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Contraposition Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Wore or was wearing?

(1) He wore glasses (2) She was wearing a new coat.I have long been wondering about the tense use of the verb wear which means 'to have put on clotes etc, , but not to put on' and cannot find any relavent explanations in grammars. I know the difference between the past and the past progressive. The verb 'wear' is actually an action verb, but is rather analogous to a 'state verb'. In addition, when translate 'wore' and 'was wearing' into my native language, both are translated in the same grammatic form, hence the problem. Same thing happens with some words like stand, sit ,hang etc.
  

Top answer

I think this has already been answered. Didn't you ask the same thing once before? In many, many cases, the two are equivalent.

— CalifJim

  • I think this has already been answered.
  • Didn't you ask the same thing once before?
  • In many, many cases, the two are equivalent.
  • Choose the one you like better.
  • If you are talking about something that always or usually happens, something that occurs regularly, then wore is probably better.
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4 Answers
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I think this has already been answered. Didn't you ask the same thing once before?

In many, many cases, the two are equivalent. Choose the one you like better.

If you are talking about something that always or usually happens, something that occurs regularly, then wore is probably better.

He (always) wore glasses.
She (always) wore the same coat every day.
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Hi CJ

If you are talking about something that always or usually happens, something that occurs regularly, then wore is probably better;

He (always) wore glasses.
She (always) wore the same coat every day.

Why is 'wore' used? I was taught to use a present-tense verb in such constructions.

Thanks.
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Yoong LiatWhy is 'wore' used?
The OP wanted past tense examples as far as I could tell.

Of course, you use the present tense if you are talking about a current habit.

He (always) wears glasses (now).
He (always) wore glasses (during that (past) time).

CJ
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