Past tense of Wear: Complete Conjugation Guide & Usage Examples

Content publishing rules

Understanding the past tense of Wear represents a fundamental milestone in English grammar mastery, as this irregular verb appears frequently across all communication contexts. The past tense of Wear follows unique conjugation patterns that distinguish it from regular verbs, requiring specific attention to achieve accurate usage. This comprehensive exploration examines the past tense of Wear alongside its complete conjugation system, providing practical examples and usage guidelines for learners at every proficiency level.

I. What is Wear?
II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Wear? The past forms of Wear in English
III. How to conjugate the verb Wear
1. 1. In tenses
2. 2. In special sentence structures
IV. Phrasal verbs with Wear in English
V. Exercise on the past forms of Wear with answers
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer

I. What is Wear?

Wear is pronounced /wer/ and functions as a verb and a noun.

Wear acts as a verb in the sentence, meaning: to have on one's body or a part of one's body as clothing, decoration, protection, or for some other purpose. For example: Jennie is wearing a simple black dress.
Wear acts as a noun in the sentence, meaning: clothing suitable for a particular purpose or of a particular type. For example: Jennie's wear is on the first floor.

II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Wear? The past forms of Wear in English

Wear follows an irregular verb pattern. V0, V2, V3 stand for: Infinitive, Past Simple, and Past Participle. Here are its three main forms:

Past forms of wear		Example
V0	Wear /who/	I wear a beautiful dress every day.
V2	Wore /wɔːr/	I wore a beautiful dress on my 20th birthday.
V3	Worn /wɔːrn/	I have worn this beautiful dress five times.

In conclusion, the past forms of Wear are: the past form of Wear in past simple is Wore and the past participle of Wear is Worn.

III. How to conjugate the verb Wear

Master the conjugation of "Wear" across all tenses and sentence structures. This comprehensive breakdown shows proper usage in every grammatical context:

1. In tenses

12 English tenses	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Present simple tense	wear	wears	wear
	For example: I wear my favorite helmet to school every day. He wears a gentle suit to work. They wear comfortable shoes for hiking.
Present continuous tense	am wearing	is wearing	are wearing
	For example: I am wearing my coat because it's cold outside. He is wearing his uniform for the school play. They are wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun.
Present perfect tense	have worn	has worn	have worn
	For example: I have worn this dress many times to special occasions. He has worn his new shoes to the party. They have worn their team jerseys to every game this season.
Present perfect continuous tense	have been wearing	has been wearing	have been wearing
	For example: I have been wearing my favorite sweater all winter. He has been wearing his glasses while studying. They have been wearing helmets for safety during the construction project.
Past simple tense	wore	wore	wore
	For example: I wore my pink dress to the party last night. He wore a tie for the job interview. They wore their uniforms during the competition tonight.
Past continuous tense	was wearing	was wearing	were wearing
	For example: I was wearing my raincoat when it started to rain. He was wearing his headphones while studying for the listening part. They were wearing their winter coats during the snowstorm.
Past Perfect Tense	had worn	had worn	had worn
	For example: I had worn my favorite dress to the party before the guests arrived. He had worn his lucky socks during the game when his team scored the winning goal. They had worn their costumes for the Halloween party until late at night.
Past perfect continuous tense	had been wearing	had been wearing	had been wearing
	For example: I had been wearing my coat for hours when the rain finally stopped. He had been wearing his uniform all day before changing into casual clothes. They had been wearing their safety gear while working on the construction site.
Simple future tense	will wear	will wear	will wear
	For example: I will wear my new beautiful dress to the party tomorrow. He will wear a suit for the job interview. They will wear their team jerseys for the game next week.
Future continuous tense	will be wearing	will be wearing	will be wearing
	For example: I will be wearing my uniform for the event tomorrow. He will be wearing his safety helmet while working at the construction site. They will be wearing their raincoats when it starts raining.
Future Perfect tense	will have worn	will have worn	will have worn
	For example: I will have worn my graduation gown by the time the ceremony starts. He will have worn his hiking boots for three years next month. They will have worn their wedding rings for 25 years on their anniversary.
Future perfect continuous tense	will have been wearing	will have been wearing	will have been wearing
	For example: I will have been wearing my winter coat for five months by the time spring arrives. He will have been wearing his glasses for a week once he gets his new contact lenses. They will have been wearing their uniforms all day when the game finally ends.

