What’s the Past Tense of Tear? Is it Tore, Teared or Torn?

The word “tear” can be tricky when used in the past tense. There are three common forms: “tore”, “teared”, and “torn”. Each form has a different meaning, depending on how you use it in a sentence. Understanding these helps you speak and write clearly.

“Tore” is used when something gets ripped or broken. “Torn” is the past participle and is used with words like “has” or “was.” “Teared” is used when someone cries or sheds tears. Knowing when to use each form will improve your writing.

Why is There Confusion?

There is confusion about the past tense of tear because it has different meanings and uses. As a verb, tear can describe ripping something apart or crying. This leads to different past tense forms like tore, torn, and teared.

The confusion also happens because tear can be both a transitive verb and an intransitive verb. A transitive verb needs an object like “I tore the paper.” An intransitive verb doesn’t need an object, like “The paper tore easily.”

What Does the Word “Tear” Mean?

• Tear can be a verb or a noun.

• As a verb, it means to rip or pull apart something.

• Tear can also mean to cry and shed tears.

• As a noun, a tear is a drop from the eye when crying.

• It can also mean damage caused by ripping or pulling.

• Tear can also describe moving quickly or with energy.

The verb “tear” can also mean to move noisily and quickly. For example, if someone runs fast and makes a lot of noise, we say they “tore” through the room. This use of “tear” shows a fast, loud movement, like “tearing” down the street.

The Past Tense of “Tear”

Tore:

• “Tore” is the past tense of “tear” when you talk about ripping something apart.

• Example: She tore the paper into pieces.

Torn:

• “Torn” is the past participle of “tear”. It is used with words like “has,” “have,” or “had.”

• Example: The paper has torn into small pieces.

Teared:

• “Teared” is used when you talk about crying or shedding tears.

• Example: He teared up during the sad movie.

Pronunciation of “Tear,” “Tore,” “Torn,” and “Teared”

• Tear (to rip or pull apart) is pronounced /ter/. It rhymes with the word “care”.

• Tear (a drop of liquid from the eye) is pronounced /tir/. It rhymes with “ear”.

• Tore is pronounced /tɔːr/. It rhymes with “more”.

• Torn is pronounced /tɔːrn/. It rhymes with “born”.

• Teared is pronounced /tɪrd/. It rhymes with “feared”.

A Simple Table Showing the Present, Past, and Future Tense of the Verb “Tear”

Tense	Example Sentence	Explanation
Present Tense	I tear the paper.	Action happening now.
Present Continuous	I am tearing the paper.	Action happening right now and continuing.
Present Perfect	I have torn the paper.	Action completed recently.
Past Tense	I tore the paper.	Action completed in the past.
Past Continuous	I was tearing the paper.	Action happening in the past.
Past Perfect	I had torn the paper before you came.	Action completed before another past action.
Future Tense	I will tear the paper.	Action happening in the future.
Future Continuous	I will be tearing the paper.	Action happening in the future.
Future Perfect	I will have torn the paper by tomorrow.	Action completed before a future time.

Examples of “Tear,” “Tore,” “Torn,” and “Teared”

in Sentences

The pronunciation of the words “tear,” “tore,” “torn,” and “teared” can be tricky. “Tear” (to rip) rhymes with “care,” while “tore” rhymes with “more,” “torn” sounds like “born,” and “teared” rhymes with “feared.”

Examples of “Tear” (Present Tense)

• I always tear the paper carefully to reuse it later.

• She tears up when she watches sad movies.

• Please don’t tear the page from the book.

Examples of “Tore” (Simple Past Tense)

• He tore the letter into pieces after reading it.

• The cat tore through the curtains with its claws.

• They tore the old building down to make room for a new park.

Examples of “Torn” (Past Participle)

• My favorite book has a torn cover after years of use.

• The fabric was torn in several places, making it unusable.

• He was emotionally torn between his career and his family.

Examples of “Teared” (Past Tense for Crying)

• She teared up as she said goodbye to her friends.

• During the emotional speech, many in the audience teared up.

• He teared when he heard the sad news.

Synonyms for “Tear,” “Tore,” “Torn,” and “Teared”

Synonyms for “Tear” (Present Tense)

• The word tear means to rip something. You can also use words like rip, split, shred, or lacerate. For example, “I always rip the paper.”

Synonyms for “Tore” (Simple Past Tense)

• Tore is the past tense of tear. It can also be replaced by words like ripped, shredded, or split. For example, “He ripped the paper.”

