put on 是指“穿上”“戴上”这个一时性的动作,而不表示持续状态:

1. Why don't you put on the dark grey suit today? (Lewis) 你今天为什么不穿上暗灰色的衣服？

2. Put your hat on. (ALD) 戴上帽子。

wear则是指“穿着”“戴着”这样的持续状态。有一本英文辞典是这样解释put on与wear的区别的:If you put on a piece of clothing, you place it on your body in order to wear it.

1. She was still wearing her thick coat. (Priestley) 她仍然穿着厚厚的大衣。

2. She was wearing a gold ring. (Palmer) 她戴着一只金戒指。

及物动词 dress 也作“穿衣”解,但它的宾语不是指衣服,而是指人,即 dress sb. (给……穿衣服):

1. She dressed the child. (Palmer) 她给孩子穿上了衣服。

2. How long does it take you to dress yourself? (ALD) 你穿衣服需要多长时间？

dress 用作不及物动词时,一般是指一时性的动作:

1. I can dress in 5 minutes. (LDCE) 我可以五分钟内穿好衣服。

2. Get up and dress quickly. (ALD) 起来, 快点穿好衣服。

3. I washed and dressed and sat by the fire waiting for him. (Mis) 我洗完脸,穿好衣服,然后坐在火炉旁等他。

有时候,不及物动词 dress 也可表示“穿着”这个持续的状态:

1. She dresses well. (Palmer) 她总是穿得很好。

2. She always dresses in black. (LDCE) 她总是穿黑衣服。

3. He still dressed like a bank manager. (EED) 他仍然穿得像个银行经理。

be dressed 一般表示持续状态：

1. He was dressed in a black suit. (EED) 他穿着黑西服。

2. He was dressed in Japanese clothes. (Palmer) 他穿着日本服装。

get dressed 则表示动作:

Now you get dressed and go out and try your luck. (Mansfield) 现在你穿好衣服,出去试试你的运气吧。

有时候, be dressed 也可表示动作“穿好”:

1. Breakfast will be ready by the time you are dressed. 等你穿好衣服时，早饭就会准备好。

2. When she was dressed she went to Fleur's room. (Galsworthy) 当她穿好衣服后,去了弗洛尔的房间。