What type of word is "leaving"

Leaving functions as multiple word types depending on context. Most commonly, it's the present participle of the verb "leave," used in progressive tenses: "I am leaving now" (present continuous), "She was leaving when I arrived" (past continuous), "They will be leaving tomorrow" (future continuous). Present participles combine with helping verbs to show ongoing actions.

Leaving also functions as a gerund—a verbal noun formed from a verb—when the word names an action as a concept: "Leaving early is inconsiderate" (gerund as subject), "I dislike leaving parties" (gerund as direct object), "She's tired of leaving messages" (gerund as object of preposition). As a gerund, "leaving" names the act of departure rather than describing the action happening. Less commonly, "leaving" can function as an adjective in phrases like "the leaving employees" (modifying "employees"). Understanding these grammatical functions helps use the word correctly: progressive forms need helping verbs ("is leaving," not just "leaving" alone for main verbs), while gerunds function as nouns and can serve as subjects, objects, or complements. This grammatical flexibility makes present participles/gerunds like "leaving" versatile in English, serving multiple sentence functions while maintaining connection to the base verb meaning.