Phrasal Verb: Let down

let down is what we call a separable phrasal verb. This sounds fancy, but it just means you can pull the two words apart. You can put the person you are talking about in the middle. For example, you can say let down Sarah or let Sarah down. Both are perfectly fine! However, there is one very important rule to remember. If you use a pronoun like me, him, her, or them, it must go in the middle. You cannot say let down me. That sounds very strange to a native speaker! It is like trying to put your shoes on before your socks. It just does not fit. So, always remember: let me down, let him down, and let them down.

1. 1To use this correctly, follow these simple steps:
2. 2Start with the verb let. Remember, the past tense of let is also let. This makes it easy!
3. 3Choose your object. This is the person or group feeling disappointed.
4. 4If it is a name (like John), you can put it after down or in the middle.
5. 5If it is a pronoun (like us), you must put it between let and down.
6. 6Add the word down at the end or after the name.
7. 7Example: I (subject) + let (verb) + my friend (object) + down (particle).
8. 8Example with pronoun: I (subject) + let (verb) + him (pronoun) + down (particle).

Use let down when someone fails to do what they said they would do. Imagine you are at a restaurant. You order a big pizza, but it arrives cold and small. The restaurant let you down. Or imagine a job interview. You prepared a lot, but you forgot the manager's name. You might feel like you let yourself down. It is perfect for sports too. If a star player misses a goal, the fans might feel let down. It is also used for physical things, though less often at the A1 level. You can let down your hair or let down the hem of a skirt. But mostly, you will use it for people and feelings. It is a very emotional verb. Use it when you want to be honest about your feelings without sounding too formal.

Do not use let down for every kind of sadness. If you are sad because it is raining, you are just sad. The rain didn't let you down because the rain never promised to be sunny! Also, do not use it for moving things to a lower floor. If you are moving a box from the upstairs to the downstairs, you carry it down or put it down. let down implies a sense of failing a standard or a promise. If there was no expectation, there is no let down. Also, avoid using it in very formal legal documents. In those cases, lawyers prefer the word default or fail to comply. But unless you are writing a contract for a billion-dollar company, let down is usually your best friend.

One big mistake is the pronoun trap. People often say Don't let down me. This is a red light in grammar! Always say Don't let me down. Another mistake is using the wrong past tense. Some people try to say letted. Please don't! let stays as let. It is like a rock; it does not change. Yesterday, he let me down is correct. Yesterday, he letted me down is a big no-no. Also, be careful with the word disappoint. While they mean the same thing, let down is a phrasal verb and needs its particle. You cannot just say He let me. That means he gave you permission to do something! You must include the down to show the disappointment.

How is let down different from disappoint? Disappoint is a bit more formal. You might use it in a letter to a boss. let down is warmer and more personal. How about fail? To fail someone is very strong. It sounds like a total disaster. let down is softer. It is like a small crack in a glass, while fail is the glass shattering on the floor. There is also give up on. If you give up on someone, you stop trying to help them. If you let someone down, you just made a mistake one time. You can still fix it! let down is about the action, while disappoint is often about the result.