What to KnowThe verb lead (rhymes with bleed) means ‘to direct on a course’ and its past tense is led (rhymes with red). Lead (rhymes with red) is a noun for the soft metal (like what used to be used in pencils, paint, etc.).
The Past Tense of Lead
The verb lead, which rhymes with bleed, has a past tense (like most verbs) and that past tense rhymes with bed. So how do you spell it? It’s l-e-d, led.
I led the tour through the museum.
The manager led the meeting.
The search dog led us right to the suspect.
The parade was led by a row of baton twirlers.
The bread crumbs led the children back to their home.
We were led to believe there would be snacks.
The road led to a massive forest.
Her chosen course of study led to a degree in forensics.
What makes this so hard to remember?
It could be because of words like bread, head, dead, thread, stead, dread, and spread.
It could be because of the noun lead which rhymes with led.
But most likely, it’s hard to remember if the past tense is lead or led because the past tense of read is… read (which also rhymes with red).
Rhyme To Remember
So with so many confusing inconsistencies between spelling and pronunciation in English, how will you remember how to spell the past tense of lead? Just memorize this rhyming sentence:
Ed led the pinniped to bed.
