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Esldepp Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary

Is a light bulb broken or burnt out?

Which one will be less confusing or both are OK? "Broken" could mean the glass bulb was crashed and broken. But it's understandable that it means the light bulb is not working.
So which one is the normal use?

Thanks

D
  

Top answer

Hi, Which one will be less confusing or both are OK? "Broken" could mean the glass bulb was crashed and broken. Yes, it sounds like the glass is broken.

— Clive

  • Hi, Which one will be less confusing or both are OK?
  • "Broken" could mean the glass bulb was crashed and broken.
  • Yes, it sounds like the glass is broken.
  • But it's understandable that it means the light bulb is not working.
  • So which one is the normal use?
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3 Answers
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Hi,

Which one will be less confusing or both are OK?

"Broken" could mean the glass bulb was crashed and broken. Yes, it sounds like the glass is broken.

But it's understandable that it means the light bulb is not working.

So which one is the normal use?

I normally just hear and say 'The bulb isn't working'.

I note that
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In my part of the U.S., we would say, "The light bulb is burned out," to mean that the light bulb no longer worked because the filament or whatever had reached the end of its useful life.

We would only say the light bulb was broken if the glass part of the bulb were literally broken.

Maybe sentences would help:

The light bulb in the hall was burned out, so when the ligh
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