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

Have you ever wondered what the past tense of “tear” is? Is it tore, teared, or torn? This is a question many learners of English ask, as it can be a little tricky to know the correct form.

In this article, we’ll explore the confusion about tear, its various meanings, verb forms, and how to properly use it in past, present, and future contexts. We’ll also give you examples of tear in sentences and help you understand the different scenarios where each form is used.

Why Is There Confusion?

The confusion around tear arises because the word has multiple meanings and is used in various contexts. In English, tear can be both a transitive verb (requiring a direct object) and an intransitive verb (not requiring a direct object), depending on how it’s used.

For example:

• When you tear a piece of paper, you’re ripping it apart.
• When you shed a tear, it refers to crying.

To make things even more complex, “tear” can also have different past tense forms depending on its meaning, leading to further language confusion. People often wonder if the past tense should be tore, teared, or torn, but the correct choice depends entirely on the meaning and context of the sentence.

What Does the Word “Tear” Mean?

The word “tear” can be used as a verb and a noun, and its meaning changes based on how it’s used. Here’s a closer look:

As a Verb

1. Transitive Verb (when it needs an object):
   • To pull apart: You can “tear” a piece of paper by pulling it.
   • To hurt or damage: “Tearing” your skin means you have caused a wound.
   • To remove something forcefully: For example, you can “tear off” a label from a bottle.
   • To create an opening: You might “tear” a hole in your shirt by pulling it too hard.
2. Intransitive Verb (doesn’t need an object):
   • To come apart: Fabric can “tear” easily if pulled hard enough.
   • To move quickly: If you are “tearing” down the street in a car, you are driving very fast.
   • To penetrate: A bullet can “tear” through something, meaning it goes in with a lot of force.

As a Noun

1. Related to Ripping:
   • A tear is a rip or damage in something, like a “tear” in your jeans.
   • It can also describe a wild or intense activity, like when someone is “on a tear” (doing something quickly or energetically).
   • This term can mean a period of good luck, as in being “on a tear” with success.
2. Related to Crying:
   • A tear is a drop of liquid that comes from your eyes, which helps keep them moist.
   • The action of crying is often described as shedding “tears.”
   • It can also refer to a clear drop of liquid, like resin, that forms when something hardens.

Intransitive Verb (Related to Crying)

• To shed tears: When someone is emotional, their eyes might “tear” up, meaning they start to fill with tears.

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The Past Tense of “Tear”

The past tense of tear depends on the meaning of the word and the action described. Below, we’ll explain the different forms, including tore, teared, and torn, and when to use each one.

Tore (The Simple Past Tense)

Tore is the simple past tense form of “tear” when it means to rip or pull something apart.

Example: “She accidentally tore her dress on the fence.”

In this sentence, the action of tearing something apart has already been completed, which is why we use the simple past tense form tore.

Torn (The Past Participle)

Torn is the past participle of “tear” and is used with helping verbs (like “have” or “been”) to indicate an action that has already happened.

Example: “His jeans were torn after he fell off his bike.”

Here, torn is used to describe a condition caused by the completed action of tearing.

Teared (The Past Tense of Tear for Crying or Shedding Tears)

Teared is used when referring to the past tense of shedding tears or crying. While this form is less commonly used, it is grammatically correct when describing emotional responses.

Example: “She teared up when she heard the sad news.”

In this example, teared indicates that the person started crying, linking it to the emotional act of shedding tears.

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

The pronunciation of tear and its related forms can also cause confusion, as they sound different depending on the meaning. Here’s a quick guide to the pronunciation of each form:

• Tear (to rip): /teər/ – Rhymes with “care.”
• Tear (to cry): /tɪər/ – Rhymes with “fear.”
• Tore: /tɔːr/ – Rhymes with “core.”
• Torn: /tɔːrn/ – Rhymes with “born.”
• Teared: /tɪərd/ – Rhymes with “feared.”

Each form of the word “tear” has a distinct pronunciation, which can also depend on whether it refers to tearing something apart or crying.

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

To better understand how the verb “tear” works in different tenses, here’s a simple table that breaks down the present, past, and future forms:Here’s a simplified table showing the different tenses of the verb “tear.

Tense	Example Sentence	Description
Present	I tear the paper. / I tear up when I watch sad movies.	Action happening right now.
Present Continuous	I am tearing the paper. / I am tearing up.	Action happening now and continuing.
Present Perfect	I have torn the paper. / I have teared up several times.	Action recently finished but still relevant.
Present Perfect Continuous	I have been tearing the paper. / I have been tearing up.	Action started in the past and continues to now.
Past	I tore the paper. / I teared up during the movie.	Action that happened in the past.
Past Continuous	I was tearing the paper. / I was tearing up.	Action that was ongoing in the past.
Past Perfect	I had torn the paper before you arrived. / I had teared up before you called.	Action finished before another past event.
Past Perfect Continuous	I had been tearing the paper when you called. / I had been tearing up during the speech.	Ongoing action before another past event.
Future	I will tear the paper. / I will tear up if this happens again.	Action that will happen in the future.
Future Continuous	I will be tearing the paper. / I will be tearing up.	Action that will be ongoing in the future.
Future Perfect	I will have torn the paper by tomorrow. / I will have teared up by then.	Action finished before a specific future time.
Future Perfect Continuous	I will have been tearing the paper for hours by the time you arrive. / I will have been tearing up during the whole event.	Ongoing action until a future mom

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

To further clarify the different forms of “tear,” let’s look at how they are used in real-life sentences.

