Meaning & use
go on
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Meanings
phrasephrasal verb
To continue to do something or to keep happening, without stopping.
Grammar: Can be followed by an -ing verb or by with: go on talking, go on with the story.
Patterns
- go on doing something
- go on with something
The meeting went on for three hours.
She went on working even though it was late.
Please go on with your story; we are listening.
phrasephrasal verbinformal
To happen or take place, especially something unexpected or confusing.
Grammar: No object; often in questions such as What is going on?
Patterns
- what is going on
- something goes on
What is going on in the kitchen?
Nobody knew what had been going on at the office while she was away.
There is a lot going on in the city this weekend.
phrasephrasal verb
To move to the next stage or action after finishing something, especially to continue to a new subject or task.
Grammar: Often followed by to plus a noun or an infinitive: go on to win.
Patterns
- go on to do something
- go on to something
He went on to become a famous chef.
After the introduction, the speaker went on to the main argument.
She won the first round and went on to the final.
interjectionfixed phraseinformal
Used to encourage someone to do something, or to show you do not believe what you are being told.
Grammar: Used alone or at the start of a sentence, in speech.
Patterns
- Go on, try it
- Oh, go on!
Go on, have another slice of cake.
Go on, you are joking!
Go on, ask her; she will say yes.
phrasephrasal verbinformal
To talk for a long time, often in an annoying or boring way.
Grammar: Often used as go on about something.
Patterns
- go on about something
He does go on about his new car.
She went on and on about her holiday.
Don't go on about it, please.
Word forms
| third person singular | goes on |
|---|---|
| past tense | went on |
| past participle | gone on |
| -ing form | going on |
Common combinations
- go on to
- She went on to study medicine.
- go on about
- He will go on about football all evening.
- go on and on
- The speech went on and on until people began to yawn.
- what is going on
- What is going on outside? I heard shouting.
- go on with
- You can go on with your work while I call.
- go on ahead
- Go on ahead; I will catch up in a minute.
Synonyms and how they differ
- continue
- Continue is the standard, more formal word for not stopping, while go on is more everyday and can be followed by -ing or to.
- proceed
- Proceed is formal and suggests moving forward to the next step, whereas go on is more casual.
- carry on
- Carry on means nearly the same but often suggests keeping going despite a difficulty.
- persist
- Persist adds the idea of not giving up despite opposition, which go on does not.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: go on or carry on? go on or go in?
go on vs carry on
Carry on is very close, but it often implies persevering; go on can also mean to happen or to move to a next step.
go on vs go in
Go in means to enter; go on means to continue or happen.
Practice
After graduating, she ______ to become the director of the hospital.
Choose one answer.
Go on to do something is the pattern for a later achievement. Kept on would need an -ing verb, and carried over and stayed in do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “go on”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.