Confused Words: Put on, Wear & Dress

Hey there, language explorers! Today’s English lesson is all about the commonly confused words: put on, wear, and dress. These words all relate to clothing, but they’re used in different situations. Let’s uncover their meanings!

Put On

To put on (IPA: /pʊt ɒn/) something means to place it on your body. It is an action word and is often used with clothes and accessories.

Here are 10 examples:

1. I put on my glasses to read the book. (I placed my glasses on my face to read)
2. Can you help me put on this necklace? (Can you help me place this necklace around my neck?)
3. She put on her hat before going outside. (She placed her hat on her head before going outside)
4. He put on his shoes and left the house. (He put his shoes on his feet and then left the house)
5. She will put on her new dress for the party tonight. (She will wear her new dress to the party tonight)
6. After the shower, he put on his favorite pajamas. (After the shower, he dressed in his favorite pajamas)
7. Please put on your mask before entering the shop. (Please wear your mask before entering the shop)
8. Remember to put on sunscreen before going to the beach. (Remember to apply sunscreen before going to the beach)
9. The performer put on makeup before the show. (The performer applied makeup before the show)
10. Before leaving, I put on my coat. (Before leaving, I wore my coat)

Wear

To wear (IPA: /wɛər/) something means to have it on your body as clothing, decoration, or protection.

Here are 10 examples:

1. He wears glasses all the time. (He always has glasses on)
2. She wears a necklace that her grandmother gave her. (She has a necklace from her grandmother on her neck)
3. They wear hats to protect themselves from the sun. (They have hats on their heads for sun protection)
4. We wear shoes to protect our feet. (We have shoes on our feet for protection)
5. She will wear a red dress to the party. (She will have a red dress on at the party)
6. He wears his favorite pajamas to bed every night. (He dresses in his favorite pajamas every night for bed)
7. People should wear masks in crowded places. (People should have masks on in crowded places)
8. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen when you’re outside. (Don’t forget to have sunscreen on when you’re outside)
9. The performer wears a lot of makeup for shows. (The performer has a lot of makeup on for shows)
10. I wear my coat when it’s cold outside. (I have my coat on when it’s cold outside)

Dress

To dress (IPA: /drɛs/) means to put clothes on yourself or someone else.

Here are 10 examples:

1. I dress in a suit for work. (I put on a suit for work)
2. She helps her little brother dress. (She helps her little brother put on his clothes)
3. He dresses in a uniform for his job. (He puts on a uniform for his job)
4. We need to dress warmly for the ski trip. (We need to put on warm clothes for the ski trip)
5. She will dress in her best clothes for the party. (She will put on her best clothes for the party)
6. He dresses in pajamas before going to bed. (He puts on pajamas before going to bed)
7. They dress in costumes for the play. (They put on costumes for the play)
8. The stylist helps the actress dress for the red carpet event. (The stylist helps the actress put on clothes for the red carpet event)
9. It’s important to dress appropriately for an interview. (It’s important to put on appropriate clothes for an interview)
10. We dress in layers to stay warm in the winter. (We put on multiple layers of clothes to stay warm in the winter)

Conclusion

In a nutshell, put on refers to the action of placing clothes or accessories on your body, wear refers to having clothes or accessories on your body, and dress means to put clothes on yourself or someone else. Understanding the unique usage of these words will help you sound more fluent in your English conversations. Keep practicing!