Irregular verb
The verb to wear
wear → wore → worn
B1Meaning: to have clothes or jewellery on your body · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they wear·he/she/it wears - Past Simple:
wore - Past participle:
worn(different from the Past Simple) - -ing form:
wearing
Conjugation of the verb to wear
Present Simple
| I | wear |
| You | wear |
| He / She / It | wears |
| We | wear |
| You (pl.) | wear |
| They | wear |
Past Simple
| I | wore |
| You | wore |
| He / She / It | wore |
| We | wore |
| You (pl.) | wore |
| They | wore |
All the forms of the verb to wear
Present Simple
Full pagewear / wears
“I wear glasses.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are wearing
“I am wearing a uniform right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagewore
“She wore a red dress to the party.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were wearing
“I was wearing a uniform when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has worn
“I have already worn a uniform.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad worn
“She had already worn a uniform when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill wear
“I will wear a uniform tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to wear
“I'm going to wear a uniform this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould wear
“I would wear a uniform if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to wear
1. Wearing clothes
- I wear glasses.
- She's wearing a blue shirt.
2. Getting old and damaged (wear out)
Wear out = to become old and damaged after a lot of use.
- My shoes are worn out.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I wear a bag ❌
Wear = to have on your body (clothes, jewellery). Carry = to hold in your hands. I wear a watch. I carry a bag.
2. Wear or put on?
Think of wear as being dressed and put on as getting dressed. What are you wearing? asks about your clothes right now.
What's next?
You can conjugate to wear. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
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For teachersReady-made activities to practise to wear in class
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Related pages: wear
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of wear?+
The Past Simple of wear is wore. The past participle is worn. Wear → wore → worn.
What is the difference between wear and put on?+
Put on is the action of getting dressed, a short moment. Wear is the state of having clothes on, for some time. I put on my coat (action) → I'm wearing my coat (state).
What is the difference between wear and carry?+
Wear is for things on your body: clothes, jewellery, glasses. Carry is for things you hold in your hands or arms, or have on your back: a bag, a baby, a box. I wear glasses. I carry a backpack.
Is it I wear jeans or I'm wearing jeans?+
Both are correct, with different meanings. I'm wearing jeans today (Present Continuous) is about now. I usually wear jeans at the weekend (Present Simple) is a habit. To describe your clothes right now, use the Present Continuous.
Is it wore or weared?+
Wear is irregular. Its Past Simple is wore and its past participle is worn. Weared is wrong.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/wear
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.