Cool MatePermit vs You let five people die
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Permit
Top 2,000 (common)B2verb
You let five people die
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Permit
| Permit | You let five people die | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/pəˈmɪt/","/pəˈmɪts/","/pəˈmɪtɪd/","/pəˈmɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pərˈmɪt/","/pərˈmɪts/","/pərˈmɪtɪd/","/pərˈmɪtɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //jʊ lɛt faɪv ˈpiːpəl daɪ//🇺🇸 //ju lɛt faɪv ˈpipəl daɪ// |
| Meaning | To allow something to happen. | You allowed five people to die. |
| Example | The teacher will permit students to leave early if they finish their exams on time. | You let five people die in the accident last year. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | legally, generally, normally, refuse to, be designed to, legally, generally, normally, refuse to, be designed to | let go, let in, let down, let be, let loose |
| Antonyms | forbid, prohibit, ban | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'allow' - 'permit' is often more formal., Using 'permit' incorrectly in passive voice without clear subject., Using 'permit' without an object, forgetting what is being permitted. | Confused with 'let' vs 'allow', thinking they mean entirely the same., Using 'let' in passive voice incorrectly., Incorrect verb form after 'let', such as 'letted' instead of 'let'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'permit' in formal contexts, such as legal or official situations. It's less common in casual conversation, where 'let' might be more appropriate. | Use 'let' in contexts where permission or allowance is implied. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Permit vs You let five people die
What's the difference between Permit and You let five people die?
Permit: To allow something to happen. You let five people die: You allowed five people to die.
Which is more common: Permit and You let five people die?
Permit is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Permit: The teacher will permit students to leave early if they finish their exams on time. You let five people die: You let five people die in the accident last year.
Can I use Permit and You let five people die interchangeably?
Not always. Permit and You let five people die are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.