# Let Alone



## Lucretia

Hello,
I’m a little confused when I have to use verbs after *let alone.*
_1. I haven’t enough time to look in the mirror, let alone go to see you._
_2. She’s even afraid to answer the telephone, let alone speak in public._
_3. He refused to give evidence, to say nothing of pleading guilty._
Is this correct? Are commas necessary?
Thank you.


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## Old Novice

Lucretia said:


> Hello,
> I’m a little confused when I have to use verbs after *let alone.*
> _1. I haven’t enough time to look in the mirror, let alone [to] go to see you._
> _2. She’s even afraid to answer the telephone, let alone [to] speak in public._
> _3. He refused to give evidence, [to say nothing of pleading]  guilty._
> Is this correct? Are commas necessary?
> Thank you.


 
These are fine for the most part. You do need the comma. I'd put "to"s in both the first two sentences where shown if writing these out, but they might be skipped when speaking. If you do add the "to" to the first sentence, you could keep the "to" after "go" as well, if you wanted.

"... to say nothing of pleading guilty" is a way you might say it, but switching from "to give" to "pleading" changes the verb form and doesn't read very well, to my eye. I'd keep the "let alone to plead guilty" form in the third sentence.

Of course, others might disagree.


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## equivoque

"let alone" is an idiom used to emphasize or exaggerate extreme alternatives and I believe it is correct.  

I would use a comma.

eg: "I am too sick to get out of bed, let alone go to work!"


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## Lucretia

Thanks, O.N. and Eq. Indeed, I was not sure about the particle *to *after *let* *alone. *


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## comsci

Other than "*let alone*", I believe there are "*not to mention*" and "*much less*" that would serve the same purpose.


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## lexicalia

Lucretia said:


> _1. I haven’t enough time to look in the mirror, let alone go to see you._
> _2. She’s even afraid to answer the telephone, let alone speak in public. _
> _3. He refused to give evidence, to say nothing of pleading guilty. _
> Is this correct? Are commas necessary?
> Thank you.



They all sound good to me, and I would use commas. I wouldn't, however put in the "to" before the second verb. It's not incorrect, but totally unnecessary. Since "let alone" is an idiomatic phrase, the "to" can be easily dropped, and in fact to my ear sounds better without it.


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## Lucretia

Thank you all!


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## danielxu85

Should "let alone" always be used at the end of the sentence? Do you think that I used the phrase "let alone" in the right place? If not, how to make it right? If I still want to keep the "let alone" part in the front of the sentence, what proper phrases could I use to replace "let alone"?

Compared with the poor, *let alone* the fact that the rich have more channels to invest, even if they can take a free ride by the annulations of IR tax, it should not be an issue raising controversy.


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## Siberia

Let alone has the sense of furthering a discussion, that is why it comes later in the sentence. It adds on to what has already been said about the topic - (Not to mention). It wouldn't make any sense at the beginning of a sentence if something else about the same topic hadn't preceded it.
In your example "compared to the poor" is not giving information about the "rich" so "let alone" is in the wrong place.


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## danielxu85

If not, how to make it right? If I still want to keep the "let alone" part in the front of the sentence, what proper phrases could I use to replace "let alone"?


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## Siberia

You can't have "let alone" or "not to mention" at the beginning of the sentence for the reasons above.
In your example I would word it: "Compared to the poor, the rich have more channels to invest...............
It you want to use "let alone" my suggestion would be:
"The poor don't have many opportunities, let alone all the channels that the rich have to invest and take..............."


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## danielxu85

Thanks, Siberia!
If I still want to keep the "let alone" part in the front of the sentence, what proper phrases could I use to replace "let alone"?


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## Old Novice

danielxu85 said:


> Thanks, Siberia!
> If I still want to keep the "let alone" part in the front of the sentence, what proper phrases could I use to replace "let alone"?



I agree with Siberia that there is nothing that conveys the meaning of "let alone" that works at the front of a sentence, unless the sentence is the continuation of a longer discussion.  If you want to keep the phrase, you aren't going to do much better than Siberia's suggestion in post no. 4.


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## Orange Blossom

danielxu85 said:


> Compared with the poor, *let alone* the fact that the rich have more channels to invest, even if they can take a free ride by the annulations of IR tax, it should not be an issue raising controversy.



Let alone, or any phrase that means the same, cannot begin a sentence for the reasons already addressed.

This sentence needs serious revision.

Here are some other issues that you might need to address in other threads:

_Compared with . . . _<-- The rest of the sentence doesn't follow the expected sentence pattern.

