Which to use
“let” and “lie” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #228
- “let” frequency rank
- #1,530
- “lie” frequency rank
- 1758
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | let | lie |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To allow to, not to prevent (+ infinitive, but usually without to). | To rest in a horizontal position on a surface. |
Where the eye mixes let and lie
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. let (/lɛt/) and lie (/laɪ̯/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 1758, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
let is recorded at frequency rank #228, classified as averb, pronounced /lɛt/. lie is at rank #1,530, tagged as averb, pronounced /laɪ̯/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 1758, this pair ranks #526,725 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of let vs lie
Shared letters: el. Private to "let": t. Private to "lie": i.
"let" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "lie" · 3 letters · shape CVV