would have let

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have let" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a hypothetical situation in the past where permission or allowance was not granted. Example: "If I had known you were coming, I would have let you stay at my place."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Don Draper never would have let that happen.

The New York Times - Arts

Otherwise we would have let them in.

The Washington Post

I would have let the courts decide.

The New York Times

Mondrian I would have let get away with that".

The New York Times - Arts

"Not that Lucy would have let me," he added, laughing.

The New York Times

Never would have let the cabernet go down".

The New York Times

Maybe then people would have let me into their cliques.

The Guardian - Books

We never would have let that boy die!

The Guardian

"No other boss would have let me do that.

The New York Times

Eric Jennings for one would have let it go.

The Guardian - Sport

Had I known what would have happened, I never would have let her go".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have let" to express hypothetical past scenarios where permission was not granted, but would have been under different circumstances. For example, "If I had known you needed a ride, I "would have let" you borrow my car".

Common error

Avoid using the base form of the verb after "would have let". The correct structure is "would have let" + object + base form of verb. For example, it should be "I would have let him go", not "I would have let him went".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have let" functions as a conditional perfect modal construction, expressing a hypothetical past action involving permission or allowance. Ludwig examples show its use in counterfactual scenarios where different conditions would have resulted in permission being granted. It is used to express something that could have happened in the past but didn't.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0.5%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "would have let" is a grammatically correct and very common conditional perfect modal construction used to express hypothetical past scenarios where permission or allowance was not granted. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and typical usage. It's primarily found in news and media contexts and serves to express regret, speculation, or counterfactuals. While various alternatives exist, such as "would have permitted" or "would have allowed", the core meaning remains consistent. When using "would have let", ensure the correct verb tense is followed, and remember it's used when conditions would have been different than they were.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have permitted

Replaces "let" with the more formal "permitted", indicating a more official authorization.

would have allowed

Substitutes "let" with "allowed", providing a more general term for granting permission.

would have authorized

Uses "authorized" instead of "let", suggesting a formal endorsement or approval.

would have granted permission to

Replaces "let" with the explicit phrase "granted permission to", making the act of permission-giving clearer.

would have enabled

Replaces "let" with "enabled", focusing on making something possible rather than just granting permission.

would have given leave to

Uses "given leave to" instead of "let", implying a formal allowance or consent.

would have consented to

Substitutes "let" with "consented to", emphasizing agreement or acquiescence.

would have sanctioned

Uses "sanctioned" instead of "let", implying official approval or authorization, often in a legal or formal context.

would have given the go-ahead to

Employs "given the go-ahead to" instead of "let", suggesting informal approval or clearance.

would have approved of

Replaces "let" with "approved of", indicating endorsement or satisfaction.

FAQs

What does "would have let" mean?

The phrase "would have let" describes a hypothetical past action that could have happened if circumstances were different. It indicates that permission or allowance would have been given, but wasn't.

What can I say instead of "would have let"?

You can use alternatives like "would have permitted", "would have allowed", or "would have authorized" depending on the context.

How to use "would have let" in a sentence?

Use "would have let" to express a past conditional situation where someone would have allowed something to happen. For example, "If I had known you were coming, I "would have let" you stay at my place".

Is "would of let" grammatically correct?

No, "would of let" is incorrect. The correct form is "would have let". The contraction "would've" sounds similar to "would of", but "would have" is the correct grammatical form.