Tear (The Present Tense)

Example: “I often tear paper when I’m stressed.”

Here, tear is used in the present tense to describe a habitual action.

Tore (The Simple Past Tense)

Example: “The child accidentally tore the page out of the book.”

In this sentence, tore is used to describe an action that happened in the past.

Torn (The Past Participle)

Example: “Her favorite shirt was completely torn after it got caught on a branch.”

Here, torn is used as the past participle to describe the result of a completed action.

Teared (The Past Tense of Tear for Crying or Shedding Tears)

Example: “He teared up during the emotional part of the speech.”

In this sentence, teared is used in the context of crying, showing that the person started to shed tears.

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

Knowing other words for “tear,” “tore,” “torn,” and “teared” can help you add variety to your writing and express the same idea in different ways. Here are some options:

Synonyms for “Tear” (Present Tense)

• Rip: She likes to rip the paper when she’s in a rush.
• Split: He carefully split the fabric along the seam.
• Shred: They enjoy shredding old papers with the shredder.
• Lacerate: The sharp knife can easily lacerate the skin.
• Break: Be careful not to break the seal on the letter.

Synonyms for “Tore” (Simple Past Tense)

• Ripped: She ripped the letter into small pieces.
• Split: The force from the wind split the fabric apart.
• Shredded: He shredded the papers after reading them.
• Lacerated: The broken glass lacerated his hand.
• Broke: The strong wind broke the tree branch.

Synonyms for “Torn” (Past Participle)

• Ripped: The ripped curtain needed to be replaced.
• Frayed: The edges of the carpet were frayed from overuse.
• Shredded: The shredded papers were impossible to read.
• Lacerated: His skin was lacerated from falling on the rocks.
• Broken: The broken vase was scattered all over the floor.

Synonyms for “Teared” (Past Tense for Crying)

• Cried: She cried softly after hearing the sad news.
• Wept: He wept during the emotional speech.
• Sobbed: She sobbed into her pillow after their fight.
• Choked up: He choked up when he talked about his old friend.
• Broke down: She broke down in tears when she saw her old home.

Origins of the Word “Tear”

The word “tear” has an interesting history that shows how its meaning has changed over time. Let’s take a look at its origins and different uses.

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

The word “tear,” as in the drop that falls from your eye when you cry, has roots in Middle English. Back then, it was spelled “ter” or “tere.” Before that, it came from the Old English word “tear” or “teor,” which meant “tear, drop, nectar, or anything that forms in drops.” Even earlier, it was known as “teahor” or “tæhher.” These words have connections to other Germanic languages, such as Old Norse “tár,” Gothic “tagr,” and Old High German “zahar.”

All these words share a common root in the ancient Proto-Indo-European language, specifically “dakru,” which also influenced Latin “lacrima” (where we get the word “lachrymose,” meaning tearful), Irish “der,” Welsh “deigr,” and Greek “dakryma.”

“Tears” have been linked with feelings of sadness and sorrow since the mid-1300s. Phrases like “in tears” (meaning crying) became popular around the 1550s. Some more poetic uses of “tear,” like “tears of blood,” which expresses deep compassion or sorrow, go back to the year 1300. “Tear gas,” the chemical used to make people cry, was first called that in 1917, and “tear-stained,” used to describe something marked by tears, has been around since the late 1500s.

The Verb “Tear” (To Rip or Pull Apart)

The verb “tear,” meaning to rip or pull something apart, comes from Middle English “tēran,” which meant “to destroy” or “tear to pieces.” The Old English form was “teran,” meaning to “pull apart by force” or “lacerate.”

The past tense of “tear” was “tær” in Old English, which later became “tare” in Middle English. By the 1600s, people started using “tore” as the past tense, which came from the older form “toren.” The word also links to other Germanic languages like Old High German “zeran” and Middle Dutch “teren.” The Proto-Indo-European root “der” meant “to split or peel.”

The phrase “tear down,” meaning to destroy or pull something apart, has been used since the early 1300s. By 1871, the expression “torn between” two choices or feelings came into use. Also, “tear one’s hair out” has long been used to show intense frustration or grief.

The Verb “Tear” (To Cry)

In late Old English, “teren” meant “to shed tears.” Over time, this evolved into “teared,” which is mostly used in American English to mean “filled with tears.” An older verb, “tæherian” or “tearian,” also meant “to weep” in Old English but did not continue into Middle English.

The Noun “Tear” (A Rip or Laceration)

“Tear” as a noun, referring to a rip or a torn part of something, has been in use since the 1600s. It came from the verb form of “tear.” Even in Old English, “tear” was used to describe a rip or damage caused by tearing.

The Verb “Tear” (To Move Quickly or Loudly)

By the 1590s, people also used “tear” in a more informal way to describe moving quickly and noisily. This gave rise to expressions like “tear into,” meaning to start something with energy, and “tearer,” used in the 1600s to describe something big or violent.

In short, the word “tear” has evolved a lot over time, with its different meanings coming from various languages and cultures. Whether we’re talking about crying or ripping something apart, the word has deep roots in history and reflects a range of human emotions and actions.

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Conclusion: Mastering the Past Tense of Tear

While English can be confusing, understanding how to use the different forms of “tear” isn’t too difficult once you know the rules. Whether you’re talking about ripping something apart or crying, knowing when to use tore, torn, and teared can help you avoid common language mistakes.

If you ever find yourself uncertain, just remember that tore is for ripping, torn is the past participle, and teared is for crying. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to confidently navigate the different uses of this versatile word.