[Vocabulary] the difference between "left" and "gone"?

Status
Not open for further replies.

timonline

New member
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
Brunei
The headmaster hurried to the concert hall only to find the speaker (gone/left).

May I ask which word should be used in this case or can I use both these two words in this situation? What are the differences? Thanks!
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Gone. If you want to use "left", it should be "had left".
 

timonline

New member
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
Brunei
Gone. If you want to use "left", it should be "had left".

Thanks!
may i ask why is that? i was thinking, go --> went --> gone
and leave--> left--> left

left and gone are both participles of original form of verbs, why gone must be used instead of left?
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Yes, but "gone" is used an adjective in that context. "Left" can be an adjective, but not in that use.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
may i ask why is that? i was thinking, go --> went --> gone
and leave--> left--> left

left and gone are both participles of original form of verbs, why gone must be used instead of left?

Please don't write in that lazy, careless way, Tim.

Your previous posts show that you have a good knowledge of correct capitalisation and punctuation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top