leaving the documents

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "leaving the documents" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of departing from a location while leaving behind certain documents. Example: "After the meeting, I will be leaving the documents on your desk for your review."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

HAGEN -- Ned is all about leaving the documents.

The New York Times - Arts

After a marathon session until well after midnight, Spain's finance minister suggested that the negotiators should get a few hours sleep, leaving the documents to be drawn up and signed thereafter.

The Economist

However, leaving the documents at church doesn't help that much.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The WHG avoids the necessity of leaving the document by allowing readers to embed HG tagged terms in the document, which are the links for displaying content in the WHG Portlet.

Journal of Cheminformatics

This isn't a dictionary or a dialogue or even a transcription of conversation from the world, leaving the document in full as something like a skeleton of the brains of a whole certain sort of speaker who, with each word he speaks, offers a mangling of what came before.

Vice

The senior civil servant who left the documents works in the Cabinet Office's intelligence and security unit which contributes to the work of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

The Guardian

Then, she told detectives that she had let a masked man into the apartment, and that he had bludgeoned Ms. Stein with a hammer and then had told Ms. Lowery to leave, the documents said.

The New York Times

One possible reason the agent may have left the documents alone is that if they were taken for a criminal investigation, they might be subject to grand jury secrecy rules.

The New York Times

And by that I mean leave the documents in their eye-straining JSTOR academic journal format.

TechCrunch

Khadr began to cry and was crying when the interrogators left," the document states.

The Guardian

In his haste, of course, Gavin has left the document with Doyle.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "leaving the documents", ensure the context clearly indicates where the documents are being left and why. This helps avoid ambiguity about whether the documents were intentionally or accidentally left behind.

Common error

Avoid using "leaving the documents" when you actually mean 'losing' or 'misplacing' them. "Leaving" implies a conscious decision, whereas losing suggests an accidental event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "leaving the documents" functions as a verb phrase combined with a noun phrase. It describes an action (leaving) performed upon a specific object (the documents). Ludwig examples show it used in news, science and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "leaving the documents" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the act of departing while documents remain. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is usable in written English with neutral formality and appears in contexts such as news, media and scientific publications. While not overly common, the phrase is versatile and can be adapted to different situations by using alternatives like "abandoning the documents" or "dropping off the documents" depending on the intent. Ensure the context clarifies where and why the documents are left to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

leaving behind the documents

Highlights that the documents were left at a particular location.

abandoning the documents

Emphasizes a more permanent or careless act of leaving documents behind.

leaving the paperwork

Uses a more general term for documents.

dropping off the documents

Suggests a quick and casual act of leaving the documents.

leaving the files

Uses a more general term for documents, often in a digital context.

leaving the records

Uses a more formal and official term for documents.

forgetting the documents

Implies that the documents were left unintentionally.

leaving the dossiers

Specifically refers to leaving collections of documents or files.

relinquishing the documents

Indicates a formal act of giving up possession of the documents.

ceding the documents

Similar to relinquishing, suggesting a more official handover.

FAQs

How can I use "leaving the documents" in a sentence?

You can use "leaving the documents" to describe the act of departing from a place and documents remaining there. For example, "After the meeting, he was seen "leaving the documents" on the table".

What is an alternative to "leaving the documents"?

Alternatives include phrases like "abandoning the documents", "dropping off the documents", or "leaving behind the documents", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

What's the difference between "leaving the documents" and "forgetting the documents"?

"Leaving the documents" implies a deliberate act of departing and the documents are left there, whereas "forgetting the documents" suggests an unintentional action. One is conscious, the other is accidental.

Is "leaving the document" or "leaving the documents" grammatically correct?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but the choice depends on whether you are referring to a single document ("leaving the document") or multiple documents ("leaving the documents").