Lead (pronounced leed) is the correct spelling for the present tense of the verb to lead. Its past tense led is often misspelled with ea.
- Lead the way, captain!
- Surin led from start to finish to win the gold medal.
The noun lead (pronounced led) is a metallic element.
- The pieces of a stained–glass window are joined by strips of lead.
Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Search by related themes
Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.
Related links
- Writing Tips Plus (home page)
- Writing tools
- Language Navigator (for fast access to language tips)
- TERMIUM Plus®