let's

USAGE SUMMARY

"let's" is a perfectly correct word in written English.
It is a contraction of the words "let us" and is typically used to suggest an action that the speaker and listener can do together. For example, "Let's go out for dinner tonight!".

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Let's see, let's see.

Cornell University

"Let's go, let's publish".

The New Yorker

Let's go; let's go.

The New York Times - Books

Let's talk.

Princeton University

Let's play!

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Let's listen.

University of California, Berkeley

Let's sit.

Columbia University

Let's check.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Let's see..

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Let's discuss!

Columbia University

Let's count.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "let's" to make suggestions or encourage action involving both the speaker and the audience, creating a sense of collaboration and inclusivity.

Common error

Be clear about who is included in the "us" when using "let's". Ensure the context makes it obvious who is being invited to participate in the proposed action to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "let's" is to form a hortative, which is a construction used to express encouragement or exhortation. It is a contracted form of "let us", used to suggest or propose an action. As seen in Ludwig's examples, this is often used to start suggestions, such as "Let's eat lunch sometime."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

35%

News & Media

65%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "let's" is a highly common and grammatically correct contraction of "let us", used primarily to make suggestions or encourage joint action. As Ludwig AI explains, it functions as a hortative and is prevalent in both academic and news media contexts, though it leans towards an informal or neutral register. While "let's" fosters collaboration, it's important to ensure clarity regarding who is included in the suggested action. Consider alternatives like "shall we" for more formal settings. Overall, "let's" is a versatile phrase that adds a friendly and inclusive tone to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

why don't we

Proposes an idea, often in a casual and inviting manner.

how about we

Suggests a possible plan or activity for consideration.

shall we

A more formal way to propose a shared action.

we could

Offers a suggestion as one of several possibilities.

we should

Indicates a recommendation or suggestion for a joint course of action.

what if we

Poses a suggestion as a thought experiment or potential plan.

it would be good to

Suggests the benefit of doing something together, focusing on the positive outcome.

we might want to

Suggests a course of action, indicating consideration and intention.

suppose we

Introduces a hypothetical plan, suggesting a possible scenario.

care to

A polite and somewhat formal way of inviting someone to do something together.

FAQs

How can I use "let's" in a sentence?

"Let's" is used to make a suggestion or proposal involving the speaker and at least one other person. For example, "Let's go to the park" suggests that you and another person (or people) should go to the park.

What's a more formal alternative to "let's"?

While "let's" is generally acceptable in most contexts, a more formal alternative is "shall we". For example, instead of "Let's begin the meeting", you could say "Shall we begin the meeting?".

Is "let us" always interchangeable with "let's"?

While "let's" is a contraction of "let us", they aren't always interchangeable. "Let us" is used when you want to emphasize the 'us' or when it's followed by a verb in the infinitive form. For example, "Let us consider all the options" is preferable to "Let's consider all the options" in a formal setting.

What phrases are similar in meaning to "let's"?

Similar phrases include "how about we", "why don't we", and "we should", all of which can be used to propose an action to be done together.