Meaning & use
going crabbing
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
The activity of catching crabs, usually for fun or food, with lines, nets or traps.
Grammar: Used as a noun-like activity after 'be', 'go', 'enjoy', etc. It is not used with 'a' or 'the'.
Patterns
- go crabbing
- be going crabbing
- enjoy going crabbing
Every summer we go crabbing off the pier with bits of bacon tied to string.
The children are going crabbing in the rock pools this afternoon.
She loves going crabbing because it is cheap and exciting.
phrasefixed phrasebusiness
The activity of fishing commercially for crabs to sell.
Grammar: Often used with words like 'boat', 'crew' or 'industry' to show it is work, not leisure.
Patterns
- go crabbing for a living
- a crabbing boat
- the crabbing industry
He has been going crabbing for a living since he left school.
The family owns two boats and goes crabbing in the winter.
Going crabbing is hard work, but the pay can be good.
Common combinations
- go crabbing
- We often go crabbing when the tide is low.
- be going crabbing
- They are going crabbing tomorrow morning.
- enjoy going crabbing
- I really enjoy going crabbing with my grandfather.
- a crabbing trip
- Our crabbing trip lasted three hours.
- crabbing season
- Crabbing season opens in April.
- go crabbing for a living
- Many people in the village go crabbing for a living.
Synonyms and how they differ
- crab fishing
- More formal and often used for the commercial activity; 'going crabbing' sounds more like a leisure trip.
- crabbing
- Shorter and equally common, especially in British English; it can also mean moving sideways like a crab, so context matters.
Word family
Commonly confused: going crabbing or crawling?
going crabbing vs crawling
This means moving on hands and knees, not catching crabs. 'Going crawling' is not a common phrase for an activity.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'going crabbing' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Going crabbing' is a fixed phrase that follows 'be' directly. Option 1 fits because it uses the correct -ing form after 'are going'. Option 2 is wrong because 'to' cannot come before '-ing' here. Option 3 is wrong because 'trip' would need 'on a' or 'for a'. Option 4 is wrong because 'go' must be in the -ing form after 'are'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “going crabbing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.