have just left

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have just left" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that someone has recently departed from a place or situation. Example: "They have just left the meeting, so we can start discussing the project now."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

They should have just left.

The Guardian

They could have just left".

The New York Times

We should have just left it.

The New York Times - Magazine

They should have just left him alone.

The Guardian - Sport

He could have just left that out".

The Guardian

Some publishing people have just left town".

The New York Times - Sports

My troops who have just left them behind.

Columbia University

Why couldn't you have just left his past alone?

The New York Times

We have just left National Poetry Month behind.

The New York Times - Books

He should have just left, but he didn't.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Umbrella and owner, it seems, have just left the house.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have just left" to clearly indicate that someone or something has recently departed a location or situation. This helps establish a timeline and provides context for subsequent events.

Common error

Avoid using "have just left" when the departure occurred a significant time ago. Using "had left" or "left earlier" might be more accurate if the departure wasn't recent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have just left" functions as a present perfect verb phrase, indicating an action that was completed in the very recent past. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have just left" is a versatile and grammatically sound present perfect verb phrase, denoting a very recent departure. Ludwig confirms its correctness and common usage across varied sources, including News & Media, Academia, and Wiki. When using the phrase, ensure the context aligns with the timeframe of a recent departure to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as ""have recently departed"" and ""have newly exited"" can provide nuanced variations of the same basic meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have only just gone

Stresses the immediacy and brevity of the time since departure.

have recently departed

Emphasizes the recency and formality of the departure, suitable for more formal contexts.

are fresh from leaving

Emphasizes the freshness of the departure and the state immediately following it.

have newly exited

Highlights the newness of the exit, implying a change in status or location.

have freshly vacated

Suggests a recent emptying or clearing of a space, emphasizing the absence.

have shortly abandoned

Implies a sudden and possibly negative departure, focusing on the act of leaving behind.

have completed their exit

Focuses on the action being completed, useful in formal contexts to indicate a process is finished.

have walked away from only now

Implies walking away now, can be used in negative situations like walk away from responsibilities, walked away from life, or walked away from love.

have sailed away today

It suggests leaving, sailing away, or to exit. But implies that the person will not come back soon.

have said goodbye today

This suggest to say goodbye, but implies the person will not come back soon.

FAQs

How can I use "have just left" in a sentence?

You can use "have just left" to indicate a recent departure, as in, "They "have just left" the building, so we should start the meeting now." or "She "has just left" for the airport".

What are some alternatives to "have just left"?

Some alternatives include "have recently departed", "have newly exited", or "have only just gone", depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "had just left" instead of "have just left"?

While both are grammatically correct, "had just left" implies the departure happened before another past event, while "have just left" indicates a departure that is recent from the present moment. For example, "She had just left when I arrived" versus "She "has just left", so she's not here now".

What is the difference between "have just left" and "have recently left"?

"Have just left" emphasizes the immediacy of the departure, whereas "have recently left" indicates that the departure occurred sometime in the recent past, but not necessarily this instant.