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Sundarnaz Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Yes, let's

A: Shall we have a break?

B: Yes, let's.

Again I didn't get B. Why "yes, let's" Why not "yes, we shall"?

  

Top answer

sundarnaz Why not "yes, we shall"? It is exceedingly formal and sounds very old-fashioned. " is still used.

  • sundarnaz Why not "yes, we shall"?
  • It is exceedingly formal and sounds very old-fashioned.
  • " is still used.
  • But most of the time we just say: Let's take a break, OK?
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2 Answers
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sundarnazWhy not "yes, we shall"?

It is exceedingly formal and sounds very old-fashioned. There is no way to ask the question directly with "Let's," so "shall..." is still used. But most of the time we just say: Let's take a break, OK?

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Yes, let's is perfectly normal and commonplace -- it is a reduced form of Yes, let's have a break where the complement of let has routinely been ellipted (omitted).

The meaning of the modal shall is such that it is not repeated in the answer: we don't say Yes, we shall.

Note that you could also say Let's have a break, shall we? or

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