Phrasal verbs · Free lesson
Try it on: check how clothes fit or look
A jacket looks good on the rail, but you do not know if the sleeves are the right length. You want to try it on before deciding.
Professor Scott MendozaMeaning in this lesson
try on
Wear something briefly to find out how it fits or looks on you.
Example
“Nora tried the raincoat on, but the sleeves were too long.”
She wore it briefly to check it and found a problem with the fit.
The short answer
Try on means put on clothes briefly to check their fit or appearance. Say “try on the jacket” or “try the jacket on.” With a pronoun, use “try it on” or “try them on.” Trying something on does not mean you buy it.
Check the fit before making the decision.
You can try on clothes, shoes or something you wear, such as a hat. The past form is tried on. Keep a short object pronoun in the middle: “I tried them on.” A noun allows both common positions: “I tried on the boots” and “I tried the boots on.”
Ask before deciding.
Do you know which size you need?
Not yet. Could I try this jacket on?
The request is to check the jacket by wearing it. It is not a promise to buy it.
Describe the fitting
Name what you want to test
I’d like to try on these boots.
Replace the noun when it is clear
Can I try them on?
Give the result separately
I tried them on, but they felt too tight.
Try it now
Check what you’ve learned.
Read all answers and explanations
“I tried the hat on, but I didn’t buy it.” What happened?
I wore it briefly to check it.Trying it on means wearing it to check fit or appearance. Reading the label alone is not trying it on, and the sentence says there was no purchase.
You want to check some shoes. Complete: “Can I ___?”
try them onShoes is plural, so use them. The pronoun belongs between try and on.
Complete the past event: “Yesterday, I ___ two coats.”
tried onThe past spelling is tried. Change the y in try to i before adding ed.
Build it yourself
Describe the fitting, not a purchase.
You checked the boots by wearing them briefly before lunch. Build the sentence. Both noun positions work.
Choose the pieces in order. You can remove a piece or start again. Select a piece again to move it back.
Your sentence
0 of 5 piecesYour chosen pieces will appear here.
See a model answer
I tried the boots on before lunch.
Both noun orders describe checking the boots by wearing them. Neither sentence tells us whether you bought them.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can I try something on at home?
Yes. You might be checking clothes ordered online, a borrowed coat or something already in your wardrobe. A shop is not required.
“I tried my old jacket on to see if it still fit.”
Should I use it or them?
Match the item: it for a jacket or hat, them for shoes or trousers. Keep either pronoun in the middle.
“This hat looks interesting. I’ll try it on.”
Take it into your day
Use try on for the fitting and add another sentence for the decision. Trying and buying are separate actions.
Your next step · Available on Udemy
Take phrasal verbs beyond one shopping exchange.
Trying on clothes is one useful situation. The Phrasal Verbs course teaches 350+ useful expressions in related groups, with complete conversations and guided activities that let you practice using them.
Explore the course English Master Course: Phrasal Verbs