There is often confusion over the words 'lead' (rhymes with bead) and
'led'.
Lead
'Lead' can be an adjective,
noun or verb:
Lead that rhymes with
bead is associated with being in charge or being in front.
 Lead
the team back to the tents. 
(lead as a verb)
You
can take your dog off the lead.
(lead as a noun)
Keep
this pace up. You are in the lead.
(lead as a noun)
You
have been selected to be the lead tenor.
(lead as an adjective) |
Lead that rhymes with
bed is a soft heavy toxic metallic element. (It is a noun.)
In the
UK, it is illegal to use lead for weights in fresh-water fishing.
(lead as a noun)
Someone has stolen the lead off the church roof again.
(lead as a noun)
lead ore
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LedThe word 'led' is the past tense
and the past participle of the verb
'to lead' (rhymes with bead).
Examples:
He led the
cavalry over the hill.
(This is the verb to led in the past tense.)
He has led
the cavalry over the hill.
(The word led is a past participle in this example.)
Select the correct version:
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LEAD
The confusion arises because the noun 'lead'
(rhymes with bed) is spelt identically to the verb 'lead'. (The noun 'lead' is
of course the name of a soft heavy toxic metallic element.) As a consequence,
some writers use 'lead' when they mean 'led'.
To add to the confusion, 'lead' (rhymes with bead) also exists as a noun.
A dog's lead, for example. Therefore, you have to rely on context.
Take the lead.
(Without context, it is impossible to know whether 'lead' in this example rhymes
with bead or bed.)
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Common grammar errors
