“Where” vs. “Wear” vs. “Were” vs. “We’re”
Table of Contents
How To Use “Where” in a Sentence
Example Sentences Containing “Were”
How To Use “We’re” in a Sentence
How To Always Use “Where,” “Wear,” “Were,” and “We’re” Correctly
There’s where and then there’s wear.
But there’s also were, and we’re, sounding different, but appearing similar enough to cause confusion.
If your head is spinning trying to make sense of these four words, we’re here to put an end to the dizzying puzzlement.
Below, we’ll thoroughly clarify the difference between where, wear, were, and we’re by explaining what these words mean and providing accompanying examples that’ll show you how to use them.
What Does “Where” Mean?
We’ll start with the homophones, which are words that have different meanings and spellings but are pronounced the same, such as where and wear.
Where /wer/ is connected to location or place and means “in, at, or to what situation, direction, circumstance, position, or respect.” It’s used to indicate or inquire about a location, and you can easily remember this because where contains the word here and resembles there.
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What Part of Speech is “Where”?
Where can function as an adverb or conjunction while retaining its use of referring to a location. Remember, adverbs can be used alone in a complete sentence, whereas conjunctions combine two clauses or sentences.
- Adverb: Where are you going?
- Conjunction: I’ll meet you at the playground where we used to play as kids.
How To Use “Where” in a Sentence: Examples
Here are a few more example sentences that contain the word where:
Where are we meeting?
Granada? That’s where Luigi and I got married.
She had to decide whether to live in Miami or stay in Nashua, where it was much cooler.
I gave them a map for the scavenger hunt, and their objective was to find where the prize had been hidden.
Let’s go on an outdoor adventure this weekend, where we can enjoy the summer air.
What Does “Wear” Mean?
Wear /wer/ has a few different meanings, but it’s most frequently used as a verb signifying “to have or put something on your body, such as a piece of clothing or a decoration.” It can also describe someone’s preference in styling or cutting their hair.
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I wanted to wear a purple tuxedo to the prom but couldn’t find one.
She prefers to wear her hair short during the summer months.
Additionally, when used as a verb, wear can mean “the gradual damage that occurs to something through regular use.”
The patio furniture is starting to wear from all the rain.
Furthermore, wear can function as a noun, meaning “clothing of a particular kind.” It also refers to “the act of wearing something.”
We were looking for appropriate evening wear for the gala.
The company designs suits specifically for wear in hot and humid climates.
How To Use “Wear” in a Sentence: Examples
Find some more example sentences that include the word wear below:
Diego and Sebastian wanted to wear the same costumes for Halloween.
Grace was looking for everyday wear, and the dress her mom bought was too bedazzled for her liking.
The bike had too much wear, so I couldn’t ride it anymore.
She liked to wear her hair differently depending on her mood.
They are looking for a store that sells children’s wear.
What Does “Ware” Mean?
But wait, there’s a third, less popular homophone: ware /wer/.
Most frequently, ware functions as a noun, meaning “manufactured goods or objects.” It is often used with other words to specify the material composition, place of origin, or intended use. It’s not uncommon for ware to function as a prefix or suffix.
- We were looking for locally made ceramic ware.
- The box of ornamental ware tipped over, and everything inside fell and broke into pieces.
- The last thing on the list that we needed to buy was kitchenware.
- We stored all the goods in the warehouse.
Now, let’s cover two other similarly spelled and commonly confused words: were and we’re.
What Does “Were” Mean?
Were is the past-tense indicative form of the verb to be, which indicates a state of being or existence.
Specifically, were, pronounced /wər/ or /wɜːr/, is used with the first-person plural (we), second-person singular or plural (you, you all), and third-person plural (they).
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You were so helpful yesterday.
We were looking for a new campsite.
They were getting ready for the upcoming event.
Were is also employed in combination with the other forms (I, she, he, it) in the subjunctive mood to express imagined, hypothetical, or contrary-to-the-fact situations.
If I were to win the lottery, I’d buy my mom a house.
It’s worth reiterating that were is reserved for plural subjects or to express the subjunctive mood. For first and third-person singular subjects (excluding you), the past tense form of to be is was.
I was worried about the results.
He was unsure of what would happen.
She was able to help us tremendously.
How To Use “Were” in a Sentence: Examples
Find a few more sentences that contain the word were here:
I was thinking about what I would do if I were to become President of the United States.
They were traveling back home after a four-month road trip.
You were the one who introduced me to this artist.
We were worried we would be late, but we arrived right on time.
If I were an animal, I’d love to be a bear, just so I could hibernate every year.
What Does “We’re” Mean?
We’re is the contraction, or shortened form, of we are. We refers to a group of people that includes the speaker, and are is one of the present tense forms of the verb to be.
We’re, pronounced /wɪr/, expresses the current state or action of a group of people.
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We’re going to have dinner at my favorite restaurant.
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We are going to have dinner at my favorite restaurant.
To know what this word means, remember that the apostrophe indicates that something is missing. In this case, it’s “a.”
How To Use “We’re” in a Sentence: Examples
Here are a few more example sentences that use the word we’re.
I wanted to ask Timothy if we’re staying another night.
We’re the best team in the league, with a record of 8-2.
We’re excited to announce that we’re expecting a baby early next year!
I’m not sure if we’re sending out the results today or tomorrow.
He surprised me with a trip and let me know we’re going to the Bahamas next week!
How To Always Use “Where,” “Wear,” “Were,” and “We’re” Correctly
So, to recap on where and wear:
- Where can function as an adverb or conjunction and is used to indicate or inquire about the position or location of something.
- As a verb, wear means “having something on your body, like jewelry or clothing”, but it can also pertain to someone’s hairstyle. Additionally, it signifies “the gradual damage to something through frequent use.”
- Remember that wear can also act as a noun that means “clothing of a specific kind” or as a reference to the “act of wearing something.”
And when it comes to were and we’re:
- Were is the past-tense form of the verb to be and is used with first, second, and third-person plural (we, you, they), but it is also used to express the subjunctive mood in the other verb forms.
- On the other hand, we’re is a contraction that stands for we are.
It may seem like a lot to remember, but as long as you keep practicing, you will undoubtedly master the correct usage of these words. In the meantime, you can rely on LanguageTool—a multilingual writing assistant. Apart from spotting spelling and grammar errors, it aids in rephrasing sentences, reaching your writing goals, and maintaining productivity and consistency in your work.
Go ahead and try it for yourself!