1.在美国英语中,动词 burn 为规则动词,其过去式和过去分词均为 burned；在英国英语中,动词 burn可以是规则的也可以是不规则的（即可用 burned和burnt）.所以当不考虑英国英语与美国英语的差别时,两者形式常可混用.如：
He burned [burnt] the old letters.他把旧信烧掉了.
The house was burned [burnt] to the ground.房子被烧成了灰烬.
2.用于名词前作定语时,无论在英国英语还是美国英语中,通常都用 burnt.如：
Look at the burnt sugar.瞧这烧焦了的糖.
He showed me his burnt finger.他给看了它烧伤的手指.
He had a skin graft on the burnt leg.他烧伤的腿上做了皮肤移植.
另外,作表语时也通常用burnt.如：
Your hand looks badly burnt.你的手好像受了很重的烫伤.
3.以上区别也适合于以下各组词：learned / learnt,spoiled / spoilt,smelled / smelt,dreamed / dreamt,spelled / spelt 等.如：
He learned [learnt] the poem at school.他在学校学过那首诗.
I dreamed [dreamt] about flying last night.昨晚我梦见我在飞翔.
作定语时通常都用不规则形式.如：
Stop acting like spoilt children!别再像惯坏的孩子那样胡闹了.
Look at these misspelt words.看看这些拼错的单词吧.
The spilt milk made a terrible mess on the carpet.牛奶洒在地毯上弄得一塌糊涂.
特例：learned men 学者.
