Let past tense

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Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of let

allow or permit.

Infinitive

Word: let /lɛt/
Examples:
  • 1. She never lets her children watch TV late at night.
  • 2. He lets his dog out for a walk every morning before breakfast.
  • 3. Our teacher lets us choose our own project topics for the final assignment.

Past Simple

Word: let /let/
Examples:
  • 1. Yesterday, they let us borrow their car for the trip.
  • 2. Her parents finally let her go to the concert with her friends.
  • 3. The teacher let the class leave early after the exam.

Past Participle

Word: let /lɛt/
Examples:
  • 1. The book was let fall from the shelf, scattering pages across the room.
  • 2. She was let go from her job yesterday.
  • 3. They were let into the secret society after a year of waiting.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General Actions or Facts in the Present Use when describing actions or situations in the present that are habitual, general truths, or facts.
    Example. She lets her cat outside every morning.
    Example. Always let the paint dry for 24 hours.
    Example. Let me help you with your homework.
  2. Instructions or Commands Use for giving formal instructions or when issuing commands.
    Example. She lets her cat outside every morning.
    Example. Always let the paint dry for 24 hours.
    Example. Let me help you with your homework.
  3. Offers or Suggestions Use when making offers or suggestions.
    Example. She lets her cat outside every morning.
    Example. Always let the paint dry for 24 hours.
    Example. Let me help you with your homework.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past Use for actions or events that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. They let us borrow their car last weekend.

Past Habits or States Use for describing habits or states in the past, not occurring now

    Past Participle

    1. Perfect Tenses Present Perfect. Use for actions or events that have occurred at an unspecified time or have relevance to the present moment.
      Example. They have never let their kids stay up past 10 PM.
      Example. By the time we arrived, they had let everyone go home.
      Example. By next year, I will have let go of all these old grievances.
      Example. The guests were let in by the host as soon as they arrived.
    2. Past Perfect. Use for actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
      Example. They have never let their kids stay up past 10 PM.
      Example. By the time we arrived, they had let everyone go home.
      Example. By next year, I will have let go of all these old grievances.
      Example. The guests were let in by the host as soon as they arrived.
    3. Future Perfect. Use for actions that will have been completed by a certain future time.
      Example. They have never let their kids stay up past 10 PM.
      Example. By the time we arrived, they had let everyone go home.
      Example. By next year, I will have let go of all these old grievances.
      Example. The guests were let in by the host as soon as they arrived.
    4. Passive Voice Use when the focus is on the action or the object of the action, rather than who is performing the action.
      Example. They have never let their kids stay up past 10 PM.
      Example. By the time we arrived, they had let everyone go home.
      Example. By next year, I will have let go of all these old grievances.
      Example. The guests were let in by the host as soon as they arrived.
    5. Note. It's crucial to remember that 'let' is irregular only in its spelling and pronunciation across some forms; its past and past participle forms remain the same ('let'), which is an exception in comparison to regular verbs. However, understanding its application across tenses and constructions is fundamental for correct usage.
      Example. They have never let their kids stay up past 10 PM.
      Example. By the time we arrived, they had let everyone go home.
      Example. By next year, I will have let go of all these old grievances.
      Example. The guests were let in by the host as soon as they arrived.

    Common mistakes

    — 01

    Changing 'let'

    A frequent mistake is attempting to modify 'let' into a different form for the past or past participle, similar to how one would change 'run' to 'ran' (past) and 'run' (past participle). Learners might mistakenly use 'letted' or 'letten,' thinking it follows a regular verb pattern. Correct usage. 'I let him know yesterday' (past) and 'I have let him know' (past participle).

    — 02

    Regular verb rules

    Another mistake comes from applying the -ed ending rule of regular verbs to 'let.' Since many verbs require adding -ed for their past and past participle forms (e.g., 'talk' becomes 'talked'), learners sometimes incorrectly apply this rule to 'let,' creating forms like 'letted.'

    — 03

    Overcorrection in Formal Contexts

    Occasionally, learners overcorrect by trying to use more 'sophisticated' or 'formal' versions of verbs in academic or professional writing, leading to the erroneous belief that 'let' might be too informal or simplistic, and thus mistakenly substituting it with more complex verbs or incorrect forms.

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    Frequently asked questions

    What is the past simple form of 'let'?

    The past simple form of 'let' is 'let.' It remains the same as the base form. For example, 'Yesterday, she let me borrow her car.'

    What is the past participle form of 'let'?

    The past participle form of 'let' is also 'let.' It does not change from its base form or past simple form. For instance, 'I have let my neighbor use my wifi.'

    How do you use 'let' in a past tense sentence?

    Using 'let' in a past tense sentence involves keeping the word 'let' unchanged. It's used to indicate that permission was given or an action was allowed in the past. For example, 'He let us enter the room.'

    Can you provide an example of a sentence using 'let' as both the past simple and past participle in a sentence?

    Certainly! Here is a sentence that uses 'let' to show both the past simple and past participle forms, which, remember, appear the same. Past Simple. 'Last week, they let us watch the rehearsal.' Past Participle in a Perfect Tense. 'By the end of the day, they had let everyone tour the facility.' Remember, despite the versatility of 'let' across various tenses, its form remains unchanged, making it one of the simpler verbs to use when discussing past actions or permissions.