What Is The Past Tense For Let?
Let in past tense is similar to its base form. You can spell it L-E-T, and no changes come in the verb in this tense. The same goes with the let past participle that we call “let”, too.
Here is a summary table depicting five different forms of the verb:
Base Form/To-infinitive (V1) | let |
Present Form (V2) | let/lets |
Past Form (V3) | let |
Past Participle Form (V4) | let |
Present Participle/Gerund (V5) | letting |
Look at this brief video to clarify the way to use the verb “let” correctly.
Eager to know how “let” forms in 12 tenses in English? Navigate to this webpage for the ins and outs of both active and passive voices.
How Do You Spell This Verb?
To learn more about the English verb’s pronunciation, both in American English and British accents, see the Oxford English Dictionary. Take a look at the table below:
Form of word |
Pronunciation |
|
British English |
American English | |
let | /let/ |
/lɛt/ |
lets |
/letz/ | /lɛtz/ |
let | /let/ |
/lɛt/ |
let |
/let/ | /lɛt/ |
letting | /ˈletɪŋ/ |
/ˈletɪŋ/ |
Look at this brief video to clarify the way to pronounce the verb correctly.
What Is The Meaning Of Let? – Examples And How To Use
Now that you’ve grabbed the past tense of let. Look at the definition of this verb in the dictionary online. These definitions and instances are off to a great start:
- To allow somebody to do something, go somewhere, or something to happen.
E.g.,
- She let her children splash in the pool yesterday.
- My mother had let me get to the zoo for roughly 1 hour with my buddies.
- Do something to give instructions or make requests or suggestions.
E.g.,
- She let her final exam be done last night.
- My able classmate had let the presentation complete in just 7,5 hours. Too excellent!
- To give somebody permission to do something.
E.g.,
- She begged to lend John a little money, but he didn’t let her.
- The woman begged the stingy bastard to release her child, yet he hadn’t let her.
- To show that you do not feel worried about somebody doing something.
E.g.,
- She thought she could dump me, yet I still let her do it!
- She has let the cake finish within 20 minutes before getting to the local store
Quick Practice With A Short Exercise For Past Tense Of Let
FAQs
Now, we will dig deeper into some relevant queries.
Is Let A Verb?
Yes. It’s also an irregular verb, like shut, spread, or cut.
Are There Any Obsolete Forms Of “Let”?
Yes. “Letten” and “leet” used to be the past participle form and past form of the verb, respectively. But they are just obsolete forms. We mean, “let” is the most popular forms of “let past tense” and “let past participle.”
When Is It Sensible To Use “Charter” Instead Of “Let”?
Two words have a close meaning. “Charter” often indicates the letting or hiring a vehicle for exclusive use and can replace “let” in these cases.
E.g: He charters a car to go to work.

His name is Benjamin Essek – The founder of Grammar Wiki. He is an English native speaker and has joined many English classes, learning communities to support other people with this common language as well.