Burn bridges means acting in a way that leaves no way back. In English it's mostly about relationships: being rude on your way out, slamming the door, letting partners down. Hence the common advice Don't burn your bridges: leave so that you could come back. With your, the phrase stresses that you're cutting off your own way back.
When would you say burn bridges?
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burn bridges; burn your bridges; burn bridges with someone
- He declined the offer politely because he did not want to burn bridges.
- Leaving without a handover could burn bridges with the team.
- She had burned her bridges and could not return to the partnership.
What changed
First versionI want to leave the company without burn my bridges.
RevisionI want to leave the company without burning my bridges.
Without seems to introduce an action, so the plain verb burn can look enough. But without is a preposition, and a verb after it takes -ing: without burning my bridges. Add -ing, and the sentence is correct.
Build bridges is the opposite: bringing people or groups together. Cut ties means ending a connection, with no hint that you can't go back. Burn bridges means damaging things so the way back is closed: She had burned her bridges and could not return.
Your turn
She thanked the organisers before leaving to avoid ___ bridges.
Show the answer
burning — After avoid, the verb takes -ing: avoid burning bridges. Burn can't follow avoid.
Give advice to a friend who is about to quit their job after a big argument. Use burn bridges.
Don't burn bridges by blaming your colleagues in your farewell email.
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