Common mistakes
Where, were, or wear: choose by meaning
Sign in to saveA message about a missing coat could need where, were, or wear. Check what you want to say.
Sound alone may not tell you the spelling. Read the sentence for clues about its meaning.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
where, were, wear WAIR-WUR-WAIR
The short answer
Use where for a place, were for a past form of be, and wear for clothing.
Where did you buy that shirt you wear every Friday?
Why it works: Where asks about the shop. Wear describes having the shirt on.
3 more examples
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At work before the break
Where are you going for lunch today?
Where asks for the lunch destination.
Not this:
Wereare you going for lunch today? What changes: The sentence needs a word that asks for a place. -
Talking about cold weather
I wear a thick jacket when it rains.
Wear means having the jacket on your body.
Not this:I
wherea thick jacket when it rains. What changes: This sentence needs a verb for clothing. -
Explaining yesterday's morning trip
We were at the train station at nine.
Use were with we for this past location.
Not this:We
whereat the train station at nine. What changes: The sentence loses its main verb.
Quick check
Choose the word that asks about the coat's place.
___ is my coat?
Answer: Where
Show the answer
Answer: Where
Where asks for the coat's location.
Read the full guide
A question about yesterday may need two of these words. Start with the meaning.
Pick place or clothing
The problem: I choose the spelling from the sound and mix up a place with clothing.
Use where to ask or tell about a place. Wear describes things on your body, such as clothes, glasses, or jewelry. Check the whole sentence.
The speaker wants to find something.
Where is the blue scarf?
The scarf stays on during the day.
I wear a scarf at work.
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She put on her boots before the walk.
Why it works: She gets the boots onto her feet.
-
She wore her boots all afternoon.
Why it works: She has them on for that time.
Your turn
Choose the verb for clothing on your body.
I ___ the blue uniform at work.
Answer: wear
Show the answer
Answer: wear
Wear describes having the uniform on at work.
Listen beyond the spelling
The problem: I expect were to have a strong sound in every sentence.
For many speakers, where and wear sound the same. Strong were rhymes with her. Inside a sentence, were often has a weaker vowel. You still need the word.
- Lina
Were you in the library yesterday?
- Ben
Yes, we were there until four.
Your turn
Complete the past question with where, were, or wear:
Answer: Why were you late to the meeting?
Show the answer
Answer: were
Use were with you to ask about the past.
Put where and were together
The problem: I think where and were cannot both appear in the same question.
A past place question may need both where and were. Put where first, then were and the subject. Questions starting with Were usually ask for a yes or no answer.
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Where were the dancers after the show?
Why it works: The answer names a place.
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Were the dancers in the hall?
Why it works: The answer can be yes or no.
Where can also appear inside a statement. Keep the subject before the verb.
-
I know where the dancers were.
Why it works: In this statement, put the dancers before were.
Your turn
Choose the place word for this question.
___ is the nearest bus stop?
Answer: Where
Show the answer
Answer: Where
Where asks which place. The sentence already has a verb: is.
Choose the right past form
The problem: I use was for one listener, or I confuse were with the past of wear.
For ordinary past facts, use were with you, we, or they. Use were with you, even for one listener. Use was with I, he, she, or it.
Use was with I for this past fact.
I was tired yesterday.
Use were when speaking to one person with you.
You were tired yesterday.
Wear belongs to a different verb family. Its simple past is wore. After have or has, use worn. Where does not change to show past time.
-
I wore the new shoes on Saturday.
Why it works: Wore is the simple past of wear.
-
I've worn those shoes twice.
Why it works: Have is followed by worn.
Your turn
Arrange the words to ask about last night:
Answer: Were you at home last night?
Show the answer
Answer: Were you at home last night?
Put Were before you to ask this past yes-or-no question.
Before you go
Question 1 of 3
Choose the clothing verb.
What do you ___ on your feet at the beach?
Answer: wear
Show the answer
Answer: wear
Use wear after do you in this question about clothing.
Question 2 of 3
Choose the past verb.
We ___ at the museum yesterday.
Answer: were
Show the answer
Answer: were
Use were with we to describe a past location.
Question 3 of 3 · One new sentence
You are at the station after leaving home. Ask where your friend's tickets were earlier.
At the train station
Answer: Where were your tickets when we left home?
Show the answer
Answer: Where were your tickets when we left home?
Where asks for a place. Were is the past verb with your tickets.
Remember this
Before you send a message, check the subject and any time words. For a question, check whether the subject belongs before or after the verb.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Where, were, or wear: choose by meaning"
Do where, were, and wear sound the same?
Where and wear sound alike for many speakers. Were has a different strong vowel, like her, and often a weaker vowel in a sentence. Some accents differ. Use the sentence meaning to choose the spelling, not just the sound.
Where is the changing room?
I wear glasses for reading.
Is were the past of wear?
No. Were is a form of be. The simple past of wear is wore. Use worn after have or has. Wear means having clothes or other items on your body; put on describes getting them onto your body.
She wore a hat to the picnic.
She's worn that hat before.
Can I use were when I speak to one person?
Yes. Use were with you for a past fact, even for one listener. In ordinary past statements, I, he, she, and it use was. You may also see if I were for an imagined situation; that is a different pattern.
You were the first visitor this morning.
I was the first visitor yesterday.
Can where and were appear together?
Yes. Where asks for a place; were supplies the past verb. In a direct question, put where first, then were, then the subject. After I know or I remember, keep the subject before were.
Where were the boxes yesterday?
I remember where the boxes were.
What is the difference between were and we're?
The contraction we're means we are. The apostrophe marks the missing letter. Were is a past form of be and is not a contraction. Try expanding we're to we are. If that does not fit your meaning, check whether you need the past form instead.
We're on the same team now.
We were on different teams last year.