Wear past tense

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Meaning of wear

to carry or have on the body or about the person as a covering, equipment, ornament.

Infinitive

Word: wear /wɛər/
Examples:
  • 1. He always wears a suit to work.
  • 2. She wears glasses for reading.
  • 3. They wear sunscreen every day to protect their skin.

Past Simple

Word: wore /wɔːr/
Examples:
  • 1. She wore a stunning blue dress to the dinner party, receiving compliments from everyone she met.
  • 2. He wore his father's old watch as a good luck charm for his first day at the new job.
  • 3. They wore matching costumes to the Halloween event, making them the center of attention.

Past Participle

Word: worn /wɔːrn/
Examples:
  • 1. The dress was worn by her with such elegance that it caught everyone's eye.
  • 2. All the uniforms had been worn out by the end of the year.
  • 3. His favorite jeans are being worn by him right now.

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Bare infinitive

  1. When talking about habitual actions or routines.
    Example. 'I wear a suit to work every day.'
    Example. 'These shoes wear well in all weather conditions.'
    Example. 'Always wear gloves when handling chemicals.'
  2. To describe general truths or facts.
    Example. 'I wear a suit to work every day.'
    Example. 'These shoes wear well in all weather conditions.'
    Example. 'Always wear gloves when handling chemicals.'
  3. When giving instructions or directions.
    Example. 'I wear a suit to work every day.'
    Example. 'These shoes wear well in all weather conditions.'
    Example. 'Always wear gloves when handling chemicals.'

Past Simple

  1. To talk about a specific action that happened at a definite time in the past.
    Example. 'I wore my new dress to the party last night.'
    Example. 'She wore a beautiful gown to the ceremony, took lots of pictures, and danced all night.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, I wore braces for three years.'
  2. When discussing a series of completed actions in the past.
    Example. 'I wore my new dress to the party last night.'
    Example. 'She wore a beautiful gown to the ceremony, took lots of pictures, and danced all night.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, I wore braces for three years.'
  3. For conditions or habits in the past that are no longer true.
    Example. 'I wore my new dress to the party last night.'
    Example. 'She wore a beautiful gown to the ceremony, took lots of pictures, and danced all night.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, I wore braces for three years.'

Past Participle

  1. In perfect tenses to talk about actions that have an impact on the present.
    Example. Present Perfect. 'I have worn glasses since I was a teenager.'
    Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time I arrived, he had already worn the costume.'
    Example. 'Look at these worn-out shoes; I definitely need a new pair.'
  2. To describe a past action without specifying the time when it happened.
    Example. Present Perfect. 'I have worn glasses since I was a teenager.'
    Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time I arrived, he had already worn the costume.'
    Example. 'Look at these worn-out shoes; I definitely need a new pair.'
  3. As an adjective to describe something showing the effects of use or age.
    Example. Present Perfect. 'I have worn glasses since I was a teenager.'
    Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time I arrived, he had already worn the costume.'
    Example. 'Look at these worn-out shoes; I definitely need a new pair.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'wore' and 'worn'

A prevalent mistake is confusing the past simple form 'wore' with the past participle form 'worn.' 'Wore' is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past, e.g., 'She wore a beautiful dress yesterday.' In contrast, 'worn' is used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or as an adjective, e.g., 'She has worn that dress many times,' or 'The dress is worn out.' Mixing up these two forms can lead to grammatical errors and misunderstandings in the intended meaning.

— 02

Incorrectly using 'worn

' Another common mistake is using 'worn' as if it were the past simple form, without auxiliary verbs like 'has' or 'had.' For example, saying 'She worn a dress last night' instead of the correct 'She wore a dress last night.' This error stems from misunderstanding the role of past participles in constructing perfect tenses and their use as adjectives.

— 03

Irregular Verb Patterns

Some learners overapply patterns from other irregular verbs to 'wear,' leading to non-existent forms like 'wearred' or 'weared' for the past simple, instead of 'wore.' This mistake happens because English learners often try to find common patterns among irregular verbs to simplify learning. However, 'wear' does not conform to the regular '-ed' ending pattern for its past forms, and such attempts result in incorrect verb forms.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'wear'?

The past simple form of 'wear' is 'wore'. This form is used to describe an action that happened and was completed at a specific time in the past. For example. Yesterday, I wore my new shoes to the party.

What is the past participle form of 'wear'?

The past participle form of 'wear' is 'worn'. This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice sentences. It often describes actions that have an impact on the present or actions that were completed at an unspecified time in the past. For example. I have worn these shoes many times since I bought them. These shoes are well-worn because I've had them for years.

How do you use 'wore' and 'worn' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'wore' and 'worn' correctly, you need to consider the tense and structure of your sentence. Use 'wore' when talking about a specific instance in the past simple tense. Use 'worn' when forming perfect tense sentences or when describing a state in passive voice sentences. Examples include. Past Simple. Last year, I wore a costume for Halloween. Present Perfect. I have never worn a costume that was so elaborate. Passive Voice. The costume was worn by me last year.

Can 'worn' be used without an auxiliary verb?

Typically, 'worn' is used with an auxiliary verb (like 'have' or 'had') to form perfect tenses. However, 'worn' can also function as an adjective to describe something that shows signs of use. In this case, it's used without an auxiliary verb. For example. These jeans are worn out from too much use. Remember, choosing between 'wore' and 'worn' depends on the tense and structure of your sentence, and 'worn' can also serve as an adjective to describe a condition.