Everyday English Expressions with LET

Everyday English Expressions with LET

Hi there! In today’s lesson, we will be learning some very useful everyday English expressions with LET.

Let is the verb we use in numerous expressions such as let’s go, let’s do something and many others so I thought it might be useful to explain them in more detail with example sentences so you can use them confidently. Many expressions use the contraction let’s, which is contracted from let us = let’s. It is used to invite someone to do something.

Everyday English expressions with LET

The expressions we are going to look at are as follows:

• Let go
• Let alone
• Let me see/think
• Let me tell you
• Let’s see
• Let’s hope
• Let’s face it
• Let’s just say
• Let there be
• Live and let live
• To/for let
• Let yourself in for something

Let go

To let go means to stop holding something or someone.

• You have to hold it tight and not let go!
• The thief grabbed my bag and didn’t let go until he took it and ran away.

It also means to stop thinking about past regrets.

• Everyone needs to let go of the past and move on. 

Everyday English expressions with LET

Let alone

Use this phrase to say that something is less likely to happen than something else.

• When he lost his job, Peter didn’t have enough money for basic things, let alone new clothes.
• This apartment is so small, that there is hardly enough room for us, let alone a dog.

Let me see/think

This is a common phrase you can use to say that you need some time to think about something.

• Let me see… where did  I leave my phone?
• The last time I saw her was … let me think... last December.

Let me tell you

Use the phrase to emphasize.

• Let me tell you, there was an awful traffic jam, I don’t know how I got home.
• We spent a weekend at that hotel and let me tell you, I had the time of my life.

Let me see

Use the phrase to say that you are thinking about something carefully.

• “How many people are coming to your birthday party?” “Let me see… About fifteen.”
• Hold on a second! Let me see if I understand you correctly. You said that…

Everyday English expressions with LET

Let’s hope (that)

This phrase is an invitation to someone to join you in hoping that something will turn out well. 

• Let’s just hope we’ll be able to find a parking place when we get to the city centre.
• The patient is recovering after the operation. Let’s hope for the best. That’s all we can do now.

Let’s face it

Use the phrase before you say something unpleasant or disagreeable.

• Let’s face it, the situation at the market is pretty bad and it’s getting worse.
• Let’s face it, we’re not getting any younger so we need to take good care of our health.

Let’s just say

Use the phrase to say that you refuse to give all the details about something.

• I won’t tell you the details about the meeting but let’s just say that Pete wasn’t very pleased with our offer.
• Let’s just say I had lots of reasons to leave my job and move abroad.

Let there be

Use the phrase to express a wish or hope.

• At the end of the day, let there be no excuses for work done badly.
• Let there be no conflicts and misunderstandings between countries and nations.

Live and let live

We use the expression to advise you to tolerate other people’s behaviour just as they would tolerate yours.

• In this neighbourhood, you should always mind your own business. Simply put, live and let live.
• Unless I’m really angry I’m happy to just live and let live.

Everyday English expressions with LET

To/for let

The prepositional phrase is used to say that something is for rent.

• Our company has three offices to let at the moment.
• Have you heard of any apartments for let somewhere near the beach?

Let yourself in for something

To let yourself in for something means to be involved in an unpleasant situation unintentionally.

• Sara was wondering what she let herself in for when she decided to get a dog.
• Try not to let yourself in for trouble when buying real estate.

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