let alone

[English4everyone]

Do we always use the basic form of a verb after let alone? Or the gerund form?
Could you give me some examples please? Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Do we always use the basic form of a verb after let alone? Or the gerund form?
Could you give me some examples please? Thank you.

As always, please post at least one example sentence using the phrase you are querying and then we can comment.

 

[English4everyone]

Sorry
For example:
I can't buy a bicycle let alone buy a car.
I don't have enough money for myself let alone lend money to you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Sorry
For example:
I can't buy a bicycle let alone buy a car.
I don't have enough money for myself let alone lend money to you.

#1 - That's fine, although I would add a comma after "bicycle" and I wouldn't bother with the second "buy".
I can't buy a bicycle, let alone a car.

#2 - This doesn't quite work.
I don't have enough money for myself, let alone enough to lend you some.

 

[English4everyone]

If possible, could you please give an example which we use a gerund after let alone?
Thanks

 

[5jj]

#2 - This doesn't quite work.
I don't have enough money for myself, let alone enough to lend you some.

I agree, but I think that you will hear English4everyone's version in informal conversation.

 

[5jj]

If possible, could you please give an example which we use a gerund after let alone?

I don't like speaking English, let alone teaching it. ;-)

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't think I can, no.

Initially, I was going to post "I don't like skiing, let alone snowboarding" but I realised that the "-ing" words serve as nouns. The same was true for every example I thought of. I can only conclude that we don't use "let alone + gerund"!

If that's not the case, I'm sure another teacher will be quick to correct me.

EDIT: I think I've thought of one!!!

He wasn't smiling, let alone laughing.

I've now seen 5jj's post too and realised that my initial answer to this question was nonsense. However, I've chosen to leave it here as proof that we are not correct sometimes, let alone all the time.

 

[5jj]

If that's not the case, I'm sure another teacher will be quick to correct me.

Your wish is my command - see post #7.