public function leftJoin($table, $condition, $fields = array("*"))
	{

		//put this in try...catch block for better error handling
		try{

			//throw exception if $table passed is empty
			if ( empty($table) )  
			{
				//throw exception for invalid argument
				throw new MySQLException("Invalid table argument $table passed for the leftJoin Clause", 1);

			}

			//throw exception if the $condition passed is empty
			if ( empty($condition) ) 
			{
				//throw exception
				throw new MySQLException("Invalid argument $condition passed for the leftJoin Clause", 1);

			}
			
		}

		//diplay error message
		catch(MySQLException $MySQLExceptionObject){

			//display error message
			$MySQLExceptionObject->errorShow();

		}

		//add to the fields property
		$this->fields += array($table => $fields);

		//populate the joins property
		$this->joins['tables'][] = $table; //= " LEFT JOIN {$table} ON {$condition} ";
		$this->joins['conditions'][] = $condition;

		//return instance of this object
		return $this;

	}