"felt sad at leaving" vs "I was saddened by having to"

Question

"felt sad at leaving" vs "I was saddened by having to"

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different nuances. 'Felt sad at leaving' is more informal and personal, expressing a direct emotional response to leaving. 'I was saddened by having to' is more formal and emphasizes the cause of the sadness. The choice between them depends on the context and the level of formality desired.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase is used to express a personal feeling of sadness related to leaving a place or situation.

Examples:

I felt sad at leaving my hometown.
She felt sad at leaving her friends behind.
He always feels sad at leaving the beach after vacation.

Alternatives:

felt sad when leaving
was sad about leaving
was sad to leave
felt sad upon leaving
was sad to be leaving

This phrase is used to express a more formal or structured feeling of sadness caused by the necessity of leaving a place or situation.

Examples:

I was saddened by having to say goodbye to my colleagues.
She was saddened by having to leave her job.
He was saddened by having to move away from his family.

Alternatives:

I was sad because I had to
I was upset about having to
I was unhappy about having to
I was disheartened by having to
I was dispirited by having to

Answer 1

felt sad at leaving

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially in informal contexts.

Answer 2

I was saddened by having to

This phrase is correct and more formal, suitable for written or formal speech.

"felt sad at leaving" vs "I was saddened by having to"

felt sad at leaving

I was saddened by having to

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