Using 'Let alone'?

Question

I want to know what the correct usage of 'let alone' is. For example:
I was so sleepy that I didn't even notice someone entered my room, let alone noticing he was my father. ( or let alone to notice....)
or
I was too tired to climb up the rock, let alone having a burden on my shoulders. ( or Should i say let alone to have a burden ...?)
It doesn't seem correct. What should I have said?

Answer 1

Your phrases should be:
I was so sleepy that I didn't even notice that someone had entered my room, let alone 'notice' that it was my father.

I was too tired to climb up the rock, let alone 'have' a burden on my shoulders at the same time.
(the verb 'have' here is a bit strange unless you extend the meaning as I did). You could say:
I was too tired to climb up the rock, let alone 'with' a burden on my shoulders.

You shouldn't add an 'ing' as a suffiix, nor put a "to" in front of the verb.

Some other examples:
- I was too lazy to get out of bed, let alone 'go' to school.
- We couldn't even get slowed down, let alone 'stop' the car.

Answer 2

First one, "let alone notice" (has to match "I didn't even")
Second one doesn't seem right, because the "having a burden" part doesn't match the "climbing" part--you'd be doing BOTH not just have a burden. One way to rephrase it would be "I would have been too tired to climb the rock carrying nothing, let alone with a burden on my shoulders" (with "carrying nothing" matching "with a burden on my shoulders").

The previous poster, though, makes a good point that "let alone" is usually best with nouns. You might find "much less" better in your example.

Answer 3

the phrases before and after "let alone" should be similar in structure, that said, your second sentence can't make sense no matter what configuration. heres an example though:

I was too tired to climb the wall, let alone reach the summit.

replace let alone with "and if i can't do that, i obviously can't..."

Answer 4

Let alone is the correct usage.

Let alone to notice is incorrect.

Answer 5

1) let alone notice he was my father.

2) let alone have a burden

mostly this phrase is used in front of a noun. ex. "I didn't want to see anyone, let alone my mother."

Answer 6

no longer to point is superb - you merely ought to think of appropriate to the logic. it would be greater sensible to declare he hasn't even studied the alphabet, no longer to point English - because of the fact this is going to likely be the greater undemanding subject you refer to first - no longer to point the greater complicated job you pass directly to consult. (you need to understand the alphabet until eventually you are able to now learn the language). So the final rule is the 2d 0.5 of the expression (the section that follows "no longer to point") ought to continuously be greater effective (actually or metaphorically) than the 1st section.

Answer 7

I try to avoid using that phrase. It's too wordy, especially prior to using a verb.

Answer 8

i'm no english expert, but the first one, '...let alone noticing he was my father' sounds correct.

Answer 9

let alone.