Let, let’s

Let: permission

We use let to talk about permission. Let is followed by an object and an infinitive without to:

She let me look at the photos.

Not: She let me to look …

She’d live on pizzas if we let her.

Warning:

We don’t use let in the passive with this meaning:

They didn’t let us take photographs inside the theatre. (or We weren’t allowed to take photographs …)

Not: We weren’t let (to) take photographs

Let’s, let: suggestions, offers, imperatives

Let us is the first person plural imperative, which we only use in very formal situations. Let’s is the short form, which we often use to make suggestions which include ourselves:

It’s midday. Let’s stop now and have some lunch, shall we?

Not: Lets stop now …

Okay. We’re all ready. Let’s go.

We also use let me (the first person singular imperative) to give a direct, more formal suggestion or offer:

Let me move these books out of your way.

We use let for third person imperatives and for impersonal imperatives:

Let them walk home on their own. (third person)

Let there be no doubt about it. (impersonal)

There are two negative forms of let’s: let’s not and don’t let’s. Let’s not is more common:

Let’s not argue about money. We can share the costs.

Don’t let’s throw away the good books with the damaged ones. We can sell them.

We can use the full forms let us, let us not and do not let us in very formal situations such as political documents and speeches, and religious and other ceremonies:

Let us remember all those who have died in this terrible conflict.

We must forgive, but let us not forget, what happened on that day ten years ago.

Do not let us deceive ourselves that our economic problems can be easily solved.

Let meaning ‘rent’

We use let with a direct object meaning ‘rent something to someone’:

They’ve let their house for the whole summer.

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