we were wearing

USAGE SUMMARY

'we were wearing' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about what you and someone else were wearing at a particular time or place. Example: We were wearing matching outfits at my sister's wedding.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

We were wearing prostheses.

The New York Times

I thought we were wearing them down.

The New York Times

And we were wearing a ridiculous outfit!

The New York Times

Simply because we were wearing skinny jeans.

The Guardian - Travel

"We were wearing seatbelts," she said.

The New York Times

It was night time, we were wearing sunglasses.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

At one point, we were wearing bobble hats indoors.

The Times

"We were wearing the [police] vests," he said.

The Guardian

That wasn't what we were wearing in 1965.

The New Yorker

They wouldn't let us in if we were wearing trousers".

The New York Times

We were wearing these light summer clothes, with rugs over our knees and hot water bottles.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we were wearing" to describe shared attire among a group, creating a sense of unity or shared experience. For example, "We were wearing matching jerseys to support our team."

Common error

Avoid phrases like "we were wearing it on our bodies" because it's redundant. The act of "wearing" implies that the clothing is on the body.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we were wearing" functions as a verb phrase indicating a past continuous action of having clothes or accessories on. As shown in Ludwig, it describes the state of being clothed at a particular time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "we were wearing" is a common and grammatically correct verb phrase used to describe what clothing or accessories a group of people had on at a specific time. According to Ludwig, its use is widespread across various contexts, especially in news and media, but also in business and general communication. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and avoid redundancy. Consider alternative phrasings such as "we had on" or "we were dressed in" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we had on

Uses a more informal phrasal verb to indicate the act of wearing something.

we were dressed in

Similar to "we were wearing", but emphasizes the act of being dressed.

we sported

Implies wearing something with pride or in a fashionable way.

we were clad in

A more formal and literary way of saying "we were wearing", emphasizing the clothing.

we were outfitted in

Implies being equipped with specific clothing, often for a purpose.

we donned

Implies putting on clothing, often for a special occasion.

we were garbed in

Another formal way to say "we were wearing", often used in historical or literary contexts.

we had draped ourselves in

Emphasizes wrapping oneself in clothing or fabric.

our attire consisted of

A formal way to describe the clothing worn.

we were seen in

Focuses on the observation of what was being worn.

FAQs

How do I use "we were wearing" in a sentence?

Use "we were wearing" to describe what clothing or accessories a group of people had on at a specific time. For example, "We were wearing our team uniforms for the game."

What can I say instead of "we were wearing"?

Alternatives include "we had on", "we sported", or "we were dressed in", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "we were wearing" or "we wore"?

"We were wearing" indicates a continuous state in the past, while "we wore" simply states that the action of wearing happened in the past. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the duration or the simple action.

What's the difference between "we were wearing" and "we wore"?

"We were wearing" emphasizes the continuous action of having something on during a period of time, whereas "we wore" simply states that something was worn at some point in the past. For example, "We wore hats yesterday" vs. "We were wearing hats all day yesterday".