left for school

USAGE SUMMARY

"left for school" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are describing someone leaving their house to go to school. For example, "Randy left for school early this morning."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

At seven o'clock the following morning, we left for school.

The New Yorker

If he arrived before Monika left for school, she fled to her car.

The New Yorker

Eventually, he relented, and when he left for school, he left behind the trumpet.

The New York Times - Sports

Thursday, after the younger daughter had left for school, the police said.

The New York Times

Two boys, described by a relative as about 11 and 9 years old, had left for school before the fire.

The New York Times

Many current residents grew up in the neighborhood, left for school and work, and have returned to raise their children.

The New York Times

She would wrap it in paper and hide it before she left for school in the morning.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

She left for schooling, graduated from San Francisco State University, married a Palestinian there and returned just a few years ago.

Los Angeles Times

Alice often leaves for school before her mother wakes up.

The New York Times - Magazine

He endured his parents, leaving for school in the morning with scarcely a goodbye.

The New Yorker

After Abel leaves for school, responsibility shifts to Diego Maradona, who is 11.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "left for school" to clearly indicate someone's departure from a location (typically home) with the specific destination being school. This avoids ambiguity compared to simply saying someone "went to school".

Common error

Avoid using "left for school" when you simply mean someone is at school. The phrase emphasizes the act of departing, not the state of being there. Use "is at school" or "attends school" for the latter.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "left for school" functions as a verb phrase indicating movement or departure towards a specific destination (school). Ludwig confirms this, showing examples where it describes the act of someone starting their journey to school.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Huffington Post

21%

The New Yorker

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

3%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "left for school" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe someone departing to attend school. As Ludwig highlights, it's used across various contexts, primarily in news and media, to inform about a departure. While generally neutral in register, its specific nuance emphasizes the act of leaving rather than simply being at school. Remember to use it to specify the action of departing towards the school, as opposed to "went to school" which indicates attendance. If you need alternative phrases, consider "departed to school" or "headed off to school" to provide slight changes in emphasis or tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

departed to school

Replaces "left" with "departed", emphasizing a more formal departure.

headed off to school

Uses "headed off" instead of "left", suggesting a forward direction.

went to school

Simplifies the phrase by using "went" instead of "left for".

set out for school

Replaces "left" with "set out", implying a planned journey.

made their way to school

Emphasizes the act of traveling to school.

left to attend school

Adds the purpose of attending school to the departure.

exited the house for school

More descriptive, specifying the departure point as the house.

commenced the journey to school

Formal and detailed, using "commenced" and "journey".

was on their way to school

Focuses on the state of being en route to school.

started toward school

Implies the beginning of the trip to school.

FAQs

How can I use "left for school" in a sentence?

You can use "left for school" to describe someone's departure from a location, usually their home, to go to school. For example: "She "left for school" early this morning."

What is a synonym for "left for school"?

Alternatives include phrases like "departed to school", "headed off to school", or simply "went to school", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "leave for school" instead of "left for school"?

"Leave for school" is the infinitive form, used when referring to a future action or general habit. "Left for school" is the past tense, used to describe a completed action. For example, "He will leave for school tomorrow" vs. "He "left for school" this morning."

What's the difference between "left for school" and "went to school"?

"Left for school" emphasizes the action of departing towards school, whereas "went to school" simply states the fact that someone attended school. "She "left for school" at 8 AM" focuses on the departure, while "She went to school today" focuses on the attendance.