Sample sentence:
Compared with the light of the winter's moon, the summer moon is dim.

_issue raising controversy _<-- This phrase means that the controversy raised issues.  I don't think that is what you want to say. Collocations are: create controversy, cause controversy, trigger controversy

_even if they can take _<-- Who are 'they' referring to?

Orange Blossom


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## danielxu85

Thanks, Orange Blossom, for pointing out every mistake that I was not aware of. I highly appreciate that!


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## mimi2

Hi,
“He doesn’t even bother to read letters, let alone answer them.”
I wonder about the meaning of “let alone answer them” and I guess “he neither reads nor answers the letters.”
Am I right?
Thanks.


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## rocstar

I think you're right
Rocstar


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## Trisia

Hi, Mimi 

Yes, you're right.

It means that, if he doesn't even make the small effort to read his letters, he is certain not to reply (we couldn't possibly expect him to do that )

_ I don't even bother to say hello when I see a friend, let alone engage in meaningful conversations_


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## mimi2

Thank you, rocstar.
Yes, my guess is right but could you tell me about the usage of it.
I am familiar with the pattern "Let me see", "let him alone". I mean that after Let is an object; "alone" is an adverb is a big surprise to me.
Thanks.


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## lotusfan

"let alone answer them" means he doesn't borther to answer the letters either.

P.S.
let alone:not to mention


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## rocstar

Ok mimi2:
I just understand it. I can't really explain the use of it.
Let's wait for someone else and see if they can help.
Rocstar.


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## cycloneviv

The WR dictionary gives a pretty good explanation:

*let_alone* *A*_adverb_
*1 **let alone*, not to mention

_much less; "she can't boil potatoes, let alone cook a meal"_


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## nichec

mimi2 said:


> Thank you, rocstar.
> Yes, my guess is right but could you tell me about the usage of it.
> I am familiar with the pattern "Let me see", "let him alone". I mean that after Let is an object; "alone" is an adverb is a big surprise to me.
> Thanks.


 
Be careful,* mimi*, in "let me see" and "let him alone", "let" is a verb, but not in "let alone". 

It's more like when you compare the degree of 2 things, for example, if you need more effort to do A than to do B, you would say "I don't even want to do B, let alone/not to mention A".

I guess the problem is, the expression can mean 2 things (a and b), and you are more familiar with the other meaning (a), while we are talking about b here (see below)

8.*let alone, *a.to refrain from annoying or interfering with. b.not to mention: _He was too tired to walk, let alone run. _


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## mimi2

Thank you, nichec, for pointing it out to me.
I understand and thank for your kind help.


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## Dale Texas

Would it be helpful to get the sense of let alone plus a verb or idea as _not to mention_ if it were translated very literally as "permit the verb or idea to be all by itself" and were placed first as the introduction?  

The English construction by convention is almost poetically reversed with the introduction coming last instead of first.   If we break the poetry of that and put it in more logical order, we don't have to worry too much about verbs and advebs and double meanings if we think very, very literally, then we would have things like:

Let alone _run _--Permit run to be alone (Don't touch the verb or concept run, throw it out, thow it away into another universe all by itself, put aside out of this discussion forever this idea of him running ,that is so ridiculous, and let me tell you why: he was too tired too walk.

Let alone _answer them_ -- Permit _answer them_ to be alone (Don't touch the concept _answer them_ in regards to my letters ,cut it out, thow it away into another universe all by itself, put aside out of this discussion forever this idea of him answering letters ,that is so ridiculous, and let me tell you why:  he never bothered to read my letters.

In this way, _not to mention_ can be understood as  _we won't mention it because it is so ridiculous and absurd and we are going to let it alone, and we will shorten the expression to let alone because the "it" is already understood, and now we poetically mean "don't touch."_

Now if we go back to the set English construction and you put it back into poetic disorder with the instruction don't touch, let alone, too ridiculous, *coming last instead of first...*

He was too tired to walk, let alone run. (run is too ridiculous now, let alone, don't touch)
He never bothered to read my letters, let alone answer them.  (answer them is too ridiculous now, let alone, don't touch)


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## Thomas Tompion

It might be just worth adding to Dale Texas's helpful and interesting explanation, that for me the point which most deserves emphasis is the meaning put aside by itself - let (leave) alone.

Thus he was too tired to walk, let alone run (we can put aside the idea of his running).

