5
Unit 5: Let and allow
Other ways to say 'Let's go!'
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- 1Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
- 2Reported speech in 90 seconds!
- 3If or whether?
- 45 ways to use 'would'
- 5Let and allow
- 6Passive voice
- 7Unless
- 8Mixed conditionals
- 9The zero article - in 90 seconds
- 10The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
- 11The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
- 12The continuous passive
- 13Future perfect
- 14Need + verb-ing
- 15Have something done
- 16Wish
- 17Word stress
- 18Different ways of saying 'if'
- 19Passive reporting structures
- 20The subjunctive
- 21When and if
- 22Inversion
- 23Phrasal verbs
- 24The future
- 25Modals in the past
- 26Narrative tenses
- 27Phrasal verb myths
- 28Conditionals review
- 29Used to - review
- 30Linking words of contrast
Grammar Reference
Let and allow
The verbs let and allow have similar meanings – both are related to giving permission. But they're not used in exactly the same way.
Let and allow are both followed by nouns or object pronouns. 'Let' takes an infinitive without to, and 'allow' takes an infinitive with to. Both can be made negative with an auxiliary verb, and allow is often used in the passive form.
Form (allow in passive)
Subject + to be + allowed (past participle)
Take note
Here's another useful tip. In the active voice, allow takes the infinitive + to, but let does not.
- They let him leave early to go to the doctor.
- She let her brother borrow the car.
- They allowed him to leave early to go to the doctor.
- She allowed her brother to borrow the car.
