0

Can I mean "May I leave the door open?" by asking "May I let the door open?" in any context? I know that there is, of course, a difference in meaning in both of the sentences, but I'm just wondering if I can ask "Should I let the door open?" to mean "Should I let the door at its default(open) position?"

Improve this question
2
  • I have never heard let use this way (AmE). Could you find a dictionary definition with such a meaning?
    – user3169
    Commented Jan 26, 2015 at 18:20
  • I think what you are looking for here is that you want to ask the other person whether he wants the door closed or open. If that's the case then you should ask - "Do you want the door open / closed"? / Or you may ask "Should I keep the door open"?
    – Leo
    Commented Jan 26, 2015 at 18:29

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

If the door is currently open, whether or not it would return to the open position by default, you would say, "May I leave the door open?"

If the door is closed or nearly so, then you can say, "May I let the door open?" Basically, substitute "allow" or "permit" in the sentence; "May I allow the door to open?" only makes sense if the door is not already open.

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    Agreed. The only way "let" makes sense is if the door is closed, and you're asking if you can allow the door to open. (Even then, it's a strange word choice.)
    – Stephen Dunscombe
    Commented Jan 26, 2015 at 22:05

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .