1. Diction- Lead/Led and Loose/Lose
Writing Lab
Diction- Lead/Led and Loose/Lose

2. Lead and Led
“Lead” is pronounced “leed,” and it is the infinitive form of the verb meaning “to go first.”
Its principal parts are lead, leads, leading, led, and have led.
“Lead” is also pronounced like “bed” when it refers to the graphite at the end of a pencil.
“Lead” becomes “led” when it takes a past tense or participle form (example: has/have/had led and was/were/are/is led).

3. Led
“Lead” becomes “led” when it takes a past tense or participle form (example: has/have/had led and was/were/are/is led).

4. Lead and Led examples
The valedictorian will lead the senior class across the stage on graduation day.
We were led to believe that the defendant was innocent.
The lead in each pencil is broken.

5. Loose and Lose
“Loose” is an adjective meaning “not securely fastened or tightened” or “free from restraint.”
Loose rhymes with goose.
“Lose” is a verb meaning “to fail to win” or “to be unsuccessful in retaining possession of.”
Lose rhymes with choose.
The principal parts of lose are lose, loses, losing, lost, and have lost.

6. Loose and Lose examples
I hope we do not lose the game.
The loose nail caused the structure to wobble.
The student was upset about losing her favorite book.

7. Practice I felt bad about (loosing/losing) my best friend’s necklace.
The dog (led/lead ) the rescue group through the mountains to look for the lost child.
The (led/lead) in my pencil broke while I was taking my test.
My dog escaped from the yard and ran (loose/lose) throughout the neighborhood.
The chair had a (loose/lose) screw, causing the chair to break when someone sat.

8. Answers I felt bad about losing my best friend’s necklace.
The dog led the rescue group through the mountains to look for the lost child.
The lead in my pencil broke while I was taking my test.
My dog escaped from the yard and ran loose throughout the neighborhood.
The chair had a loose screw, causing the chair to break when someone sat.

9. That’s all, folks!
This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series
Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon
To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson