 10 Everyday English Expressions with Let from EspressoEnglish.net Number 1. Let Someone Know To let someone know means to tell the person something, to give them some information or a notification. For example, if you're inviting your friend to a party but he's not sure if he can come, you could tell him, let me know if you can come to the party. I want to call attention to the pronunciation. We often pronounce this expression very fast, so it sounds like this. Let me know, let you know, or let you know. Let him know, let her know, let us know, let him know. As you can see, it almost sounds like one word instead of three. Number 2. Let's Say This expression is used to introduce a hypothetical or imaginary situation. For example, let's say your plan doesn't work out, what would you do then? We're asking the person to imagine the situation if their plan doesn't work out. Number 3. Let's See Let's see means I or we want to discover. For example, Mark has scored eight points so far, let's see if he makes it to ten. I'm not sure your parents will like that idea, let's see how they react. Let's see or let me see can also be used as a sentence filler when you need to pause your speaking for a moment to think. For example, how long have you lived in Canada? Let me see, I came here for the first time in 2001, then I visited a couple times, but I didn't settle here permanently until around 2005, so almost ten years. We use let me see to get a moment to think. Number 4. Let's Call It A Day This phrase means let's end what we are doing for the day. You can say this whether the work is finished or still unfinished. If the work is unfinished, then you will finish it tomorrow. For example, we've already packed thirty boxes, I'm tired, let's call it a day. Number 5. Let's Shake On It We say this phrase when we want to confirm an agreement by shaking hands. For example, if you're negotiating over the price of a bicycle. How much for your bike? Two hundred. I'll give you a hundred for it. How about one fifty? Alright, let's shake on it. Number 6. Let It Slide Let it slide means to choose to ignore or overlook a problem or error. For example, I made some punctuation mistakes in my essay, but the teacher let it slide. She didn't take any points off. Number 7. Let Someone In On To let someone in on something means to tell them a secret or some information that is known by very few people. For example, I'll let you in on a little secret. Sarah only got the job because she's dating the boss's brother. Number 8. Let Go, Let It Go, and Let Yourself Go To let go of something means to stop holding it. For example, the little boy let go of his mother's hand and ran across the playground. The expression let it go means to overlook something similar to let it slide or stop trying to control it. For example, I was angry about what she did for a long time, but eventually I decided to let it go. If a company let someone go, that is a polite and indirect way to say they fired the person. Terminated the person's employment. For example, there were too many managers in the department, so the director decided to let some of them go. Finally, if you let yourself go, it means you take less care of your appearance. You start to gain weight, not bother with your hair or clothing, etc. For example, he used to be so athletic, but after he turned 40 he really let himself go. Now he has a beer belly. Number 9. Let It Be, If someone tells you to let it be, they are telling you to leave the thing or situation alone. Don't interfere with or worry about it. For example, I'm not sure the oven is hot enough. Maybe I should turn up the temperature. Just let it be. The chicken is supposed to cook slowly on low heat. Again, this means leave it alone. Don't interfere. We can also say let me be to tell someone to leave us alone. For example, my brother keeps trying to give me advice even when I don't ask for it. I wish he'd just let me be. Number 10. Let Your Guard Down, To let your guard down means to relax and stop trying to protect yourself against competition or trouble. This expression can be used when someone who is normally very emotionally closed off shows a moment of vulnerability. For example, after a series of terrible relationships, I was finally able to let my guard down after I got to know my husband. In this sentence, the expression means I was finally able to open up emotionally and stop trying to protect myself by keeping people far away. If you want to learn more everyday English, check out the Everyday English Speaking Course available at espressoenglish.net. In this course, you'll learn English for daily life, social English, and functional English. It will help you improve your speaking so that you can speak with confidence. Visit espressoenglish.net for the Everyday English Speaking Course as well as many other courses and e-books.