he had left earlier

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he had left earlier" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone departed at a time prior to a specific point in the past. Example: "When I arrived at the party, I found out that he had left earlier than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

One guest who protested that this was nonsensical was eventually admitted, only to tear up his ticket in disbelief when a colleague (who had gone to the rail station to pick up his fiancée) was still refused entry because he had left earlier and the castle allowed no readmissions.

The Guardian - Sport

On the tape, Kilby is heard saying he had left earlier messages to no avail.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

And no one was offended or thought it was lame that he had left early!

The New Yorker

The inspector said they needed to investigate why he had left early, and Officer Schoolcraft said it was because he was not feeling well.

The New York Times

Prominent members of the Shiite community, including Sheik Jathban Adnan al-Tameemi, attended the funeral that was struck by the suicide bomber, but he had left early.

The New York Times

Mr. Abbassi said he had not seen what happened after the hearing because he had left early to attend to another case.

The New York Times

Hamid's political-theory class starts at 10 a.m., but he has left early to see if he can get online at work; he must e-mail his daughter in Los Angeles to say he's safe.

The Washington Post

Upon graduation, he won a Rhodes Scholarship to University College, Oxford where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics, though because he had switched programs and had left early for Yale University, he did not receive a degree there.

Wikipedia

Golovkin's promoter, Tom Loeffler, stressed that his man had left early because he was tired after travelling from the US, and restless after being stuck in London traffic for over an hour.

The Guardian - Sport

Seeger did acknowledge he had been in the Communist party in the 1940s and once said he should have left earlier.

The Guardian - Music

"In the U.S. press, he got the drug issues and the money-for-votes issues, and maybe he should've left earlier, so his legacy wouldn't be tarnished," de Varona said.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "he had left earlier", ensure the context clearly establishes the reference point in time from which 'earlier' is measured. This helps avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "he had left earlier" without specifying or implying the time frame being referenced. This can confuse the reader about when the departure occurred in relation to other events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he had left earlier" functions as part of a clause within a sentence, typically providing background information about someone's prior departure. It uses the past perfect tense to establish that the leaving occurred before another event in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "he had left earlier" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate a departure prior to a certain point in time. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in various contexts. It's most commonly found in news and media, with a neutral level of formality. When using this phrase, ensure the temporal reference is clear to avoid confusion. Alternatives include "he departed beforehand" or "he was already gone", depending on the desired tone. Despite its correctness, unclear usage can lead to misinterpretations, so precision is key.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he departed before

Replaces 'left' with 'departed' and 'earlier' with 'before', maintaining a formal tone.

he had gone ahead

Uses 'gone ahead' to imply he left before others, changing the focus slightly.

he left beforehand

Substitutes 'earlier' with 'beforehand', emphasizing the prior departure.

he had cleared out already

Replaces 'left earlier' with 'cleared out already', adding a touch of informality.

he had exited prematurely

Replaces 'left earlier' with 'exited prematurely', making it sound more formal and abrupt.

he had bailed out beforehand

Uses 'bailed out beforehand', which adds an informal and possibly negative connotation.

he was already gone

Simplifies the sentence to state a past departure without specifying earliness.

he'd already taken off

Employs 'taken off' to mean departed, keeping it informal and succinct.

he had left some time ago

Indicates the departure happened in the past without explicitly stating it was before a specific time.

he was gone previously

Uses 'gone previously' to indicate a prior departure, changing the structure slightly.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "he had left earlier" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "he departed beforehand" or "he had departed previously". These options replace common words with more elevated vocabulary.

What does "he had left earlier" imply about the situation?

It implies that someone departed before a specific or understood point in time, which could be important for understanding subsequent events or circumstances.

Is there a difference between "he had left earlier" and "he left earlier"?

Yes, "he had left earlier" uses the past perfect tense, indicating the action was completed before another point in the past. "He left earlier" uses simple past tense, suggesting the action simply happened at an earlier time.

What are some informal alternatives to "he had left earlier"?

Informal alternatives include "he was already gone" or "he had bailed out beforehand", depending on the context and the intended nuance.