The bed was left by a previous tenant

lilyyang · December 16, 2018, 12:51pm

The bed was left by a previous tenant.

Question: Is it okay to use “former”, “last” or “ex” to replace “previous” here?

Thank you!

scgrant176 · December 16, 2018, 1:30pm

Yes to “former,” you would have to add “the” to use “last.” “…left by the last tenant.” “Ex” would be okay, if you wrote “…left by an ex-tenant” or “…left by the ex-tenant.”

louise_steele · December 18, 2018, 4:25am

I would not use “ex-tenant”. This implies to me the last tenant died.

wcmeyer · December 18, 2018, 4:36am

i would also not use ex-tenant. it also implies there was some sort of seperation. and the relationship was only a tenant. a “Former” or “the last tenant” would be the most appropriate. However. Just to be clear. “A former” tenant could be any previisous tenant. “the last tenant” can only be the one that has just left. It is possible that it was left by a prior tenant than that most current one in which casee only a “former” tenant would then be appropriate as you can’t say it was left by the last tenant becasuse it wasn’t. .