Texas Court Reporter Practice Exam

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Which verb correctly completes the sentence: Allen (busted, burst) out laughing when he heard the story?

  1. burst

  2. bust

  3. bursts

  4. bursting

The correct answer is: burst

The correct verb to complete the sentence is "burst." In this context, "burst out laughing" is an idiomatic expression that indicates someone suddenly starts to laugh loudly or uncontrollably. The phrase uses "burst" in its past tense form, which aligns grammatically with "Allen" as the subject, thereby correctly conveying the action that he performed. This form is also a standard usage in English, reflecting that the action has already taken place. The other forms, such as "busted," are colloquially incorrect in formal writing in this context, and the options "bust," "bursts," and "bursting" do not fit grammatically with the past tense structure required by the sentence. "Bust" and "bursts" are present tense forms, while "bursting" functions as a participle or gerund, none of which fit the context as well as "burst."

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