Base
I leave home at eight every day.
Every day marks a present routine.
Past Tense of Leave: Left and Left
Leave is an irregular verb. The past tense and the past participle are both left. It can mean go away from a place or put something behind.
Base
leave
Past
left
Past participle
left
Third person: leaves · -ing form: leaving
ABB: form patternExamples
Base
Please leave your shoes at the door.
Here leave means put something and not take it.
Past
The bus left five minutes ago.
Ago points to a finished past time.
Past
She left her phone in the car yesterday.
Left is the past of leave, not the opposite of right.
Past participle
He has left his bag on the train.
Has left uses the participle.
Past participle
We have left the lights on.
The participle is left, the same as the past.
Usage notes
Leave a place, leave for a place
Say leave home or leave the office with no preposition. Use for before the place you are going to: He left for work at eight. Use at or in for where you put something: I left my keys at home.
Left has two meanings
Left is the past of leave. It is also the opposite of right: turn left. Read the sentence to see which one it is.
Common mistakes
I leaved home early.
I left home early.
Leave is irregular, so the past is left, not leaved.
She has leaved her keys at home.
She has left her keys at home.
After has, use the participle left.
He left to the office at eight.
He left for the office at eight.
After leave, use for before the place you go to.
Practise this verb
0/8
Choose the correct form
Choose the form that completes each English sentence.
1.They ___ the party an hour ago.
2.She has ___ her bag on the bus.
3.I ___ for work at seven every day.
4.We leave ___ Madrid tomorrow.
Write the missing form
Type the correct form of leave in each sentence.
Correct the mistake
Replace the incorrect word in the English sentence.
8.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
Answer key
1. They ___ the party an hour ago.
Answer: left
Ago points to a finished past time, so use left.
2. She has ___ her bag on the bus.
Answer: left
After has, the participle is left.
3. I ___ for work at seven every day.
Answer: leave
Every day describes a present routine; with I use leave.
4. We leave ___ Madrid tomorrow.
Answer: for
Use for before the place you are going to.
5. I ___ my keys at home this morning.
Answer: left
This morning is finished here, so the past is left.
6. She has ___ the office already.
Answer: left
Has takes the participle left.
7. The train ___ at six every Friday.
Answer: leaves
A timetable in the present uses leaves with a singular subject.
8. She leaved the house at nine.
Answer: She left the house at nine.
The past of leave is left.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of leave?
The past tense of leave is left: She left the house at nine.
Is leaved correct?
No. Leave is irregular. The past and the past participle are both left.
What is the difference between leave and left?
Leave is the base form. Left is the past and the past participle. Left also means the opposite of right.