they already left

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they already left" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a group of people has departed or gone away prior to the current moment. Example: "I was hoping to catch them before the meeting, but they already left."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"They already left in the night.

Huffington Post

They already left a trail of devastation in the Caribbean, especially in Haiti, where hundreds have died.

Los Angeles Times

They already left there imprint in the minds of Europeans, in England (their homeland), Germany and afew other places across the continent.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"You're dealing with, what, an extra 75 cents for every bill of $100?" Besides, one restaurant manager said, many New Yorkers are such generous tippers that they already leave more than double the sales tax, old or new.

The New York Times

But, when they tried to come back, the village leader said they could not come back because, after Nargis, they had already left.

Conflict and Health

When he radioed headquarters about the armed men, the captain said that they had already left the ship, though it appears now that they remained on board.

The New York Times

They were unable to interview the women, however, as they'd already left the area.

Huffington Post

Either they've already left, are in the process of leaving, or they're talking about it.

Huffington Post

By the time the home gets to foreclosure, it's often too late to help families stay in their homes -- they may be too far behind or in some cases, they've already left the home.

Huffington Post

They had already left the building.

The New York Times - Sports

"There is a possibility they have already left the country".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting that a group has departed, consider the context. Use "they already left" to simply state the fact of their departure without implying any additional emotion or judgment.

Common error

Avoid using "they already leave". The correct tense requires the past participle "left" after "have" or "had". The incorrect form changes the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they already left" functions as a declarative statement indicating that a group of people has departed prior to the moment of speaking. As Ludwig AI says, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It's commonly used to convey information about someone's absence.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they already left" is a grammatically sound phrase used to state that a group of people has departed before the present moment. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness and usability. While its frequency is uncommon, it appears across diverse contexts, predominantly in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business domains. For formality, "they have already departed" serves as a suitable substitute, while "they've already gone" works well in informal contexts. Remember to avoid incorrect verb tenses like "they already leave". Overall, the phrase is a useful and versatile way to indicate someone's absence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they have already departed

Replaces the verb "left" with "departed", offering a slightly more formal tone.

they've already gone

Uses the contraction "they've" and the verb "gone" as a more informal substitute for "left".

they are already gone

Emphasizes the state of being gone, rather than the action of leaving.

they have left already

Reorders the phrase, placing "already" at the end, which is less common but still understandable.

they had already went

Uses the incorrect verb tense "went" instead of "gone". Grammatically incorrect, but conveys the same meaning in informal speech.

they took off already

Uses the phrasal verb "took off" to mean they departed, adding a sense of quick departure.

they are no longer here

Indicates their absence using a different structure, focusing on their current location.

they exited already

Uses "exited" to mean they left a place.

they cleared out already

Implies they left and possibly emptied a place.

they vanished already

Suggests a sudden or mysterious departure.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "they already left" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use phrases like "they have already departed" or "they have already gone".

What is a more casual way to say "they already left"?

Informally, you could say "they've already gone" or "they took off already".

Is there a difference between "they already left" and "they just left"?

"They already left" indicates a departure that happened some time ago, while "they just left" implies a very recent departure.

Can I say "they are already left" instead of "they already left"?

No, "they are already left" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "they already left" or "they have already left".