Grammar fix
catch fire
start burning
to suddenly begin to burn, often by accident.
collocationB1common
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
The curtains caught fire when they got too close to the candle.
During the interview, I explained how the old building caught fire because of faulty wiring.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: The curtains catched fire.
Say: The curtains caught fire.
Irregular past tense — 'caught'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Underwent combustion' is technical; 'caught fire' is plain English.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
catch fire
- the curtains
- suddenly
- easily
- nearly