What’s the Past Tense of Tear?

Understanding the past tense of the verb “tear” can be tricky, especially because of its two distinct meanings. The word tear can refer to ripping or damaging something, as well as a drop of liquid that falls from the eye, usually due to emotion. 

This dual meaning often leads to confusion when it comes to conjugating the verb in the past tense. Should it be “tear” or “tore”? Should the noun form change as well?

In this article, we’ll clear up any confusion once and for all. We’ll explore the differences between the two meanings of tear, explain the past tense for each one, and provide tips to help you remember how to use them correctly.

Whether you’re an English learner or someone trying to perfect your grammar, this guide will give you the answers you need.

Understanding the Two Meanings of “Tear”

Before diving into the past tense of tear, it’s important to understand the two different ways the word is used. Depending on the context, tear could refer to something completely different, and this affects how it should be conjugated in the past tense.

Tear (Verb – To Rip or Damage)

The first meaning of tear refers to an action where something is ripped, damaged, or broken. For example:

• “I tear the paper every time I try to fold it.”
  
• “She accidentally tore her favorite shirt.”
  

This usage of tear is an irregular verb, which means it doesn’t follow the typical pattern of adding -ed for its past tense form.

Tear (Noun – A Drop of Liquid)

The second meaning refers to a tear as a drop of liquid that forms when you cry, usually because of emotion. This form is a noun and doesn’t change in the past tense. Here are some examples:

• “A tear fell down her cheek.”
  
• “The movie was so sad, it made me shed tears.”
  

Now that we’ve clarified the meanings, let’s look at the past tense of tear in both contexts.

The Past Tense of “Tear” (Verb – To Rip)

The past tense of tear when it means “to rip or damage something” is “tore”. This is an irregular verb, so you wouldn’t simply add -ed to form the past tense, like many regular verbs do. Instead, “tear” changes to “tore.”

The Correct Past Tense: “Tore”

Using “tore” in sentences is easy once you know the rule. Here are a few examples to illustrate how it works:

• “She tore the envelope open.”
  
• “He accidentally tore his jeans while climbing the fence.”
  
• “I tore the letter into tiny pieces after reading it.”
  

Notice how the action is completed in the past, and tore appropriately conveys that the ripping action happened before the moment of speaking.

Why “Tore” is Used Instead of “Tear”

The verb tear is irregular, meaning it doesn’t follow the usual rules for verb conjugation. Most verbs in English add -ed to form the past tense (e.g., walk becomes walked), but tear changes completely to tore in the past tense.

This phenomenon is not unique to tear. Many other English verbs follow this irregular pattern, like:

• Sing → sang
  
• Begin → began
  
• Go → went
  

These verbs all change forms in the past tense, and tear is part of this group of irregular verbs.

Common Mistakes with “Tear” in the Past Tense

One common mistake people make is using the word tear in the past tense incorrectly. Many English learners and even native speakers might say something like:

• “I tear the paper yesterday.”
  

But this is incorrect because the verb should be in its past tense form. The correct sentence is:

• “I tore the paper yesterday.”
  

It’s easy to mix up the past tense because the verb tear sounds the same as the noun tear (the droplet from the eye), but remember, for the verb meaning “to rip,” the past tense is always tore.

The Past Tense of “Tear” (Noun – A Drop of Liquid)

When tear is used as a noun (referring to the liquid drop from the eye), the word does not change in the past tense. This is because the noun form of tear stays the same, regardless of the time frame. Whether you’re talking about a tear from a sad movie or from a stressful day, the word stays unchanged.

The Past Tense: “Tears” (Plural Form Stays the Same)

While you might think the noun tear should have a past tense form, it actually does not. Here’s how it works:

• “She wiped away her tears after hearing the bad news.”
  
• “The movie brought many tears to my eyes.”
  

Whether the tears happened in the past, present, or future, the word “tears” remains the same. The plural form tears indicates that there were multiple drops, but there is no separate past tense form for this noun.