There is a strong _a fortiori_ sense. If he can't walk, obviously (_a fortiori_) he can't run, (we can put aside - let alone - the idea of his running). He can't walk, let alone run.

If he doesn't bother to read the letters, obviously _(a fortiori_) he won't answer them, (we can put aside - let alone - the idea of his answering them). He doesn't bother to read the letters, let alone answer them.


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## quietdandelion

He can't read, let alone/not to mention write.
We can't afford a car, not to mention/let alone the fact that we have no garage.
He has a big house and an expensive car, let alone/not to mention a villa in France.


Is _*let alone *_interchangeable and synonymous with *not to mention* in all contexts? Thanks.


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## The Scrivener

quietdandelion said:


> He can't read, let alone/not to mention write.
> We can't afford a car, not to mention/let alone the fact that we have no garage.
> He has a big house and an expensive car, let alone/not to mention a villa in France.
> 
> 
> Is _*let alone *_interchangeable and synonymous with *not to mention* in all contexts? Thanks.


 
#1. "........let alone write."

#2. ".........not to mention the fact." 

#3 ".........not to mention a villa in France."

Not interchangeable, Dandelion.


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## Macunaíma

In the first sentence, you could have used _never (you) mind_ as an alternative to _let alone_.


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## quietdandelion

Thanks, Scriverner, for your reply.
Oops! I'm color-blind to ( or with??) the two phrases because we don't distinguish them in our language.
Could you shed more light as for the subtle differences? (For you, they are perhaps very obviously diverse.)


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## The Scrivener

> *not to mention*
> *:* not even yet counting or considering


 


> let alone
> : to say nothing of *:* not to mention —*used especially to emphasize the improbability of a contrasting example <he would never walk again let alone play golf>*


 
Alas, explanations are not my forte, Dandelion.  The above quotes are from Merriam-Webster.

The difference *is* very subtle, but it is there.

Perhaps someone else could explain it better for you.


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## quietdandelion

The Scrivener said:


> Alas, explanations are not my forte, Dandelion. The above quotes are from Merriam-Webster.
> 
> The difference *is* very subtle, but it is there.
> 
> Perhaps someone else could explain it better for you.


Thanks, Scrivener, for the reply again.
Someone just told me a rule of thumb that_* let alone*_ is often followed by a verb while *not to mention *a noun or a noun phrase. And I have cheched this rule of thumb and found it useful. Nevertheless, there are still exceptions. For example, 

There isn't enough room for us, let alone/not to mention six dogs and a cat.

The above sample is hard for me to decide which phrase I should use.


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## Macunaíma

Hi, QD. I think there are too many exceptions to the rule you mention for it to be useful:

_Mr. XYZ didn't approve of his daughter's relationship with her boyfriend, let alone her marriage to him._ (_let alone_ followed by a noun)

_If he goes on at this rate, he's never going to get himself a proper job, let alone enter university._

I can only think think of _let alone_/_ never you mind _following negative statements, and they kind of reinforce what you said by introduncing further information. _Not to mention_ is also used to introduce additional information that makes your prior statement more surprising, eloquent, etc., but it's more frequently found in positive statements:

_She's drop-dead gorgeous -not to mention fabulously rich._

_I find going on holidays as stressful as working -hotel arrangements, flights, planning tours...not to mention the expense, which alway exceeds the budget._

_Not to mention_ in all sentences where it follows negative statements I can think of now don't relate directly to the prior statement, as in your example:

_We can't afford a car, not to mention the fact that we have no garage. _

Let me show you a few examples and see if you can catch the difference (which, I can't explain, hard as I've been trying):

_We can't afford a car, let alone a speedboat!_

_The house doesn't even have a living room, let alone a garage!_

_I can't find the time to do the work that's been piling up on my desk, let alone help somebody else do their work._

_There isn't enough room for us, let alone six dogs and a cat. (your sentence)_

_I'd rate my chances to get that job as low. I don't have any practical experience with accounting, not to mention that I've been in the company for only six months._

_I've been to Amazon and I don't ever want to go back there -the heat is insufferable, not to mention the swarms of mosquitos pestering you at night._

_I'm hunting for an apartment in Rio de Janeiro, but the cost of living in neighbourhoods such as Ipanema and Gávea are far beyond my means, not to mention Leblon, where you have to be rich to afford the rent of an apartment._

I hope someone can explain that better to you!


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## quietdandelion

Well put! Macunaima, thank you for the abundant reply.