Synonyms for “Torn” (Past Participle)

• When something is torn, you can use words like ripped, frayed, or shredded. For example, “The shirt is ripped.”

Synonyms for “Teared” (Past Tense for Crying)

• Teared is used when someone cries. You can use words like cried, sobbed, wept, or choked up. For example, “She sobbed when she heard the news.”

Origins of the Word “Tear”

The word “tear” has a long history. It comes from Old English, where it was written as “ter” or “tēar”. The word evolved from the Proto-Germanic roots tahr- and tagr-, which also influenced other languages like Old Norse and Latin.

The Noun “Tear” (The Fluid Drop from the Eye)

The noun “tear” refers to the fluid drop from the eye. It comes from the Middle English ter or tere. This word originated from Old English tear or teor, meaning a drop or nectar.

The term tear has Proto-Germanic roots, such as tahr- and tagr-. These roots also appear in languages like Old Norse, Old Frisian, and Old High German. They trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root dakru-, influencing words in Latin and other languages.

Since the 14th century, the plural “tears” has been used to express grief or sorrow. The phrase “to be in tears” appeared in the 1550s. Other uses include “tear-stained” and tear gas, coined in 1917.

The Verb “Tear” (To Rend or Pull Apart by Force

The verb “tear” means to pull apart by force. It comes from the Middle English word tēran, which meant to destroy or break into pieces. The past tense in Old English was “tær“, and the past participle was “toren”.

These words evolved from Proto-Germanic teran, meaning to split or peel. In the 17th century, the word “tore” replaced “tare”. The phrase “tear down” first appeared in the 14th century to mean destroying or breaking something apart.

The idiom “to be torn between” came later, in 1871. This means being confused or unsure between two choices. The phrase “to tear one’s hair out” shows a feeling of strong grief or frustration.)

The Verb “Tear” (To Weep or Cry)

The verb “tear” means to weep or cry. It is used when someone sheds tears because they are sad or emotional. For example, when a person gets very sad, they might tear up.

In some cases, people use teared to describe when someone starts crying. This word shows the action of shedding tears. It is different from other uses of tear, like ripping paper. Understanding these uses of tear helps make talking about emotions clearer.

The Noun “Tear” (A Tearing or Laceration)

The noun “tear” refers to a torn part or damage caused by tearing. This meaning has been used since the 1610s. It describes something that has been ripped or split apart. The word comes from the verb “tear”.

In Old English, the noun “tear” also referred to a laceration or something that was torn. It has been used for centuries to describe damage caused by force or separation. This meaning of tear is still used today in both everyday speech and formal writing.

The Verb “Tear” (To Move Noisily)

In the 1590s, the verb “tear” was used to describe moving noisily and quickly. It showed the idea of ripping through obstacles with force. This led to phrases like “tear into”, meaning to start something with energy.

The term “tearer” came from the 1620s. It described something large and powerful. Tear in this sense showed action that was fast and loud. People used it to talk about quick movements and big actions.

FAQ’s

What is the past tense of tear?

The past tense of tear is tore. You use it when something is ripped or pulled apart in the .past. For example, “She tore the paper.”

 When do I use torn?

You use torn as the past participle of tear. It is used with helping verbs like “has” or “was.” For example, “The paper has been torn.”

Can I use teared?

You can use teared when talking about crying or shedding tears. It is a less common form. For example, “He teared up when he saw the sad movie.”

 What is the difference between tore and torn?

Tore is the simple past tense, while torn is the past participle. You use tore when something is ripped, like “She tore the fabric.” Use torn with auxiliary verbs, like “The fabric is torn.”

 Does tear always mean to rip?

No, tear can also mean to cry. For example, “Her eyes began to tear up.” The meaning depends on the context.

 What are some synonyms for tear tore, and torn?

Synonyms for tear include rip shred and lacerate. For tore, you can use ripped or split .Synonyms for torn are ripped shredded, and frayed .

Conclusion

Understanding the past tense of tear is important for clear communication. The correct forms to use are tore, torn, and teared, depending on the situation. Tore is the simple past tense, used when something is ripped. For example, “She tore the paper.” Torn is the past participle and is used with helping verbs like “has” or “was,” such as “The paper has been torn.”

On the other hand, teared is used when talking about crying or shedding tears, like “He teared up during the movie.” It’s a less common form and only applies to emotional situations. Using the correct form helps make your sentences clear and precise.

By knowing when to use tore, torn, or teared you will improve your writing and speaking. Keep practicing these forms to use them correctly every time.