Stink, stank, stunk—what you need to know

I was confused about the difference between stank and stunk. Are you?

Did you ever hear someone say, "Manning really stunk when he threw that pass"? (This would never happen, incidentally, because Manning doesn't stink, ever.)

What that football fan really meant was, "Lienart really stank when he threw that pass." Or he might say, correctly: "Manning never has stunk at football." (Unless you're referring to Grandma Manning, and even then, she's probably a powerhouse.)

Tip: Use has, hasn't, or hadn't with stunk, but stank stands alone, as will anyone who stinks.