I agree with you that your rules are more useful and practical. It seems to me that I have read somewhere something like the following you mentioned:

*I can only think think of let alone/ never you mind following negative statements, and they kind of reinforce what you said by introduncing further information. Not to mention is also used to introduce additional information that makes your prior statement more surprising, eloquent, etc., but it's more frequently found in positive statements:
*


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## Macunaíma

Just let me correct myself, Quietdandalion: in sentences with let alone, it's the _first_ clause that adds to the second, reinforcing its message.

_I cannot_ _afford_ _a car_, _let alone a speedboat_ (if I can't afford even a car, which is cheap when compared to a speedboat, consequently I can't afford a speedboat!)

__ I was thinking of bringing my pets. What do you think?_
__ Are you crazy?! There isn't enough room for the two of us, let alone six dogs and a cat!_


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## panjandrum

A few observations.
Is_ let alone_ used a great deal?
The OED lists _let alone _as colloquial, meaning _not to mention_.

Above, _never you mind _appears a few times as if it is equivalent to the other two.
The expression _never mind_ also appears in the OED as colloquial, meaning _let alone_, _not to mention_, _far less_.  These are approximately equivalent.
But it would be very strange to use _never you mind _in this context. That phrase has other uses, meaning _It's none of your business_.  Perhaps the _you _was included to help explain this usage (it first appeared in parentheses in post #3 ).

So there are four very similar expressions (and probably more):
... let alone ...
... never mind ...
... far less ...
... not to mention ...
Very similar, but not identical in use 
I grouped them that way deliberately.  It seems to me that the first three are followed by something that is more extreme than what preceded them.
_ Not to mention_ could be followed by more of the same, or something contrasting.


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## quietdandelion

Thanks, panj, for the extra precious knowledge.

To make sure that I use them right, here are a few samples to test myself, and correct me if I am wrong. 

Linguistics in Chinese is difficult for me, let alone that in English.
John finds linguistics in English is pretty easy, not to mention that in English.

I can't speak my own tongue well, let alone English.
He can speak Greek well, not to mention Chinese. (If he is Chinese)

John can't save his own soul, let alone others'.
John can others' souls easily, not to mention his own.


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## Matching Mole

It's important to note that these forms compare two abilities (or possibilities, etc), the second one of which is more difficult to achieve (or goes further) than the first:

"He was so drunk he couldn't even walk, let alone ride a bike."
"I can't speak my own language properly, never mind Chinese!"
"I can't even afford a skateboard, let alone a car."

So "John can't save other people's souls, let alone his own" is wrong (assuming saving one's own soul is more achievable than saving those of other people).

"Not to mention" is different, it refers to something that hardly needs to be stated (but is stated anyway!), since whatever has already been said is sufficient to the argument. This doesn't compare things like the other forms, it adds new information that is not really needed to make the point, but nevertheless reinforces it.


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## quietdandelion

Thanks, MM, for the extra vital analyses.
Now, I can assume I get it.


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## camaysar

Notice that "let alone" is always used after a negative statement. "Not to mention" is usually after a positive, or so it seems.

Sorry Macunaima.. you already said that!


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## stevenhang

- I got these two sentences from an English movie:

Person A: I don't see you around school much these days. Are you busy dating with lots of hot girls? 

- To answer person A's question , Could I say this?

"I don't even have enough time to study or cook, let alone go out on a date with anyone." 

Thanks very much!


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## Pidginboy

"I don't even have enough time to study or cook, let alone *going* out on a date with anyone."


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## cropje_jnr

Stevenhang, I think your reply is perfect.

Pidginboy, I think the tense of 'to go' should match that of 'study' and 'cook'.

The one thing that strikes me as sounding a little strange is actually in the question: normally I would say 'dating lots of girls', not 'dating _with_ lots of girls' (although there is of course 'going on dates with lots of girls').


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## bibliolept

I agree. The response is perfectly idiomatic.


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## roesmets

"We all know that speaking in front of an audience is one of the most stressful experiences one can live, *let alone* in a foreign language"
Is let alone correctly used here? I'm not sure any more


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## Anion

Yes. The use of 'let alone' seems fine to me and very natural. I stumble over 'one can live' a bit; I would probably say "...is one of life's most stressful experiences, let alone in a foreign language" or just omit it.


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## roesmets

Thanks. Very helpful. I'll skip 'that one can live'.


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## Gwan

I recently read an article which claimed (rightly!) that New Zealand's celebrity scene 'can't be compared with Hollywood, let alone Australia'. I think it should be '...with Australia, let alone Hollywood' - that is, you should put the less impressive item first, then 'let alone', then the more impressive one (if you take my meaning). However, I seem to be seeing the inverted version more and more. Do you guys agree that it's wrong, and has anyone else noticed it becoming more prevalent?


