ESEN
Which one to use?Advancednounverb
RungvsWrung
'Rung' is a step on a ladder or past participle of 'ring'; 'wrung' is the past participle of 'wring' (to twist).
Side-by-side comparison
Rung
noun"Rung" (no 'w') is a horizontal step of a ladder. Also the past participle of "ring": "The bell has rung" = the bell has sounded. Ring, rang, rung.
She climbed to the top rung of the corporate ladder within eight years.
The bell has rung three times, the meeting should have started already.
I have rung the client twice today and left voicemails both times.
Wrung
verb"Wrung" (with silent 'w') is the past participle of "wring": to twist or squeeze to remove liquid. "Wrung out the towel" = squeezed the water from the towel. Wring, wrung, wrung.
She wrung the wet towel out over the sink before hanging it up.
The news had wrung every last drop of energy from the team.
She wrung her hands nervously while waiting for the results.
Common mistake
- •"She has wrung the doorbell" when meaning rang it is wrong (correct: rung).
- •And "He rung out the wet cloth" when meaning twisted it dry is wrong (correct: wrung out the cloth).
Trick to remember it
- •"Rung" comes from "ring", bells ring, ladders have rungs, neither involves twisting.
- •"Wrung" comes from "wring", both start with silent W and both involve twisting something.
Quick rule
Is it the ladder step or past participle of ring? "Rung." Is it the past participle of wring/twist? "Wrung."
Did you know?
The expression "climbing the corporate ladder" uses RUNG metaphorically: each promotion is one rung higher on the corporate ladder. The image is so common in English that it takes for granted that professional progress is vertical and linear. Modern management theorists challenge this metaphor and propose alternatives like "the corporate lattice" (allowing horizontal and diagonal movement) or "the jungle gym" (allowing movement in all directions). WRUNG appears in emotional expressions: "it wrung my heart" (it broke my heart, literally twisted it), "wrung dry" (squeezed to the last drop, completely exhausted of resources).
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She _____ the wet towel over the bath to drain it.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Has anyone _____ the doorbell? I thought I heard something.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
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Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy