Past Tense Of Leaving: Leaved Or Left? (Pronunciation & Usage)

By Benjamin Essek

past tense of leaving

What Is The Past Tense Of Leaving?

The past tense may make you get on your nerves due to over 200 common irregular verbs, not just including the past tense of “bear”.

Let GrammarWiki unveil another irregular verb for you, dudes: the past tense of leaving – it’s “left”.

At this point, you may pose the relevant question: “What is the past tense of leave?” because “leaving” is not the base form. Indeed, “leaving” is the present participle form of “leave”.

“Left” is the correct response, which is spelled L-E-F-T. Amazingly, leave in past participle share the same form and pronunciation. Keep it in your mind! 

But how do you spell leave? It’s easy – L-E-A-V-E.

All in all, grasp the table of verb conjugation as follows:

Base Verb/Standard Form (V1) leave
Present Form/3rd Person (V2)  leaves
Past Simple Form (V3) left
Past Participle Form (V4) left
Present Participle/Gerund/Subjunctive Verb Form (V5) leaving

How To Enunciate The Past Tense To Leave?

Now, you should know well about the leave verb forms. Move on to the next section with the British and North American accents of the verb “left” (based on the Oxford English Dictionary).

Check out the following table as a backup:

Forms of verbs Pronunciation
British English language American English language
leave /liːv/ /liːv/
leaves /liːvz/ /liːvz/
Left (V3) /left/ /left/
Left (V4) /left/ /left/
leaving /ˈliːvɪŋ/ /ˈliːvɪŋ/

Definition Of Leave: Usage + Definition

In this section, we shall explain various meanings of the verb leave based on the reliable online dictionaries, providing terms with usage examples. Check out these:

  1. To write, deliver, or record something to be heard or seen later.
  • Multiple viewers leave their comments under the article.
  • Multiple viewers left their comments under the article.
  • Multiple viewers had left their comments under the article.

2. To make stuff happen or remain as a result.

  • Iris Harmon leaves me with the impression that she feels bad.
  • Iris Harmon left me with the impression that she felt bad.
  • Iris Harmon had left me with the impression that she felt bad.

3. To remain to be sold, used, etc.

  • The only course of action leaves to her is to report this to her tutor.
  • The only course of action left to her was to report this to the employer.
  • The only course of action had left to her is to notify her teacher.

4. To allow or make something/somebody to remain in a specific place, condition, etc.

  • Their efforts leave the doctor free to concentrate on the research.
  • Their efforts left the doctor free to concentrate on the research.
  • Their efforts had left the doctor free to concentrate on the research.

5. To go away from a place without taking somebody/something with you.

  • They left the children and went out for the evening.
  • They left the children and went out for the evening.
  • They left the children and went out for the evening.

6. To leave your spouse or partner permanently.

  • I am afraid that you may leave him after knowing this truth.
  • I was afraid that you left him after knowing the truth.
  • In fact, she had left her sweetheart after knowing the truth.

7. To cease living at a place, belonging to a group, working for an employer, etc.

  • Many of my classmates leave Canada for England.
  • Many of my classmates left Canada for England.
  • Many of my classmates had left Canada for England.

8. To go away from a person or a place.

  • Her whole family leaves the city this morning. 
  • Her whole family left the city yesterday. 
  • Her whole family had left this city for one week. 

Quick Word Challenge With Leave Past Tense

It’s not challenging for you to modify the “bring” in the past tense. We bet you can do well with some exercises involving the past tense of leave. Get to this daily challenge as follows:

  1. Before ……………. the train, ensure you have all your belongings with you.

a. leaving   b. left   c. leave   d. leaves

  1. The lawsuit will be postponed until the president ……………… office.

a. leave   b. leaves   c. left   d. leaving

Answer: 

  • A (leaving)
  • B (leaves) 

FAQs

Is Leave A Verb?

Yes. “Leave” is an irregular verb. Beyond that, depending on the meaning, this verb will play as a transitive or intransitive verb.

Leaved Or Left?

The correct response is “left” (simple past and past participle of “leave”). Meanwhile, “leaved” has no meaning in the English language.

Did You Leave Or Left?

Use “leave” instead of “left”. The verb will return to the bare-infinitive form when employing “did” in the phrase. 

“Did” is an auxiliary in this context and already denotes the past tense. Do not confuse using these two words as “did you left” is incorrect.

How About Leave In Simple Past Tense?

The answer is “left” – the past tense of leave. Not to mention, the past participle form of the verb leave is also “left”.