Lead or led – which one is correct?
Lead or led? Why is it so confusing? The word lead has two different meanings. What is more, lead and led are sometimes homophones… If we clearly understand the meaning of lead as a verb and as a noun, we should beware of mistakes on any occasion to make them.
Lead or led? Which form is correct?
As a verb, the word lead (past: led) describes the action and state of leadership: to lead (pronounced: /liːd/. In the context of leadership, the word lead can also be a noun and it then describes the person who’s in the role of leadership. The word led (pronounced: /led/) is simply the past participle of the verb lead.
Lead – a piece of metal
The noun lead refers to a kind of metal (e.g., a lead pipe). In this case the pronunciation is /led/ and this is one of the sources of confusion in the discussed examples.
- As it is soft, has a relatively low melting point, is easy to shape, and doesn’t corrode much, lead is incredibly useful.
- Lead poisoning occurs as the element crowds out the minerals your body needs to function, such as calcium and iron.
Lead as an adjective
Let’s remember that lead can also be used as an adjective. In such a case, lead is always used before a noun and describes a person that has the main role in a performance., e.g.:
- The lead actress in that movie is also my favorite.
Lead or led? It’s all clear! Examples
- She led them down the hall.
- We followed a path that led us up the mountain.
- You lead and we’ll follow.
