: “Balloons Unexpectedly Release Suddenly, That’s Our Understanding of ‘Burst Out’.”

Balloon bursting with emotions metaphor

8. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Mistake: Using “burst out” without a gerund or “with”
   Correct: She burst out laughing. (Not: She burst out laugh.)

2. Mistake: Separating the phrasal verb
   Correct: He burst out with the truth. (Not: He burst the truth out.)

3. Mistake: Overusing in formal writing
   Tip: While effective in speaking and informal writing, use more formal alternatives in academic essays.

4. Mistake: Confusing with similar phrasal verbs
   Tip: Remember that “burst out” specifically refers to sudden, uncontrolled actions or emotions.

To use “burst out” effectively in IELTS:

• Practice using it in speaking exercises, especially when describing emotional reactions.
• In writing, use it sparingly and appropriately, mainly in narrative or descriptive tasks.
• Combine it with vivid vocabulary to create impactful descriptions.

9. Conclusion

Mastering phrasal verbs like “burst out” can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. It adds color and precision to your language, allowing you to express sudden actions and emotions effectively. Remember to practice using “burst out” in various contexts, and don’t be afraid to incorporate it into your IELTS responses when appropriate. By doing so, you’ll demonstrate a rich vocabulary and a nuanced understanding of English expressions, potentially boosting your scores in both the speaking and writing sections.

To further improve your phrasal verb usage, consider exploring related terms like “burn out” or “blurt out”. These will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you express a wider range of actions and emotions in your IELTS tasks.

Remember, language learning is a journey. Keep practicing, stay curious, and you’ll see your proficiency grow. Good luck with your IELTS preparation!