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Prepositions after verbs

Using prepositions with leave

Different prepositions after leave express destination, possession, condition, or location.

Quick answer

Common patterns with leave

Use leave for for destinations, leave with for giving responsibility or possession, leave in for keeping something inside, leave to for assigning, and leave on for keeping equipment operating.

They left for Madrid early.
I left with the receptionist.
Please leave on the lights.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
leave for + destination

Going to a place

Leave for introduces the destination.

We left for the airport at dawn.
2
leave with + person

Giving responsibility or possession

With identifies the person holding something.

She left with her neighbour.
3
leave in + place

Keeping something inside

In refers to location.

Please leave in the original folder.
4
leave to + person

Assigning responsibility or choice

Leave to often means entrust or allow someone to decide.

I will leave it to the experts.
5
leave on + device

Keeping something operating

On refers to continued operation.

Do not leave on the oven overnight.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
leave for
They left for Paris.
depart toward a destination
leave with
I left the keys with Sam.
give possession or responsibility
leave in
Leave the files in the drawer.
keep inside a place
leave to
She left the decision to me.
assign responsibility
leave on
He left the TV on.
keep operating

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using to instead of for with destinations

Leave for is standard before destinations.

✕ We left to Rome. ✓ We left for Rome.

Forgetting the object with leave on

Leave on usually needs the thing that stays operating.

✕ Please leave on. ✓ Please leave the heater on.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They left ___ Tokyo yesterday.
2. I left my bag ___ the driver.
3. Please leave the computer ___.

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Frequently asked questions

Can leave for mean depart from?

No. It means depart toward a destination.

What does leave to someone mean?

It means allow someone to decide or handle something.

Is leave on only for electronics?

No. It can also apply to lights, engines, and heating.

label, as, label, with lag behind, in, from, on or by? "land on" or "land in"? languish in, at, on, for or near? last for, from, until, in or through? "latch onto" or "latch on"? laugh at, with, about, in or for? launch in, by, on, at or into? "lay on" or "lay in"? lead to, by, up, in or from? "leak to" or "leak from"? lean on, towards, against, toward or to?

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