2. In special sentence structures

Special structure	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Conditional sentences
Conditional sentence type 2 - Main clause	would wear	would wear	would wear
Conditional sentence type 2 - Main clause	For example: If I had a job interview, I would wear a suit. If he had a date, he would wear his best shirt. If they had a party, they would wear fancy dresses.
Conditional sentence type 2 - Variation of the main clause	would be wearing	would be wearing	would be wearing
Conditional sentence type 2 - Variation of the main clause	For example: If I were going to the party, I would be wearing my new dress. If he were attending the meeting, he would be wearing a suit and tie. If they were going to the beach, they would be wearing swimsuits.
Conditional sentence type 3 - Main clause	would have worn	would have worn	would have worn
Conditional sentence type 3 - Main clause	For example: If I had known it was a formal event, I would have worn a suit. If he had known it earlier, he would have worn his jacket to the party. If they had received the invitation, they would have worn appropriate attire.
Conditional sentence type 3 - Variation of the main clause	would have been wearing	would have been wearing	would have been wearing
Conditional sentence type 3 - Variation of the main clause	For example: If I had been at the beach yesterday, I would have been wearing shorts and a T-shirt. If he had been at the gym earlier, he would have been wearing his workout clothes. If they had been at the concert last night, they would have been wearing their favorite band T-shirts.
Hypothetical sentence
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Present Event	wear	wear	wear
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Contrast with Reality in the Present	wore	wore	wore
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Contrast with Reality in the Past	had worn	had worn	had worn
For example	If I wear my lucky socks, I will feel more confident during exams. If he wore his helmet, he wouldn't have injured his head. They wish they had worn the most luxurious dresses at the wedding.

IV. Phrasal verbs with Wear in English

These common phrasal verbs with "Wear" appear frequently in everyday English. Master their meanings for natural communication:

Phrasal verbs with Wear	Meaning	Example
Wear (something) away	become gradually smaller or smoother through use or contact over a long period	In some diseases, the protective layer in a joint wears away.
Wear someone down	to make someone feel tired and less able to deal successfully with a situation	All the stress and extra travel is beginning to wear Jack down.
Wear off	to stop having an effect or influence	Most patients find that the numbness from the injection wears off after about an hour.
Wear on	(of a period of time) pass, especially slowly or tediously.	Mari felt less confident about finishing the work as the week wore on.
Wear someone/something out	to make someone very tired by demanding a lot of that person's work or attention	Walking around a museum all day really wears John out.
Wear someone/something out	to use something so much that it is damaged and cannot be used any more, or to become damaged in this way	Moving parts in engines wear out much more quickly than stationary parts.

V. Exercise on the past forms of Wear with answers

Practice these exercises to reinforce your understanding of "Wear" conjugations and phrasal verbs:

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Conjugation of the verb Wear

Anna (wear) _______ a hat to protect her head from the sun.
Jack (wear) _______ his new shoes to the party last night.
They (wear) _______ their uniforms for the ceremony tomorrow.
I (wear) _______ my jacket right now because it's cold outside.
Anna (wear) _______ the same necklace for years.

Exercise 2: Fill in the appropriate phrasal verb with Wear that you have learned and conjugate the verb if any

The constant friction _______ the surface of the table.
After hours of negotiation, the persistent salesperson managed to _______ the customer's resistance.
The effect of the pain medication started to _______ after a few hours.
As the day ________, the students became increasingly tired.
The demanding physical activity eventually ______ the athletes _______.

2. Answer

Exercise 1	Exercise 2
wears wore will wear am wearing has worn	wore away wear down wear off wore on wears …out

Mastering the past tense of Wear requires understanding its irregular nature and practicing correct usage across diverse contexts. The frequency of this verb in English makes accurate conjugation essential for effective communication. Success with the past tense of Wear reflects broader irregular verb mastery and demonstrates sophisticated English grammar knowledge. Focus on contextual usage rather than isolated memorization for lasting comprehension and natural application.

Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.