they have left

USAGE SUMMARY

"they have left" is a grammatically correct and commonly used part of a sentence in written English.
It is typically used in the present perfect tense to indicate that an action or event happened in the past and is ongoing or has just been completed. Example: "My parents have left for their trip to Europe already. They will be gone for two weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And they have left.

The New Yorker

They have left a heritage.

The New York Times - Arts

"They have left a mess".

The New York Times

They have left little to chance.

The New York Times

They have left the countryside.

The New York Times - Sports

"That's all they have left.

The Guardian

They have left us behind".

The New York Times

I don't know what they have left".

The New York Times

Why couldn't they have left it alone?

The Guardian - Film

They have left a skeletal process".

The New York Times

'They have left burnt-out tanks.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they have left" to describe a completed action in the past that has relevance to the present, such as "They have left a legacy of innovation".

Common error

Avoid using "they have left" when describing a future event or a hypothetical situation; instead, use the future tense: "They will leave tomorrow."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they have left" functions as a present perfect verb phrase, indicating a completed action by a group with present relevance. Ludwig confirms its common usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Academia

5%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they have left" is a versatile and frequently used present perfect verb phrase that signifies a group's departure with implications for the present. Ludwig's analysis indicates its grammatical correctness and suitability for neutral communication across varied contexts, including news, business, and general discourse. While alternatives like "they departed" or "they have gone" exist, "they have left" commonly expresses a recent, relevant action. Avoid using it for future scenarios or substituting it for past perfect tenses where appropriate. According to Ludwig, the phrase is most often encountered in "News & Media".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they have gone

Uses a different verb form to indicate a completed departure.

they departed

Focuses on the act of leaving, removing the present perfect tense.

they went away

Simplifies the phrasing to a more basic expression of leaving.

they are gone

Shifts the focus to the state of being absent rather than the act of leaving.

they abandoned ship

Implies a more urgent or complete form of departure.

they vacated the premises

Formal phrasing that emphasizes leaving a specific location.

they cleared out

Informal phrasing that implies a quick or complete departure.

they moved on

Suggests leaving a situation or topic and progressing to something else.

they checked out

Implies leaving a specific location with official or announced departure.

they pulled out

Phrasing that implies exiting from a situation, agreement or activity.

FAQs

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

The phrase "they have left" is used to indicate that a group has departed. For example, "They have left the building" indicates that the group is no longer in the building. Similarly, "They have left a message" means the group has left a message for someone.

What are some alternatives to saying "they have left"?

You can use alternatives such as "they departed", "they went away", or "they have gone" depending on the context.

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

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings. "They have left" (present perfect) indicates an action completed recently, while "they had left" (past perfect) refers to an action completed before another point in the past. For example: "They have left, so we can start the meeting" versus "They had left before I arrived, so I missed them".

What's the difference between "they have left" and "they left"?

"They have left" implies a connection to the present, such as a present consequence of their leaving. "They left" is a simple past tense statement with no direct implication for the present moment. For example, "They have left a mess" implies the mess is still there, while "They left yesterday" simply states when the departure occurred.