before she lets

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before she lets" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a condition or action that must occur prior to someone allowing or permitting something else to happen. Example: "She needs to finish her homework before she lets her friends come over."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

"That's a loaded question," she says, her face reddening before she lets out a laugh.

The New York Times

She's like a nervous mother straightening hems and ties before she lets the kids out the door.

The New York Times - Books

Her voice is slow and rich - so deliberate she seems to be tasting words before she lets them leave her mouth.

The Guardian - Books

It is not long, though, before she lets us know that we would be quite wrong to think of her as Juno's plain, down-to-earth sidekick.

The New York Times - Books

Swathed in fur and glitter, with a come-hither look that suggests a feral tiger crossed with a cuddly koala bear, she is clearly a force of nature before she lets loose a single howl.

The New York Times

"How many hundreds of dollars do we have to give Beene before she lets the ball go in?" Power forward Tiffeny Milbrett said jokingly after the Women's United Soccer Association game.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

She was dragged halfway down the block before she let go.

The New York Times

So she had gone through all of the necessary prep before she let her imagination take hold.

The New York Times

The dealer who was selling it, a Frenchwoman, sized me up — literally — before she let me try it on.

The New Yorker

He felt her grip tighten on the hammer before she let it drop.

The New Yorker

She had held the words back and rolled them around on her tongue again and again before she let them out of her mouth.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before she lets" to clearly indicate a prerequisite action or condition. For instance, "Before she lets the children play outside, she checks the weather forecast."

Common error

Avoid using "lets" when you mean "let's", which is a contraction of "let us". "Before she lets" indicates permission, while "let's" suggests a suggestion or invitation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before she lets" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a temporal relationship and condition. It specifies that an action or state must precede another action involving permission or allowance. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Science

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "before she lets" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that establishes a condition or prerequisite for granting permission or allowance. As Ludwig confirms, it is suitable for various contexts, especially in news and media. While more formal alternatives exist, "before she lets" is generally neutral in register. Be mindful of potential confusion with "let's", and use the phrase to clearly indicate the necessary sequence of events. The phrase is a common way of illustrating conditional actions, providing clarity and setting expectations effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before she allows

A direct synonym replacement for "lets".

before she permits

Replaces "lets" with the more formal "permits".

prior to her allowing

Formal alternative, replacing "lets" with "allowing" and adding "prior to".

before she approves

Replaces "lets" with "approves", suggesting a formal endorsement.

before she authorizes

Substitutes "lets" with "authorizes", implying a level of official consent.

before she gives permission

Replaces "lets" with the full phrase "gives permission", making it more explicit.

before she consents to

Uses "consents to" instead of "lets", indicating agreement or compliance.

not until she lets

Emphasizes the conditionality with "not until".

until she allows

Changes the temporal preposition to "until", shifting the emphasis to the duration.

only after she lets

Highlights the sequence of events using "only after".

FAQs

How can I use "before she lets" in a sentence?

Use "before she lets" to express a condition that must be met before someone grants permission or allows something to happen. For example, "She always reviews the report "before she lets" it be distributed."

What can I say instead of "before she lets"?

You can use alternatives such as "before she allows", "prior to her allowing", or "before she permits", depending on the level of formality required.

What is the difference between "before she lets" and "after she lets"?

"Before she lets" indicates a prerequisite or condition that must be satisfied, whereas "after she lets" implies that something happens subsequently, once permission has been granted. For example, "Before she lets him drive, she checks his license" versus "After she lets him drive, she worries."

Is it correct to say "before she will let" instead of "before she lets"?

While "before she will let" is grammatically correct, it is often less concise and can sound slightly more formal than ""before she lets"". The simpler form is generally preferred in most contexts.