Don't and let

Status
Not open for further replies.

Nightmare85

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
German
Home Country
Germany
Current Location
Germany
Hello,
Some minutes ago I wanted to write a sentence but didn't write it the way I wanted.
Reason: I was not sure :)
Please let's not turn this into a war.
Please don't let's turn this into a war.


I think version 1 is correct.

Cheers!
 

chester_100

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
There's an idiom that can cover your intention:

Let's not make a big deal out of it.
 

chester_100

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
The structure of the second sentence is:
-Do + not + let + us + infinitive

Can be right but very informal!
 

sarat_106

Key Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Oriya
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
Hello,
Some minutes ago I wanted to write a sentence but didn't write it the way I wanted.
Reason: I was not sure :)
Please let's not turn this into a war.
Please don't let's turn this into a war.

I think version 1 is correct.

Cheers!

Version 1 is more common. Let us (Let’s) is used in all varieties of speech and writing to introduce a suggestion or a request: Please let's turn this into a war.

It is quite normal to use ‘do’ to emphasize any action. So you can say;
Please do let's turn this into a war.
And negatively:
Please let's not turn this into a war.
Please don’t let's turn this into a war.
Please let's don’t turn this into a war.
These are three negative idioms. "Don't let's turn." may not look grammatical, but many idioms and idiomatic expressions break rules, So, Let’s not turn, Don’t let’s turn, and Let’s don’t turn. are all Standard, although Let’s don’t is more typically American than Don’t let’s, which is more typically British."
 
Last edited:

bertietheblue

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2010
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Hello,
Some minutes ago I wanted to write a sentence but didn't write it the way I wanted.
Reason: I was not sure :)
Please let's not turn this into a war.
Please don't let's turn this into a war.

I think version 1 is correct.

Cheers!

Version 1 is correct. I would say version 2 is possible but sub-standard. I have a feeling 'don't let's ...' is used more in AmEng than BrEng, simply because I've mostly heard it in American movies - I can just imagine, in some long forgotten movie I've seen, some hick saying with a twang "Don't let's argue now, honeypie!" Mind you, here's 'don't let's' in the headline of a respected British newspaper:

Carola Long: Don't let's be patronised by 'celebrities' - Commentators, Opinion - The Independent
 

chester_100

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
That's true. Substandard is what it is. Personally I wouldn't use it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top