English in a Minute: Phrases with 'leave'
Learning English Vocabulary
BBC
4.5 • 523 Ratings
🗓️ 10 June 2026
⏱️ 1 minutes
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Summary
What's the difference between leaving a bad taste and leaving a lot to be desired? Learn these 'leave' phrases and more now.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:06.1 | You're listening to BBC LearningEnglish.com. |
| 0:10.8 | Where are you going? Don't leave. We're going to learn four phrases with leave. |
| 0:19.5 | If you let someone just get on with something on their own, you leave them be. |
| 0:24.6 | I'll do it better without your help. |
| 0:26.3 | Just leave me be. |
| 0:27.5 | You leave someone in the lurch. |
| 0:29.7 | If you've promised to do something for someone, you don't do it, and it causes a problem. |
| 0:35.2 | You were supposed to bring the cakes. |
| 0:37.1 | You haven't, and you've left me in the lurch. |
| 0:40.0 | Now, if someone does let you down like that, it can leave a bad taste, |
| 0:45.2 | which means it creates a bad feeling between you. |
| 0:48.1 | When you know someone's lying, it really leaves a bad taste. |
| 0:52.5 | Now, if something or someone is just not good enough, we can say that |
| 0:56.7 | it, or they, leave a lot to be desired. We're letting you go, I'm afraid. Your performance |
| 1:03.5 | leaves a lot to be desired. Don't leave me in the lurch. Practice these phrases now. |
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