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Tear past tense: tore, torn
rip apart
Tear is an irregular English verb: the past simple of tear is tore and the past participle is torn. Learn the three forms together — tear – tore – torn.
Verb forms
Base form
tear
/teə/
Past Simple
tore
/tɔː/
Past Participle
torn
/tɔːn/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · tear
Be careful not to tear the wrapping paper.
Past Simple · tore
He tore the letter into small pieces.
Past Participle · torn
Her jeans were torn at the knee.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I tear he / she / it tears | I tore | I have torn |
| Present Continuous:I am tearing · he / she / it is tearing | ||
Grammar guide
Tear belongs to the ABC group: all three forms are different (tear – tore – torn), so each form has to be learnt separately.
- Past simple – tore: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – torn: after have, has or had (present perfect, past perfect) and after be in the passive voice.
- Questions and negatives in the past simple use did + the base form: Did you tear…? I didn’t tear.
Verbs with the same pattern
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about tear
- What is the past simple of tear?
- The past simple of tear is tore.
- What is the past participle of tear?
- The past participle of tear is torn.
- What are the three forms of tear?
- The three forms are tear – tore – torn: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is tear a regular or an irregular verb?
- Tear is irregular: its past simple is tore, not teared.