Drank or Drunk?

Drank or drunk come from the verb 'to drink', which means to consume a liquid. In other words, to take it through your mouth and swallow it.

But drunk can also be used to refer specifically to alcohol, in terms of the physical act of drinking it or being a person who drinks too much.

So how do you choose which one to use? Let's find out...

Drank

Drank is the past simple of 'drink'. So it is used to talk about drinking as a completed action in the past.

Examples:

Yesterday I drank too much
My friend drank and drank until he was fit to burst
My son drank orange juice for the first time today

Drunk

Drunk is used if you want to use the word as:

a past participle (to make the perfect verb tenses or as an adjective)
a noun

Past Participle

Here it is used in order to make the perfect tenses or adjectives.

For the perfect tenses, we use it with the verb have.

Examples:

I had drunk three bottles by the time everyone arrived (Past Perfect)
He has only drunk pure vegetable juice drinks since he became vegan (Present Perfect)
He will have drunk all the water he bought by the end of the trip (Future Perfect)

When it is used as an adjective, it usually comes after the verb. This usage always refers to intoxication by alcohol, or another factor such as love or power.

Examples:

I got really drunk at my friend's party
I was drunk last night
Drunk on all his money and power, he refused advise from anybody

Noun

Drunk can be used as a noun, to mean a person who drinks large amounts of alcohol very often and is unable to stop.

You can tell it is a noun as it has an article before it, 'a'. The second example does not as it is plural.

Examples:

He is a drunk. He drinks every day and he can't stop.
I don't like it when I see drunks begging on the street.

Tips for choosing Drank or Drunk

Drunk is the word used to describe the act of being inebriated with alcohol. So if you want to talk about yourself or someone having had too much alcohol to drink, then you will will use the word drunk and it is an adjective:

I was really drunk (adjective) last night. I couldn't stand up

Whilst drunk is used as an adjective, drank is used as a verb to talk about the physical act of drinking:

I drank (verb) a lot of water after exercising

You should now have a better idea of whether to use drank or drunk.

More Confusing Words:

Backward vs Backwards Grammar Differences Explained
Backward can be an adverb or an adjective. As an adjective it means regressive or undeveloped. As an adverb it indicates direction. So those are the Backward vs Backwards grammar differences. The 's' arises with differences between the US and the British Spellings.
Anyway or Anyways Grammar. What's the difference?
Should you use anyway or anyways? Anyway is an adverb that has two meanings. One is 'regardless', the other is to indicate that you are returning to talk about some thing you were talking about before. Anyways has the same meanings but it is very informal English.
Alot or A Lot Grammar Differences. Which should you use?
Which should you choose of these two words - alot or a lot? A lot means that there is many of something. For instance, 'There are a lot of people here'. Alot is actually not a word that exists, so don't use it!
Past Tense of Fit - Explanation and Examples
The past tense of fit can be either fit or fitted as it very much depends on whether it's being used in American English or British English.
Difference between affect and effect: Verb or Noun?
The difference between affect and effect is that while one is a noun, the other is a verb. So this will influence where you place the word in your sentence.
People Are or Is Grammar Explanation with Examples
Deciding whether to say people are or is in English grammar can be confusing but the explanation is in the difference between the plural and the singular.
Its or It's: Grammar rules to know the difference
Simple rules for its or it's: "It's" with the apostrophe is the shortened form of "it is" or "it has": "It's (it is) hot today"; "It's (it has) been a long time since I saw you". "Its" on the other hand indicates the possessive: "The company increased its wages".
Zero Article Rules with Examples
Here we look at zero article rules with examples. We have no article when referring to general concepts, abstract nouns, proper nouns, and mass nouns.
When to choose assure or ensure
Should you use assure or ensure? One means to give someone confidence, while the other means to make certain.
Be / Get Used to: Learn the Differences
Be / get used to is used to talk about something that one is familiar with or accustomed to. There are slight difference between 'be' and 'get'.
Titled Versus Entitled: How to Choose
This lesson examines titled versus entitled. The words are very different in meaning so it's important to know which is correct.
To vs Too: What is the difference?
Learn about to vs too. To is used as a preposition and to indicate moving towards something. Too means excessive or also. These two words are commonly confusing for English learners. To vs Too grammar mistakes will be noticeable so it's important to understand them.
Difference Between Emigrate and Immigrate
The difference between emigrate and immigrate can be confusing. While one means to leave one's own country or region, the other is to come.
Differences Between Infer and Imply
Understand the differences between Infer and Imply with this explanation and example sentences.
Difference Between Accept and Except
Do you know the difference between accept and except? One is about receiving something, the other about exclusion.
Past tense of hang - Explanation and examples
In using the past tense of hang, there is often confusion over whether to use hanged or hung. Here we will explain the differences and which one is correct.
What are the differences between bought and brought?
Do you know the differences between bought and brought? One is the past of "bring" and the other of "buy".
Is it complement or compliment?
Is it complement or compliment? One refers to enhancing something, the other expresses praise or admiration.
How to Use Either and Neither with Examples
Advice on how to use either and neither in English grammar. They can be adjectives, adverbs, pronouns and conjunctions.
The Difference Between There, Their, and They're
This confusing words lesson explains the difference between there, their, and they're, which often stump learners of English.
Lose or Loose: Which to choose?
Choosing between lose or loose can be confusing for English learners. The difference though are fairly simple.
Past Tense of Feel: Choosing feel or felt
The past tense of feel is felt. We don't say feeled as feel is an irregular verb which means that it doesn't follow the usual pattern of past simple verbs.