The gloves start on the table; then Omar moves them onto his hands. Put on describes that action of beginning to wear something.

The idea

A clothing noun can follow on or come between the parts: put on his gloves / put his gloves on. With a pronoun, say put them on. The past is also put; the -ing form is putting.

Examples

  • Lea puts on her raincoat before cycling.
  • Omar put his gloves on.
  • Omar put on his gloves.
  • Put them on before you go outside.
  • Mina is putting on her glasses.
  • I put on my blue scarf yesterday.

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Watch out

Use put on for the dressing action and wear for having the item on your body. Also, do not write putted for this past meaning or place them after on.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. These are your gloves. Put ___. (them on / on them)

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    them on

    Them refers to the plural gloves and goes between put and on.

  2. Choose the correct option. Yesterday I ___ on my blue scarf. (put / putted)

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    put

    The past form remains put, even with yesterday.

  3. Choose the correct option. Mina is ___ on her glasses. (putting / puting)

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    putting

    The -ing spelling doubles t: putting.

Use it today

Choose two things you put on before leaving home. Use a full noun for one and it or them for the other; then say what you are wearing now.