Why There’s No Change in the Noun Form

Unlike verbs, which change to reflect time (like tore for the past tense), nouns don’t have this flexibility. The word tear remains the same, whether it’s being used in the past, present, or future. It’s the context of the sentence that tells you when the action of crying took place.

In contrast, when you say:

• “She shed tears yesterday,” you’re referring to a past event, even though the word tears itself doesn’t change.
  

The key takeaway is that nouns like tear don’t change in tense, and this is true for many nouns in English. You’ll see the same pattern with other nouns like fish, sheep, or deer—the form remains constant, regardless of time.

Tips for Remembering the Correct Past Tenses

Now that we’ve covered both meanings and past tenses of tear, let’s look at a few tips to make sure you remember which form to use:

Simple Mnemonics to Help You Remember

A helpful way to remember the past tense of tear is to link the verb (to rip) with the sound of tore. It’s a quick, simple trick:

• If it’s the action of ripping something apart, think of the sound of tore. Imagine the sound of something ripping or tearing in half.
  
• If it’s a tear in your eye, it stays the same—“tears” as in “crying,” no change!
  

Visual Aids and Examples

Creating a simple mental image can help too. Picture yourself ripping paper—that action is what you tore. In contrast, if you see a tear rolling down someone’s cheek, the word stays as tears, regardless of whether it’s in the past.

Practice Sentences

Practicing with simple, clear examples will make you more comfortable:

• “I tore the fabric when I sat down too quickly.”
  
• “She shed tears after hearing the news.”
  

By practicing these sentences in different contexts, you’ll get more familiar with the rule and it will start to feel natural.

Common Confusions and Other Similar Verbs

English is full of confusing irregular verbs, and tear is just one example. If you’ve ever been uncertain about how to use other irregular verbs, you’re not alone. Here are a few more verbs that follow similar patterns:

• Wear → Wore (e.g., “She wore a red dress.”)
  
• Begin → Began (e.g., “They began the project yesterday.”)
  
• Run → Ran (e.g., “He ran to catch the bus.”)
  

Learning these common irregular verbs alongside tear will help you better understand how to use them in sentences.

Conclusion

In summary, the past tense of tear depends on whether you’re referring to the verb (to rip) or the noun (a droplet from the eye).

• When tear means “to rip,” the past tense is “tore” (e.g., I tore the paper).
  
• When tear refers to a drop of liquid, it remains the same, “tears” (e.g., She cried tears).
  

Remember these simple rules and practice with real-life examples, and soon you’ll confidently use tear in the correct form. Understanding the difference between these two meanings is key to perfecting your grammar.

By following these guidelines, you’ll avoid common mistakes and ensure that your writing sounds natural, clear, and professional. So, next time you’re writing about ripping something or talking about crying, you’ll know exactly how to use tear and its correct past tense form!

FAQs

1. What is the past tense of “tear” when it means “to rip something”?

The past tense of tear when it means to rip or damage something is “tore”. For example: “I tore the paper in half.”

2. Can I use the word “tear” in the past tense to refer to crying?

No, when tear refers to a droplet of liquid from your eyes (such as from crying), it doesn’t change in the past tense. For example, “She shed tears yesterday” remains the same in both the present and past tense.

3. How do I remember whether to use “tore” or “tear”?

An easy way to remember is:

• If you’re referring to ripping something, use “tore”. Think of the sound of something being ripped.
  
• If you’re talking about crying or liquid drops, stick with “tears”.
  

4. Is “tore” the only form of “tear” that changes in the past tense?

Yes, “tore” is the only past tense form of tear when referring to the action of ripping something. The noun form “tear” (a drop of liquid from the eye) remains the same in all tenses (e.g., “She shed tears last night”).

5. What’s the difference between “tore” and “tear” in sentences?

• “Tore” refers to an action in the past. For example: “I tore the paper by accident.”
  
• “Tear” (present tense) refers to the act of ripping something or the noun form of a droplet from the eye. For example: “She tears the paper carefully” or “A tear fell from her eye.”