lead
leads
leading
led
Lead means to guide or be in front. Irregular: lead-led-led.
Meanings
- To guide
- To be in charge
- To result in
- To be winning
Common Collocations
lead to
lead the way
lead by example
take the lead
lead astray
Tip for Learners
Irregular: lead-led-led. Pronounced /liːd/ (verb). Lead (metal) = /led/. Lead to = result in.
Present Simple
| I | lead |
| you | lead |
| he/she/it | leads |
| we | lead |
| they | lead |
Examples - Present Simple
- I lead the team meetings every Monday morning.
- You lead by example in everything you do.
- She leads the department with confidence and skill.
- We lead the industry in sustainable practices.
- They lead the league in points scored this season.
Present Continuous
| I | am leading |
| you | are leading |
| he/she/it | is leading |
| we | are leading |
| they | are leading |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am leading the project through its final phase.
- You are leading the discussion with great insight.
- He is leading the expedition into the mountains.
- We are leading the charge for environmental reform.
- They are leading in the polls by a wide margin.
Present Perfect
| I | have led |
| you | have led |
| he/she/it | has led |
| we | have led |
| they | have led |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have led many successful teams over the years.
- You have led us through difficult times before.
- She has led the company for over a decade now.
- We have led the way in innovation consistently.
- They have led the race from start to finish.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been leading |
| you | have been leading |
| he/she/it | has been leading |
| we | have been leading |
| they | have been leading |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been leading this team for five years now.
- You have been leading workshops all semester.
- He has been leading the research project since January.
- We have been leading the industry for decades.
- They have been leading in the polls all campaign.
Past Simple
| I | led |
| you | led |
| he/she/it | led |
| we | led |
| they | led |
Examples - Past Simple
- I led the group through the dense forest safely.
- You led the presentation with remarkable poise.
- She led the rebellion against the corrupt regime.
- We led the company during the challenging transition.
- They led the investigation into the fraud case.
Past Continuous
| I | was leading |
| you | were leading |
| he/she/it | was leading |
| we | were leading |
| they | were leading |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was leading the tour when the accident occurred.
- You were leading the meeting when I joined.
- He was leading the team before his promotion.
- We were leading the market before the competition intensified.
- They were leading the race until the final lap.
Past Perfect
| I | had led |
| you | had led |
| he/she/it | had led |
| we | had led |
| they | had led |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had led the team before handing over responsibilities.
- You had led us to victory before we doubted.
- She had led the company before the merger occurred.
- We had led the industry before new players emerged.
- They had led the expedition before the weather changed.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been leading |
| you | had been leading |
| he/she/it | had been leading |
| we | had been leading |
| they | had been leading |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been leading the project for years before transfer.
- You had been leading workshops for months before promotion.
- He had been leading the team for a decade.
- We had been leading the market for years before competition.
- They had been leading the research for a long time.
Future Simple
| I | will lead |
| you | will lead |
| he/she/it | will lead |
| we | will lead |
| they | will lead |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will lead the team to success this year.
- You will lead the presentation tomorrow afternoon.
- She will lead the company into a new era.
- We will lead the way in sustainable development.
- They will lead the expedition next summer.
Future Continuous
| I | will be leading |
| you | will be leading |
| he/she/it | will be leading |
| we | will be leading |
| they | will be leading |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be leading the project throughout next year.
- You will be leading the discussions all week.
- He will be leading the team during the transition.
- We will be leading the industry for years to come.
- They will be leading the campaign until election day.
Future Perfect
| I | will have led |
| you | will have led |
| he/she/it | will have led |
| we | will have led |
| they | will have led |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have led this team for ten years by December.
- You will have led many successful projects by then.
- She will have led the company for twenty years.
- We will have led the industry for half a century.
- They will have led hundreds of expeditions by retirement.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been leading |
| you | will have been leading |
| he/she/it | will have been leading |
| we | will have been leading |
| they | will have been leading |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been leading teams for thirty years.
- You will have been leading workshops for decades.
- He will have been leading the company for a generation.
- We will have been leading the field for a century.
- They will have been leading expeditions for fifty years.