ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tore

n.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈtɔɹ// UK //tˈɔː// tore Archaic Dialect Informal

n. the past tense of 'tear'. You use it when you talk about pulling something apart or making a hole in it by accident.

n. the past tense of 'tear'. Describes the action of pulling something apart by force or making an opening in a material like paper or fabric.


SIMPLE

He accidentally tore his shirt on the fence.

CONTEXTUAL

She tore the letter into tiny pieces and threw them into the bin after reading the bad news.

COMPLEX

The heavy winds tore the old canvas awning from its frame, leaving the storefront exposed to the sudden downpour that followed the storm.

Synonyms
Usage

The past tense of the irregular verb 'tear'. It is transitive when referring to the object being damaged.

Pitfall

I have tore my jeansI have torn my jeansLearners often confuse the past simple 'tore' with the past participle 'torn' in perfect tenses.

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