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## Dimcl

I can't say that I've seen this incorrect turn of phrase before but you're right - the more impressive comparison should follow "let alone".  If people are saying it incorrectly, it's because they don't know any better.


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## scorpion01

Hi all,
Please help me in understanding the highlighted part of the sentence better,

I can't remember things that happened 15minutes back, _*let alone 12hours*__* back*_ .

Thank you


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## Lagrangepoint

I cannot remember things that happened 15 mins, [so how can I be expected to] remember things that happened 12 hours back?


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## enJoanet

hello!
could anyone tell me if the "to" in this sentence has to be left out or not...?

This is dofficuly to explain, let alone to justify.

thanks in advance!


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## ewie

Hello enJoanet.  You can leave it in or take it out: the result is the same

(I presume that word is _difficult_)


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## enJoanet

hehehe....yes, I meant difficult...I think I should take a 1O-min break.....!

thanks a lot!


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## ewie

Take all afternoon, Joanet ~ it _is_ Sunday


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## embra

Hi, is it right to say :

 "*It’s* (I find it) *hard to consider her a person* (human), *let alone female*"

I've put a few alternatives between brackets. Are they also correct?

Thanks


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## ewie

Hi Embra.  I certainly wouldn't say any of your versions are 'incorrect' in any way ... but they're not how _I_ would express that thought:
_It's hard *enough* to *think of her as* human, let alone female_

I dare say other folk will have alternative versions


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## Loob

Hi again, embra

Can you give us some context - who are we talking about here?


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## spatula

Hello embra

I agree with ewie, and would add that an alternative for 'let alone' would be *'never mind'*. 

_'... never mind female.'_


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## ewie

(Now that you mention it, Spatz, I think I would be more likely to say _never mind_ too)


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## Er.S.M.M.Hanifa

Hi,
"Her income was barely enough to maintain one child, let alone three."
Here what is the meaning for 'let alone three'?
What is the full meaning of the sentence?
Please explain.
Thanks.
Er.S.M.M.Hanifa


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## ewie

As you can see, Er.Hanifa, this is a _very_ frequently asked question ~ answer above


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## EdisonBhola

Pidginboy said:


> "I don't even have enough time to study or cook, let alone *going* out on a date with anyone."


Shouldn't it be "go" instead of "going"? I believe "let alone" is followed by either a verb or a noun, never a gerund.


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## velisarius

I'd keep the verbs parallel, with "let alone go". On the other hand I see nothing wrong with: "I don't even have time for studying or cooking, let alone going out on a date."

Edit: a gerund is kind of noun, so there's no problem I can see.


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## Forero

This is not "let" meaning "allow to" but "let alone" meaning something like "leave alone" or "never mind", and the gerund is the direct object of "mind" or "let" (= "leave", approximately), representing what is to be ignored.

There are lots of ways to say the same thing. Some of them (e.g. "ignoring") require an obvious direct object, such as a gerund; others (e.g. "much less") work best with a parallel predicate; and "let alone" and "never mind" allow either.


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## Mnemon

Hello there,
Recently I said the following sentence,

_"Everybody should be equal before the law. This is one the cardinal articles of human rights all around the world *let alone* this institution. "_

Does it work for you? 
Thanks!


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## sound shift

Mnemon said:


> Recently I said the following sentence,
> 
> _"Everybody should be equal before the law. This is one the cardinal articles of human rights all around the world *let alone* this institution. "_
> 
> Does it work for you?
> Thanks!


I'm afraid not. It would work if you replaced "let alone" by ", not to mention".


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## Mnemon

sound shift said:


> I'm afraid not. It would work if you replaced "let alone" by ", not to mention".


Thank you my friend for the succinct and quick reply.


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## lingobingo

I would have said (after a comma) “not just in” this institution. But I wouldn’t use the word articles (tenets would be better).


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## Mnemon

lingobingo said:


> I would have said (after a comma) “not just in” this institution. But I wouldn’t use the word articles.


Hello LB and thank you.


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## Thomas Tompion

Lagrangepoint said:


> I cannot remember things that happened 15 mins, [so how can I be expected to] remember things that happened 12 hours back?


It's a device for making 'a fortiori' points.  Given that I can't remember things that happened 15 minutes ago, _a fortiori _I won't remember anything that happened 12 hours ago.


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